Allergies are becoming increasingly common and troublesome in dogs. Why?
Allergies and their reactions are actually a symptom of toxic overload. An allergic reaction is simply the body’s way of responding to a toxin or contaminant overload. The toxins or contaminants have built up in body to the place that the body can no longer tolerate them and most cases are no longer able to eliminate them from the body. In other words it is the body’s way of saying, “No more, please!”

Interestingly, chemical residue buildup in the body may come from both natural and artificial sources. Things like natural or artificial preservatives, fillers and flavorings in the food you are feeding, environmental pollutants, vaccines, medications, chemical wormers, and even non species specific foods such as grains and vegetables.

80% of chronic diseases are caused by toxins in our dog’s environment that have built up in their bodies. Our companion animals are kind of like the old mine canaries, they are just one more indicator that our world is not “as it used to be”. Our soils are depleted and chemically treated. Our dog’s poor bodies (as well as other animals and even our own bodies) are just not getting the nutrients that they should from their food. Mass produced, processed dog foods, household cleaning products, vaccinations, and overall greater stress on the immune system caused by these and other issues are all culprits.

Fortunately, allergies can be effectively treated and the body “de-toxed” with a natural, holistic approach. Be aware, that a conventional veterinarian’s first recommendation will be to put your dog on steroids, this is NOT the best approach for their long term health and does not get to the root of the cause, it only suppresses the immune system. Conventional medicine’s approach is one of treating symptoms rather than causes. With the appropriate diet and complementary natural remedies, you can effectively treat both the symptoms and the cause of allergies.

The most common triggers of allergic reactions in our canine companions are food, fleas, vaccinations and inhalants (things your dog breathes in). Food, over vaccination and fleas are things that we have control over. Environmental triggers such as air pollution or the herbicides used on the grass at your local park are out of our control, but that doesn’t mean the allergies can’t be managed. In all cases, it is best to use a multi-pronged or “holistic” approach which includes a fresh, species appropriate diet along with supplements and herbs to balance the immune system and ease the symptoms.

So, the good news is that our dog’s bodies are up for the fight. They are well designed to naturally perform a daily detoxification as we stop the bombardment of toxins the best we can. The key organs or systems that perform this vital task are the skin, the digestive tract, the lungs, the blood, the lymphatic system, the kidneys, and the liver. When these areas of the body display an allergic reaction, such as with the skin or immune system; this is a clear indicator that the body needs help! Something is overloading this hard working system. The body is sending out the alarm. Sadly, with our canine companions, this is sometimes only evident on the outside, after internal health conditions have persisted for a long time.

What do we do? Most of us just keep switching brands of kibble or eliminating one ingredient at a time or adding more supplements, or more expensive and complicated additives to the diet. If the allergy is caused by just ONE thing this might help. However, with more and more research we see that symptoms may subside initially from the switch, but gradually, the same problems return.

Diet: Dogs with food sensitivities and allergies have had dramatic improvement on a raw food diet. Our wonderful companions are after all, are Digestive Enzymes & Probiotics. The probiotics are especially important for an animal that has been on steroids and antibiotics as they kill the healthy gut flora and set up conditions for the allergies to worsen. If a raw meat and bone diet is not fed daily then it is very important to continue to supplement with this whenever you feed processed food to aid digestion of processed foods

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs): Supplement with Essential Fatty Acids (preferably wild fish oil) to nourish your companion’s skin and coat and help reduce inflammation. You can increase the dosage above what is recommended on the bottle, but if you see loose stools, then reduce the dosage a bit.

Immune Modulation

Supplements to help modulate the immune system are very helpful in treating allergies.

Detoxification/Elimination Support

Detoxification is essential for any animal that has been treated with multiple courses of medications such as steroids, antibiotics or antihistamines not to mention those fed a dead, processed pet food for any length of time. Detoxing is also a wonderful way of maintaining good health in our pets.

The length of time supplements may be necessary will vary with the severity of the problem,the response of the individual animal and the life changes such diet that are made. Natural supplements, herbs and remedies are not like prescription medications – they may vary in effectiveness from one animal to the next, and in many instances take time to reach full effectiveness, up to several weeks or more.

Relieving the Itch

Herbs and supplements designed to relieve the itchy skin and support skin health are another step in the treatment program for chronic allergies. This can help relieve the stress caused by the discomfort, which is supportive of immune function and healing. In addition, reducing the itch helps in the reduction of secondary infections and allows the skin to heal.

Skin Balance by Health Concerns is an excellent herbal complex for the treatment of itchy skin in dogs The herbs in Skin Balance reduce inflammation and itching as well as boost skin health and assist in the cleansing of the blood.

HomeoPet Skin and Itch Relief, a homeopathic remedy, may be helpful for some animals. This will be more effective once any residual steroids or medications have been cleared from the system. HomeoPet Hot Spots is similar to the Skin and Itch Relief formula, but contains additional remedies to address the red, inflamed or oozing hot spot areas.

Topical Treatments

If your dog has been itching for awhile, they may have created bare, red patches in places that can become infected, so you need to address these areas right away. Here are some products offered at The Whole Dog that can help.

•FidoDerm Herbal Spray•Doc Ackerman’s Instant Hot Spot Relief Spray
•Liquid Hot Spot Remedy (herbal extracts & essential oils)
•Oatmeal Baths