Dog's Overnight Development Of Bumps

by Robert B
(Orlando, Florida)

Reader Question: What Caused My Canine To Develop Bumps On Her Body?

My dog is a 4 years old female pit-bull. One morning she woke up with bumps in her whole body. She was scratching and shaking her ears, so I put on her coat a lotion called "Sarna" which is for human use when there is some itching and gave her Benadryl.

I don’t know why she got this allergic reaction, but we went to a place where we haven't been before, and maybe the lawn had some insecticide, also she ate some peanuts, which she had before, so I don’t think that triggered this. After 30 minutes of the treatment I gave, she was calm, and the lumps started to disappear.

Veterinarian Suggestions As To What Caused This Canine To Develop Bumps

Hello,

I can’t say with certainty what was going on with your dog, but based on your description, it does sound like she developed hives as a result of an allergic reaction. In many cases, we never figure out exactly what these dogs are reacting to, and as long as the hives don’t come back, that is not a problem. If, however, your dog continues to break out in hives you’ll want to try to determine what she is being exposed to in the minutes to hours beforehand so you can avoid her triggers in the future.

To treat a dog with hives but no other symptoms, rinse the skin in cool water and give Benadryl at the dose recommended by your veterinarian. Dogs that develop difficulty breathing, facial swelling, vomiting, or collapse as a result of a severe allergic reaction (or for any other reason) should be taken to the veterinarian immediately.

Regards,

Jennifer Coates, DVM