Help Your pet Beat the Itch with These 4 Natural Remedies
Fall allergies are in full swing and we no doubt have several weeks left. If your pet is suffering from an itchy rash here are four more helpful remedies (on top of the four from last week).
1. Give Fish Oil – Another factor regarding pet allergies is the balance of essential fatty acids in their food. Omega-6 fatty acids increase the inflammatory processes of the body while omega-3s dampen inflammation. Processed pet foods are often lacking in omega-3 fatty acids and high in omega-6 fatty acids which means that they promote inflammation.
A recent study concluded that 45 percent of dogs with seasonal allergies respond favorably to increasing the level of omega-3 fatty acids in the diet. The best source of omega-3s for pets is fish oil as opposed to flax seed oil. Allergic pets often benefit from daily supplementation of 1000 mg. of fish oil per 20 pounds of body weight.
2. Give Digestive Enzymes – Another supplement that can be helpful when treating allergies is digestive enzymes. Digestive enzymes can increase the absorption of fatty acids in the diet by 71 percent. Adding them to a pet’s treatment will help the animal get more bang for the buck out of the fish oil.
3. Give Herbal Licorice – From a Western herbal perspective, licorice root can be helpful in reducing allergy inflammation. Licorice has been shown to increase blood levels of the cortisol that the body naturally produces. This is much better than giving the pet cortisone pills or shots. Plus, licorice has a sweet taste that dogs usually tolerate well. As safe as this herb is, I do not recommend giving it to pets suffering from heart, liver, or kidney disease unless prescribed by a veterinary herbalist. Be sure to only use herbs from reputable companies. Here’s some basic herbal dosing info.
4. Get TCVM Treatment – For me, Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine (TCVM) is invaluable in the treatment of skin allergies. There are several conditions from the Chinese perspective that can cause allergy symptoms. Seasonal allergies are often the result of an invasion of “wind.” Sometimes there is “heat” or “dampness” associated with the condition. Other times allergies are the result of a “blood deficiency.” These Chinese disease entities require the special skills of veterinarian trained in Chinese herbal medicine to determine and treat effectively.
Allergies can take time to bring under control. Because there are many issues that contribute to the problem, it takes a multi-pronged approach to solve it.
What natural remedies have you found that work?
I found what works for my doberman best 5 1/2 years ago. I used medicated baths twice a week, leaving shampoo on for seven minutes before rinsing and rinsing and rinsing then used a final rinse of one cup white vinegar to one gallon water. I was trying to keep from taking him back to his vet for more antibiotics and steroid shots as these have a rebound effect.
I discovered tinned sardines packed in water or tomatoes, rinsed and drained relieved his itching tremendously. Fed him half the can with his morning meal and after a few days of him adjusting to the new food
…addition, I added the other half tin to his evening meal.
I was also wiping him down with non scented baby wipes. Then I began using a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. This mix is really stronger than necessary, but the vinegar kills the staph and yeast secondary to skin allergies plus makes the skin inhospitable to both for two to three days. I spray and wipe the mix so it gets to the skin using this in the place of baths. The mix will clean and deoderize while the vinegar smell disappeats after a short time. Do not get in eyes, anus, vulva or prepuce as it will sting…also raw places. I have used this for the last 5 1/2 years on any skin condition he has broken out with and it has cured all, even a couple of hot spots.
I have not had to bring him to a vet for allergies since beginning this program. I go reduce his sardines to half a tin in the winter, sometimes not any, and increase with the beginning of spring. I did find the sardines helped my boy better than fish oil and vitamin E.
Wow, sounds like you found something that really works for you and may work for others. Thanks for sharing.