Hives & Diarrhea in Dogs

Hives in dogs are a sign of an allergic reaction, and diarrhea is a sign of digestive upset, which could have a number of root causes. Both of these symptoms indicate that your dog is having some kind of health problem, and should be investigated to find the root causes.

  1. Identification

    • Diarrhea is fairly easy to identify: your dog will have frequent loose stools, sometimes of a green or black color, and filled with mucous. The dog might strain repeatedly as well. Dehydration can quickly set in with repeated bouts of diarrhea, and you must isolate the cause of the problem to know whether an emergency visit to the veterinarian is necessary.
      Hives show up as raised red bumps on your dog's skin. On a very furry dog, you may simply notice raised patches of hair, but on closer examination you will see the redness underneath. Hives should be very obvious on the belly area and under the arms.

    Effects

    • Both diarrhea and hives in dogs cause a great amount of discomfort for your pet. Administer home remedies gently, and if your vet prescribes any kind of medication, follow his directions carefully and finish the course of treatment completely.
      Hives are not typically life-threatening, although repeated breakouts indicate underlying problems. Continued diarrhea in your dog could cause serious harm or indicate a serious illness, so deal with it right away.

    Treatments

    • A cool bath using an oatmeal product can work wonders for a dog with itchy skin. A soothing organic shampoo, or one which has been specially formulated for dogs with sensitive skin, may help as well.
      Consult with your veterinarian before giving your dog any over-the-counter human treatments such as Benadryl, milk of magnesia or Pepto-Bismol. Most of these treatments are OK for dogs in the right dosages, but if your dog has any kind of health problem, your vet will advise you on the correct administration. Discontinue use as soon as possible so your dog's system can recover from the irritation.

    Expert Insight

    • Hives will usually disappear on their own after a day or so once the cause of the allergen has been eliminated. Determine the cause so you can avoid the problem in the future.
      Diarrhea that lasts for more than 24 hours, especially accompanied by fever and lethargy, warrants a call to the veterinarian and infusion of intravenous liquids.

    Misconceptions

    • Some dog owners think that hives and diarrhea are minor irritations that will resolve on their own. In many cases, they do disappear, but then reappear with increasing frequency. Once your dog has had an allergic reaction to something and broke out in hives, it becomes sensitive to the trigger and will break out again in the future if you do not remove the irritant.