The Itch

Itchy dog?

Seasonal? Yeasty? Allergy?  Itchiness can be really difficult to work out. Sometimes we can remove one allergen & another will appear in its place. This can be time consuming and frustrating for you and the dog.

Spring leading into Summer seems to bring out itching, sneezing and wheezing in some humans and pets, more than any other time of the year.

Itching can be a frustrating vicious circle. Scratching irritates & produces a histamine response.  When dogs have an allergic reaction they itch much more than us due to having many more mast cells in the skin. Yeast is found on us and our pets, in the gut and on the skin. When the immune system is stressed, and the gut has too much yeast, the skin (the largest organ) tries to expel it leaving the dog all kinds of itchy.

If you have a yeasty dog try to avoid sugars

Avoid vegetables for a few months and see what happens, especially those higher in sugars.  Here are some of the worst offenders :

Potatoes
Carrot
Peas
Beets

This list is not exhaustive.

Environmental factors

Take away all indoor perfumes and plug ins, and be aware of chemicals used within the house, try to keep them to a minimum.

Are the washing powders setting off itchy days? Try to use shampoo with no nasties, nobody needs parabens and sulphates and there are plenty (without these nasties) on the market.

There is always the grass allergy which is a tricky one and a good excuse to go more often or move to the beach! (Wishful thinking for some we know but it’s a nice thought)

Have you got a new rug or sofa? These can be coated in chemicals and start off allergies. For rugs you can hang in the garden for a few weeks as much as possible, keep rooms well aired.

A holistic vet is the first point of call for us if it is something on-going. In the meantime, here are some things we have tried over the years or found others use with good effect. Hopefully some will helpful.

The list below isn’t meant to be used all at once and what is right for one dog might not be for another. It is purely a list of goodies we, or others have used with good results over the years.

• A gentle cleansing fresh diet
• Feeding Milk Thistle short term can help support the whole dog.
• Coconut oil.
• Green Clay
• Oregano oil is anti fungal.
• Colloidal Silver
• Bee Pollen
• Quercetin, AKA Nature’s Benadryl
• Medicinal Mushrooms, help modulate the immune system
• Colostrum
• Baking soda
• Apple cider vinegar with the Mother
• MSM

Lastly, Ensure there is enough Omega 3 in the diet, short lived fish such as sardines, sprats, mackerel and herring or a clean Algae oil work well.

For the itch itself

• Diluted Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) put into the coat and massaged in can help greatly, also rubbing a little in the inner flap of the ears but not down the canal itself.
• Baking soda can either be made into a paste and dab on itchier areas, or dilute 2 tablespoons with 250ml of clean water and spray as needed.
• Green clay can be put on itchy and inflamed areas to soothe, dry or made into a paste. Green Clay is absolutely amazing in the case of hot spots.

In cases of flea allergies please make sure the house is clear as well as the dog, lots of helpful hints in last months blog on fleas that will help guide you. If a cat or dog is allergic to fleas it can take one bite to bring on months of crazy itching.

Wishing you all a itch free Spring  & Summer!