Is Your Pet Allergic (and why)?
Itching, scratching and chewing to distraction. Some pets may even itch all day and night. Their quality of life (and our sleep) can be seriously affected. Many very itchy pets are generically labelled as “allergic”.
Are allergies even a real disease? Are they “incurable” as the dermatology specialists say? Can chronically itchy pets be helped without drugs?
Dogs and cats that itch excessively have a a common problem. They have imbalanced immune systems. Itchy skin is just one allergic manifestation. Seasonal rhinitis is a more common manifestation of this immune hypersensitivity in humans.
In my experience, with patience and perseverance the underlying allergic problem can often be resolved. Often many drugs have already been used. This makes resolution even more difficult.
Is There Hope for the Severely Itchy Pet?
Homeopathic treatment has helped many allergic pets. Relief of my own lifelong severe allergic rhinitis is one of the minor miracles which brought me to homeopathy in the first place.
Help your own pet get relief with these 5 steps:
1. After your local vet rules out parasites like fleas and mites, find a vet homeopath to **help interpret signs and symptoms in contextand guide you through this process.
2. Feed a species-appropriate diet. Ideally a raw and meat-based variety. Almost any food upgrade can help however. Fresh food feeding alone will help avoid artificial dietary triggers and increase immune health.
3. Brush your pet daily. Even better is to first use a mild shampoo such as the lavender-containing Tranquility from Zen Dog or spray with a skin moisturizer like Hy-Lyt. Dry skin is a big itch trigger.
4. Supplement the diet when needed. Natural antihistamines like Bio-C (vitamin C) and grape seed extract. Ultra-EFA and other balanced fatty acids + zinc are very useful.
5. Reduce stress. Increase exercise and environmental stimulation. Some pets scratch, over groom pull out their fur, etc. strictly from boredom. Itching can also be caused by treatable anxieties.
These five steps have helped over 90% of the itchy pets that I have seen in almost thirty years of practice.
Be well.
Dr. Jeff
