It's the first day of Spring. And you know what that means. Longer days. Warmer temps. Trees and flowers in bloom.
And allergies.
If your dog is suffering from "the itchies" -- rubbing his face on the carpet; licking his paws; tearing eyes; maybe a
dreaded "hot spot" or two has even popped up near the base of their tail -- don't become discouraged. We're here to help get you
and your dog through the Spring Season in comfort.
If you've taken your dog to the vet for allergies before, chances are your dog was given a cortisone shot and sent home with antibiotics. These drugs may have helped ease "the itchies" for a while, but as soon as the shot wore off and the antibiotics were gone, most likely "the itchies" came back -- maybe even worse than before. Why? Because the drugs surpressed the symptoms. But they didn't get to the root of the problem.
Here's a quick checklist of things you can try in order to reduce your dog's allergy symptoms.
1. Switch your dog to a grain-free "novel protein" food. (By "novel protein" I mean a protein that your dog has not tried before. Fish is a good choice, as is duck or bison.) Many dogs are allergic to the grains that are in the majority of dog foods on the market today. Grains cause inflammation and congestion in the body.
There are many natural grain-free food options available: from dry dog kibble and canned, to freeze-dried and raw/frozen -- there's a food that's just perfect for your dog. (Feed the new food for 6-8 weeks before deciding whether or not it's "working." Chopping and changing can cause addition health issues, such as digestive upsets.)
2. Add salmon oil to your dog's dinner. Salmon oil helps reduces all kinds of inflammation, be it from allergies, or joint inflammation.
3. Give your dog a bath with a natural, soothing (non-drying) shampoo. Contrary to popular belief, frequent shampooing (with the proper, moisturizing) shampoo will remove surface allergens and keep the pores of your dog's skin clean and open. It will also keep "hot spots" clean and keep them from getting infected.
Instead of giving a Benadryl-like antihistamine, try a natural allergy remedy. At Bama's Natural Instinct, we carry a wide variety of remedies, from BetaThym (a plant-based cortisone alternative which naturally curbs inflammation;) to Hersmith's "Clear AllerQi" herbal tablets (which will "cool" your dog's allergies) we've got you covered.
Since your dog -- and your dog's allergies -- are unique to him or her, there is no "one size fits all" remedy. That'w why we offer so many options in the "Allergies" aisle of our online store:
http://www.bamasnatural.com/store/index.php/categories/allergies
Not sure where to begin? Drop us an e-mail, give us a call, or send us a message on Facebook! We'll be glad to steer you in the right direction!
