Are any of your dogs allergic to metal?  If so how do you deal with it?

Not heard of a pet before being allergic to metal!  Is it just all metal or nickel? I'm allergic to nickel so have to be wary of certain metal buttons, jewellery  etc,.How did you find out?

For nearly a year my dog has had a rash.  It started the size of a 50p piece on the inside leg. The vet prescibed drugs which worked perfectly at first. Then on her neck where the metal dog disc and metal buckle goes it got very, very sore.  I removed the collar and stopped using metal bowls.  I found out it's the nickel but I also discovered that even stainless steel has nickel in it.
I'm annoyed with myself as one of my children can only wear solid gold, not even solid silver. I didn't consider a dog would be allergic as no others have been.
I've also found out that people can have this allergy laying dormant.  They've been alright until they have had their ears pierced.
As regards dogs it can occur due to vacinations, worm tablets or flea treatment.

My father is also allergic to nickel! My worst areas are my wrists,ears and hips! It's amazing the  buttons/fastener backs they place on jeans inside. I have to make sure I either wear silver or gold in ears. I'm sure you can have nickel free collars Curragan is an alternative being nickel and stainless steel free. Dog tags and collars can be purchased.
Wonder if your dog affected by a treatment you used? If so,would it be temporarily until condition has cleared?

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/s//ref=mw_dp_a_s?ie=UTF8&k=BELLOMANIA

Maybe useful?

Thank you for the information.  At the moment I'm using my other dogs harness to take her for walks.  I know by law she must wear a collar with a name tag but until her neck gets better she will have to be collar free.

Nickel is in so many things it is hard to avoid.  titanium dog tags are best as they are strong and nickel free and pretty much hypoallergenic.

This stuff is also useful to arm yourself with both to detect and protect:-

https://www.allergybestbuys.co.uk/products/nickel-solution-for-nickel-allergy

You should know also though that nickel can be in tap water in many areas and in differing quantities.

Tina your so right nickel is everywhere and sometimes where you least expect it to be. I've had really nasty rashes on wrists from so called nickel free jewellery and also really nasty incidents with a push chair handles! I couldn't work out why I had an on off rash!

You can get collars with plastic clips so metal free and as u use a harness no metal at all need touch her

Yes furriefriends I shall eventually get her collar but not until her neck is completely healed.  I had one with plastic clips when my other dog was a puppy and I found it more secure than a buckle.

I do agility with my dogs and when competing they aren't allowed to have any dangly bits on their collars such as name tags. I use collars with my contact details embroidered on them - they have plastic clips and the contact details are really easy to see and so much easier to read than on a tiny ID disc. I was so impressed with the collars that they are my every day collars for the dogs and all of them have one competing or not.

Mine were made by Waggit but there are a lot of companies that make them.

Thank you Harley.  I've found the page and bookmarked it.

I think Tuff Stuff do the embroidered collars as well. I've bought their embroidered leads from agility shows but think I've seen collars

Facebook Reply:

Shirley Hull says: Some dogs can be often it's the nickel content in steel bowls as not all bowl are 100% stainless steel
Change bowls to ceramic
Hope this helps

Thanks Shirley, I tried plastic but too light weight so I'll try ceramic next.  I think ceramic was the original dog bowl years ago except at home they could get left overs on a china dinner plate!

Do u need a bowl ? My dogs take their food out of the bowl to eat and  if it's kibble it can sit quite happily in the floor or in a suitable mat. I assume we are now talking about a bowl and not the collar looking at the last comment

Furriefriends, surely a bowl is still needed for water.

I was thinking  food at the time, silly me.  There are nice earthenware ones like the big mixing bowls , mason I believe is the make ,easily available on line or from petshop. Also very heavy

Do you know I still think champdogs forum is the best on the internet.  Everyone is so helpful, friendly and funny.  It's an absolute tonic when anyone is feeling down.