Can Wandering Dew make my dog itchy?

This is the question that is often asked and the answer in short is YES Wandering Jew can make your dog VERY itchy!.

From what I have seen over the years about 70% of dogs react to Wandering Dew. (It has several names: Wandering Jew, Wandering Dew, Wandering Willy, Tradescantia are the ones I know).

It is often our short-haired or fine-coated dogs that will react - breeds like Staffy's. Bull Terriers, Bull Dogs, Greyhounds, Dachshunds but not by all means limited to.

Fur on a dog has a purpose - to protect - to protect the skin from grease, grime, dirt and dust irritating the skin.

"The more hair the more protection - the less hair the less protection".

The problem with Wandering Dew is that their leaves are covered in tiny little hairs, your dog steps in to a patch, the noxious hairs penetrate through the fur making their way to the skin - the irritation has begun!

From personal experience 5 seconds in Wandering Dew equates to 5 days of rashes and an incredibly itchy dog. (We made Eezapet for Coco the #eezapetmascot all those years ago due to this pesky creeper causing continual itchy skin problems.)

Not all dogs will present in the same way - with Wandering Dew we see

• welts,
• red rashes,
• bumps and spots,
• itchy muzzle,
• itchy paws,
• itchy bellies

BUT basically everyone reports one common factor - that their dog is itchy and that they have an intensely itchy dog!

 

• "My Foxie goes red almost like a burn and constantly itches creating         bald patches and raised hot spots"
• "My dog comes out in big weeping welts from Wandering Dew"
• "Wandering Dew makes my Boxer suffer with dreadful dermatitis"
• "Within 15 minutes my Staffy would be intensely itchy and start to scratch herself raw"

So Yes Wandering Jew can make your dog itchy - very itchy!

We are often asked whether Wandering Dew rashes are worse in winter?

We are not sure on this but the combination of wet plants and wet paws means those wet noxious hairs can easily make contact with the skin.  So maybe it is worse in winter but i have not experienced any difference in severity within seasons - all year round it seems to makes dogs SO itchy!

It doesn't take long for a rash to appear nor for your dog to be itchy.  If your dog has been into Wandering Dew the key is to rinse off your dog as soon as possible.  This makes a huge difference. Washing/rinsing will help remove those toxins.

Hose them off, shower them off, put them in the bath, dip their paws in a bowl of water.   Which ever way you do it - just make sure you wash them after being in contact with Tradescantia - Wandering Dew.

• For water bath - use a simple saline  - 1 teaspoon of salt per 1 cup of pure water. Boil the water and let it cool then use to wash your dog off.

 

You will need to control the itching

And that is where Eezapet comes in to play - apply a small dab to the irritated area immediately. The skin will soon be calmed and soothed.

If you are concerned that the whole belly/under carriage has been in contact like "Molly the Staffy who loves to roll in it!" then put some Eezapet on your finger tips, rub them together and smear/rub down your dog's belly area to get good coverage.

You should apply Eezapet at least twice a day but at initial stages i would apply at any signs of itching - probably 4-6 hours but your dog will let you know - they'll start itching again. 

Four times a day initially should be enough, then twice a day until there is no more signs of itchiness or rashes.

I cannot reiterate enough the importance of washing your dog. No one wants an itchy dog so let them be scratch-free naturally

• wash them off and apply Eezapet. Two natural tips to get you through.

I thought I would show you how noxious this little creeper actually is:

• a piece arrived home attached to our bike, it was removed from the bike 
• and placed on the top of the car in the garage for 3 weeks 
• no soil, no moisture, no direct sunlight
• Look!  a green leaf growing 3 weeks later!

This plant is something else for sure! 

If you would like to learn how to remove this weed from your sections then Vets Best Friend explains more.

 

If your dog has been in contact with Wandering Dew then wash, wash, wash and of course have Eezapet at the ready so that your dog can be scratch-free naturally.... AND YOU can have a peaceful nights sleep again!

With a three year expiry it's great to have on hand for those little emergencies

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