Home Remedies for Allergies in Dogs
- Flea allergies are one of the most common allergies affecting dogs. One bite sends the dog into a fit of itching, red, irritated skin. The fleas must go. Start by discussing a flea prevention protocol with your veterinarian; they typically prescribe a topical medication that you can apply monthly at home.
For bad flea issues, deep clean the whole house. Vacuum rugs and wash bedding and upholstery. Take special attention to areas the dogs frequent or any other household pets frequent as this will be where most of the flea eggs can be found. Replace dog bed filling with cedar as it tends to repel fleas from hanging out near it. In certain instances it may be necessary to have a professional come in and bomb the house.
To sooth dry irritated skin, dog shampoos with aloe vera or oatmeal as a main ingredient can be used regularly. Regularly could be once a week or once a month. Discuss with your veterinarian the best schedule for your animal to promote good coat health. Sometimes medicated shampoos may be necessary to calm the irritated skin. - Another leading cause of allergy symptoms is food allergies. This is particularly common with breeds like Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers. Any type of dog can be affected though, and symptoms of food allergy include irritated itchy skin and vomit. Take the dog to the vet to make sure where the problem is coming from.
If a food allergy is the culprit try an elimination diet. Often if the dog is having a flareup of symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea the only food he will tolerate is plain rice, boiled chicken or cottage cheese. Try different combinations of each to find something he will hold down. These foods are very mild on the stomach as well as nutritious so they are generally tolerated well by sensitive tummies.
From this point add food items back to the diet carefully. Try potato or peas for starch, and eggs or lamb for protein. Each time you introduce a new food item wait several weeks before adding another to see if symptoms reoccur. If they do go back to the food that was tolerated well. Some dogs never move past simple boiled chicken and rice. If he does well on it by maintaining his weight, no symptoms and has a good energy level you may have found the diet of choice for your dog.
