Help with hives - sarcoptic mange?

[Anonymous]

Hello DCUM

My 4 year old English bulldog has had hives 3-4 separate times in the last 9 months since we've moved to this area (from NYC). Each time we have ultimately taken him to the vet to get a Benadryl and then steroid injection. This last time, about 4 weeks ago, the doctor advised an at-home Benadryl regimen - 50mg 3x day for a few days, then twice daily for a few weeks. I stopped the twice daily last week. Now today he has hives again.

I suspect either a seasonal allergy to something here but not in NY, or my mom suggested sarcoptic mange (from local foxes) as our family dog had it many years ago. We are in Arlington but they live out in Reston/Herndon near a wooded area. In fact he was just there this past weekend while we were way.

Any experience with hives and/or sarcoptic mange? How was it diagnosed?

[Anonymous]

I don't think it is mange. I don't think the mange would clear up from a steroid injection and then return. (To treat mange, which is a parasite, you need to kill it, like lice.)

You could ask the vet to take a look to see if it is worth further testing, but my guess is the vet would say it's likely not mange.