When your dog has hives the owner goes through an emotional period of stress just like the dog is going through. Your dog is having a rough go at it, and the biting and scratching is rubbing the area raw and causing his skin to bleed.
You first need to remain calm. The best way to calm yourself down is to realize that most cases of hives on the dog last one day, so it should be over by this time tomorrow. You need to relax and understand if you can not calm your dog down and ease some of his discomfort, that he will aggravate an already sensitive area and cause more pain for many more days. The question of what do I do when my dog has hives begins simply by you getting calm so you can take control of this situation quickly.
Your dog will only have the hives for one day if they are left to heal on there own. The problem is that your do will do anything to help relieve him of that itching skin. He will bite at the hives, he will scratch them, and he will rub against anything that will help him with his discomfort. That constant rubbing is exactly what he needs to stop. Your job is to stop that scratching immediately. Once the skin breaks open and starts to bleed, the infections begin to set in and you are going to be in for a lot more headaches than you ever anticipated. The end result is skin infection, and it can be avoided. What do I do when my dog has hives? The answer is stop him from scratching right now.
Stopping a dog from scratching is like asking yourself to stop breathing. You may have to get creative but that is a far better choice then taking him to the hospital for an infection. One way to stop him from scratching is to purchase one of the cones that a veterinarian uses after a surgery to stop the dog from biting the area that was treated. These work well on an area he can not scratch with his paws. The cone will keep him from biting the hives. If the hives are on his neck or body he can reach them with his nails. One trick is to buy those dog mittens and strap them on for a day until he gets better. He may feel uncomfortable wearing them, but the alternative is much worse. You need to be on patrol for twenty four hours and keep him from scratching. If you can do that you will see improved skin conditions by tomorrow and your dog will be rid of those hives.
