Thump, thump, thump…no matter where the dog is, when they are itchy, it seems EVERYONE suffers with him. Samson, our lab seemed to suffer especially in the late spring, early summer. His ears would be red and inflamed, and his hind-iney was a big “need to scratch” area as well. We worked on his food, baths and a lot of natural products…nothing seemed to work…until the Vet gave a prednisone shot for his “Otitis”. A few years later, the Vet gave me a large dose of Prednisone tablets. At the earliest sign of that summer allergy, I would give 1/2 tablet and try and stay on top of his suffering.

Mercy didn’t have issues except right before delivering puppies. Hormones also play a big part in the challenges of itching…and for her, there’s not a whole lot I am able to do for her…except time her contractions.

Pets often suffer with allergic otitis and dermatitis for a plethora of reasons. Your fur-baby may lose weight from the constant motion of scratching and rubbing. Sometimes the problem can be easy and cured with a few little things you have around the home, or, in so many cases, it will take years and a lot of expense to determine what is bugging little Fido!! I hope this article will help narrow the possibilities and expand your understanding of the mystery behind allergies. Allergy is defined as “damaging immune response by the body to a substance, especially pollen, fur, a particular food, or dust, to which it has become hypersensitive.” If you haven’t done so before now, be sure to read my blogs on ear care, which could also help with determining issues in those floppy ears: https://lifewithcavalierkingcharlesspaniels.com/spaniel-ear-care-part-1/

There are three main culprits for allergies: environment, food and parasites, so similar to us humans!

This may seem a little over the top, but in order to rule any of the possibilities of allergens out, you will need to keep track of the whens and whats in your fur babies life. I keep a Google Calendar on my Smartphone and have each of my pet’s in a color code to make it easy at a quick glance to see any important event, as well as be able to talk with your Pet Professional about the challenges.

ENVIRONMENT: Does your dog ever “chew his paw pads”? Is your dog constantly battling with red skin and itchy? That’s one of the big red flags of environmental toxicity. Although pets can also experience hair loss, skin infections, sneezing, watery eyes, vomiting and soft stools. Here is a list of things he could be reacting to: floor cleaner (toxins), aerosol sprays, laundry soaps and dryer sheets, pesticide/herbicides, flea bites, molds, lice or mange. Definitely take a look at each thing one at a time and remove from his home completely (forever).

TIP: 1/4 Cup Vinegar for a quart spray bottle (filled with water and a few drops of citrus essential oil) makes a fantastic cleaner as well as a foot soak, should your dog be needing a relief from his paw itchiness. I like to take a teaspoon of organic coconut oil and massage into his skin, its anti-fungal, anti-viral and anti-bacterial – it can bring comfort and heal. Also, if you enjoy the plug-in air refresheners, you might want to do something like I did: get the Plug-In type, dump out the liquid that is in them and add your own essential oil (1-2 drops is all that is needed) https://amzn.to/2QgovK3 Other things that could help is: detoxing, acupuncture and massage in order to boost your furry companions body.

FOOD: Has this itchiness come on suddenly? A good thing to consider is a change in his food. You may be feeding the same thing, but Manufacturers are constantly changing recipes without your knowledge. Be sure to learn how to read the labels and if you can’t pronounce it…toss it! A limited ingredient pet food is a good way to begin looking at food as the culprit. As many of you know, I fish, garden and hunt for the majority of my pet’s food and when I’m looking at a new itchy dog, often it’s due to my negligence in this area. Other than being very itchy, food-related allergies can leave a dogs fur quite brittle in addition to sparse. If there are skin issues, I am sure to use a comforting oatmeal-type bath and shampoo such as this:https://amzn.to/3ldeqvk Here’s another plug for organic coconut oil is to feed a teaspoon each day. The MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides) job is to boost the immune system. I personally use, as well as feed my dogs this MCT Oil: https://amzn.to/3hkYTaM

Recently my year old Faithie was biting at her legs and paws. When I took the time to think through her diet, I realized that I had not skinned several pieces of the chicken that I used in her raw, ground food. It is my (not supported by proof) belief that it is not the chicken that many of our dogs are allergic to, but what the chickens are fed and then the bi-products of the chicken that is put into the food (such as my example above as well as feathers which is often found in kibble). Dr. Judy Morgan reminds folks that healing the gut is critical and necessary if we are ever to get on top of pet’s allergy issues: https://drjudymorgan.com/blogs/blog/you-cant-solve-allergies-if-you-dont-fix-the-diet?_pos=1&_sid=7addc8f07&_ss=r

Tip: Hemo-Pet has a fantastic Food sensitivities and intolerances test that is both thorough and economic. For a great article and video click here: https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/07/26/a-great-tool-for-dogs-with-rumbling-tummy-gas-diarrhea-or-vomiting.aspx or, just see the page: https://hemopet.org/dog-and-cat-nutriscan/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=nutriscan&utm_campaign=adword&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhIP6BRCMARIsALu9LfnLKeck8Ntwi5v24O5lSrsqT_4okiQPDV4WSPJ1lvdEWB6sCoTvov0aAh0dEALw_wcB

Tip: No Bake Itchy-Be-Gone Treat Bites

Mix Together and Roll (in powdered peanut butter – optional) into 1 Tablespoon cookies, refrigerate and use in a week or freeze: 1/3 cup MCT (or coconut oil), 2 Tbsp Pumpkin or Unsweetened Applesauce, 2 1/2-2 3/4 cup ground oat, spelt or quinoa flour, 1/4 cup Natural Peanut Butter

Parasites: I cover most all that I possibly could in the blog I wrote: https://lifewithcavalierkingcharlesspaniels.com/fleas-ticks-and-other-parasites-its-getting-itchy-in-here/ If you have any further questions, don’t hesitate to ask!