For dog lovers, nothing is more heartbreaking than seeing their beloved pet suffer from allergies. If your pup is itchy and scratching all the time, there are some natural remedies you can try to help ease their symptoms.
The natural remedies for dog allergies include adjusting your dog’s diet to eliminate problem ingredients, neutering or spaying your pet (which reduces hormonal changes that contribute to allergic reactions), frequently bathing to reduce the amount of dander on the skin and fur, and using antihistamine medications, such as Benadryl or Claritin.
If you think that your dog may be suffering from allergies, it is important to make an appointment with your veterinarian as soon as possible.
13. Raw Food
Food allergies are extremely common in dogs. These happen mainly due to the presence of chemical additives in processed foods and, to a surprisingly lesser extent, due to food intolerances. With raw food, you do not have to worry about chemicals triggering reactions in your dog.
For high-quality and affordable raw meal plans for your pooch, you should check out Rawwild.com. They offer monthly packages in different weight groups with free delivery, ensuring you feed your dog the very best for great health.
12. Eye Wash
Eye problems associated with allergies can either be direct or indirect. Direct ones are due to irritation from foreign objects or touching or dryness. It could also be a side effect of other systemic and topical irritation. Whatever the case, eyewashes work really well to offer relief for your dog.
Vetericyn Plus Antimicrobial Pet Eye Wash is one of the best options on the market. It helps to flush out debris while also reducing eye irritation and inflammation of the conjunctiva.
11. Chickweed
Chickweed is a herb that has soothing and anti-inflammatory effects on irritated dog skin. It is great for dealing with itchiness from issues ranging from eczema to dermatitis from bug infestation. In these cases, it is best used as an infusion in bath water allowing contact with every part of the dog’s skin.
You could also make a chickweed paste and apply it on specific affected spots, including areas of skin damage due to scratching or on bug-infested paws and nails.
10. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar does wonders for dogs’ allergies. With pollen allergies, this vinegar strips the little particles from the pooch’s coat, therefore, reducing the exposure that triggers the allergic reaction. For this, add 4 to 6 cups of the vinegar into the bath water and continue washing as you normally would.
It also helps when dealing with allergies due to bug infestation, as the pungent smell keeps the pests away and kills those already on the coat.
We recommend trying the Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar which is all organic and gluten-free.
9. Quercetin
Quercetin is also fondly referred to as nature’s Benadryl when it comes to dealing with dog allergies. It is a fantastic natural option for dealing with a variety of allergies, including contact dermatitis, food intolerance, and respiratory allergies.
It occurs naturally in several plants like kale and may be present in homemade dog food. However, for effective concentrations, it is best to get commercial preparations which mainly come in the form of capsules that your pooch can swallow for quick relief.
8. Plain Yogurt
This is a fantastic way to deal with allergies from the inside out. Plain yogurt contains compounds including yeasts and other beneficial probiotics. This helps to solve digestive problems that may have led to skin manifestations like dog acne breakouts and hives.
For this benefit, give your dog about two spoons of the stuff every other day.
In this case, it is important to ensure that your dog is actually not lactose intolerant to avoid making matters worse when all you wanted to do was help.
7. Raw Honey
Raw honey is awesome when it comes to managing pollen allergies naturally. In an interesting twist, it is the presence of pollen in the unprocessed honey that makes it so effective. It works by exposing the dog to small amounts of the stuff in a regulated way. This gets the pooch’s body used to the stuff such that future exposure does not have any dramatic effects.
YS Eco Bee Farms Raw Honey is the best for your dog in this case as it is not only organic and additive-free but also unpasteurized, maintaining the pollen concentration.
6. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is highly effective when it comes to dealing with both topical and systemic allergies. For the latter, a teaspoon to 2 tablespoons about 2 to 3 times a week should do the trick. It has antibacterial effects and also works by boosting the immune system for overall health.
Coconut oil could also come in handy with skin relief for contact dermatitis due to bug infestation and other skin allergies.
Whatever the case, try Nutiva Organic Natural Coconut Oil. It is unprocessed and offers your pooch access to all the necessary relief compounds, whether used topically or orally.
5. Chamomile Tea Bath
Chamomile has soothing compounds which work perfectly for irritated skin. Just add some to your dog’s bathwater or use infused water to wipe the pooch down, and it will make the world of a difference. It also has calming effects on the doggy’s psyche, which will come in handy in dealing with the agitated dog during allergic attacks. Finally, chamomile tea is fragrant, which wards off bugs, including fleas that cause skin reactions.
For all these benefits, try the Frontier Co-op Chamomile Flowers. These are whole dried flowers you can just throw into the bathwater to infuse it.
4. Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a home remedy as old as time itself and has been a go-to for dog owners for centuries. It is known to soothe irritated skin, whether it is due to bug bites, eczema, or even irritation from blue ivy contact. It is particularly popular due to its neutral nature, which means you can use it even on open wounds on your doggy.
We recommend Bodhi Dog Organic All Natural Oatmeal Dog Shampoo in this case. It contains oat proteins, aloe vera, coconut, and vitamins A, D, and E, which help relieve irritated skin while promoting overall skin and coat health.
3. Aloe Vera Gel
Aloe vera is another natural compound that has soothing effects that will be ideal for dealing with skin allergies in your dog. In addition to the anti-inflammatory benefits, aloe vera also happens to have antibacterial and antifungal effects, which prevent infections that occur as complications of skin damage.
Amara Beauty Organic Aloe Vera Gel is an awesome option here with its quick absorption formula. It is also free of parabens, dyes, or fragrances which means it relieves irritation without causing any of its own.
2. Papaya
Papaya contains a compound known as Papain which helps a lot with dog allergies. It is particularly useful when it comes to reducing inflammation and easing irritation in general. It works both on topical and systemic allergies but is especially fantastic when it comes to dealing with digestive system issues, including food intolerances.
It is a nice treat full of other awesome nutrients, including vitamins and minerals, as well as fibers, further improving gut function.
1. Discontinue The Offending Product
This is probably the easiest and most direct way to deal with most allergies that affect dogs. It particularly works if the allergy is caused by something like food that the dogs consume. Once you notice reactions, especially after meals, try and switch to new ingredients or dog food formulas.
This technique could also work with topical allergens like shampoos and even fabrics on dog clothes, beds, and other accessories like blankets and leashes.
Related Questions
What Are The Most Common Skin Allergies For Dogs? Flea allergic dermatitis is the most common form of skin allergy in dogs. As the name suggests, this occurs as a result of skin irritation due to bites from the fleas as well as their general presence and movement around the coat. If left unchecked, it could lead to skin damage with infections as well as poor coat health with complications like alopecia.
What Are The Most Common Food Allergies For Dogs? Allergies to food proteins are very common in dogs when it comes to food intolerance. It could be allergies to animal proteins, in which case beef, chicken, eggs, and milk are the most common. It could also be due to plant proteins like soy, gluten, as well as tofu. Whatever the case, the best remedy is to discontinue the irritant from the dog’s diet.
What Is A Blood Allergy Test For Dogs? This test is a type of laboratory test that is performed to determine whether a dog is allergic to specific antigens. It uses radioallergosorbent methods that look for specific components in blood that are produced as a result of exposure to the specific allergen. It is one of the fastest and most accurate ways to find out what your dog is allergic to.
Learn more about the different dog allergies in this article.
