Treating Hives or Urticaria in Dogs

Hives are red raised, itchy blotches that can form a pinpoint rash or a plateau of inflamed welts. The Western medical term for hives is urticaria, and the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) term is wind-heat caused by Lung meridian excess. Homeopathic medicine also recognizes hives as a medical problem, but diagnosis it in terms of the dog's overall presentation

Hives are rather rare so you might think you'll never need this information, but the same approaches that fix dogs with hives also help dogs with flea bite sensitivity and hot spots. With all three conditions, immune system over activity leads to inflammation with redness, swelling, heat, and itching. If, in addition to inflammation, skin infection is a factor, the threatment must also cover infection.

The first step in treating Patch for hives is to make him comfortable by relieving inflammation and itching (pruritus). Use running cold water, ice packs, or fans on dampened skin. Give homeopathic remedies with immediate benefit, such as Apis and Rhus tox.

For long-term relief from hives, Western medicine, TCM and homeopathy each have something to offer.

Western medicine therapy for hives, hot spots, and flea sensitivity:

• antihistamines (Benadryl),


• steroids (prednisone),


• Omega 3 fatty acids from fish or flax to decrease tendency to inflammation,


• probiotics and prebiotics to strengthen the intestine since “Leaky Gut” syndrome predisposes dogs to develop itchy skin disorders.

TCM herbal formulas that dissipate heat and treat hives, hot spots, and flea sensitivity:

• Xiao Huang San (Dissipating Huang-Pattern Powder),


• Huang Lian Jie Du Tang (Coptis Decoction to Relieve Toxicity),


• Long Dan Xie Gan Tang (Gentian Drain the Liver Decoction) and Er Miao San (Two Marvels Powder),


• Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin (Five Ingredient Decoction to Eliminate Toxin) which also addresses skin infections,


• Fang Feng Tong Shen San (Pills of Ledebouriella with Magical Therapeutic effect),


• Si Miao San (Four Marvels Powder),

and individual herbs, such as:

• Jing Jie (schizonepeta),


• Fang Feng (ledebouriella root),


• Be He (mentha) , and


• Ku Shen (sophora root).

TCM also recommends diet changes away from carbohydrates such as wheat and corn. TCM recommends meat and fish that are "cooling" or "neutral" rather than "hot." Serve the food raw, but warmed:

• turkey,


• rabbit,


• cod fish, salmon, tuna, sardines,


• pork, or


• beef.

Cooling vegetables include:

• broccoli,


• celery,


• spinach,


• cabbage, and


• carrots.

TCM recommends that Patch avoid "hot" foods such as mutton, chicken, garlic, oats, and ginger.

TCM uses acupuncture to relieve hives, hot spots, and flea bite sensitivity:
Points that clear hives accompanied by moist skin or discharge:
BL 25, LI 11, SP 9, GB 41, LV 3, CV2.
Points that relieve itching:
LI 11, LI4, BL 40, SP 10, GV 14.

Homeopathic approaches to hives, hot spots, or flea bite sensitivity are most effective when they take into account the dog’s nature. Among the remedies for hives, flea bite sensitivites, and hot spots are:

• Apis


• Belladonna


• Sulfur


• Hepar sulph


• Ipecac


• Rhus tox, andv
  
• Urtica urens.

The most effect treatments include a little from each approach. For example, Patch could begin with

• Apis every 2 hours


• daily Omega 3 fatty acids from fish,


• yogurt for probiotics,


• Long Dan Xie Gan Tang and Er Miao San if there is no infection,


• Wu Wei Xiao Du Yin if there is skin infection, and


• hamburger, carrots, and broccoli or pork, cabbage, and broccoli.