Allergic Reaction? Argh!

[spotteddrafter1]

Hi, I'm new to this side of the forum and just needed to vent a little to people that will understand!


I woke up Saturday AM to find my beloved Bailey with a face swollen to about 3 times the size....non-stop panting....non-stop scratching of face....and drinking tons of water. I immediately took her to the emergency veterinary hospital where they dx'd an allergic reaction to an unknown factor....gave her a shot of Benadryl and a shot of steroids....sent us home with Benadryl to give every day.

After about 4 hours, her face returned to almost normal, and she has been fine since. Woke up this AM to find her face back to the way it was Saturday. The up-side is that she wasn't scratching at it so much and she wasn't panting at all. I quickly gave her Benadryl and steriods, but then had to go to work. I've been calling my DH to check on her all day, and now it's getting worse. So, it's off the vet again today....<sigh>

My vet says that if it were truly an allergic reaction that it wouldn't come right back like this.

Anyone have this kind of thing ever happen? Any ideas?

Thanks,
Jill

[Moo]

Welcome to the forum! We'll do our best to help you out... By chance have any photos of the poor kid for us?

Well, it could still be an allergic reaction, it went down after the medicine was administered? Check out her sleeping area (and other parts of the house) for anything unusual... Maybe a hole letting spiders in....


How old is she/how long have you had her? Breed?

[Dax]

Yup time to play detective and try to figure out what is causing it. Poor baby. I suggest removing all toys, beding, etc and then introducing one back per week to try to get a handle on it. Insects are also a factor but much harder to control.

[Moo]

Oh, that's true too. Alot of dogs are allergic to things like latex.

[Leslie]

My first thought was a spider bite. Hard to tell for sure but, like Dax said, time to do some detective work. My Sidney is allergic to rubber and she lost the fur around her mouth (it did grow back) and her lips swelled after chewing on a stuffed Kong toy. She doesn't get to do that anymore! Good luck.

[spotteddrafter1]

Sorry all!

Bailey is a 6yo Blue-ticked coonhound...I think. If she isn't purebred, then she is pretty close....not sure since I adopted her from an animal shelter 5 years ago. I have TONS of pictures of her, but they are all on the home computer....will try to get to them tonight. She's pretty tall, comes up just over my knees and she weighs 78pounds (about 10overwieght according to the vet...but what does he know? )

As for where she sleeps...there better not be any insects there because she sleeps with us in bed! We don't currently have any spiders around, since it's still winter....but the temps are getting warmer and soon they will be coming out of hibernation. She doesn't play very often with toys, but when she does it's the same stuffed animals she has had for over a year now.

I'm thinking that she is getting into something in the yard when she is let out at night. My husband gets home from work around midnight and lets her out before he comes to bed....so I'm thinking it must be happening then. I guess I'll find out soon at the vet....sigh.