Fall seems to be a time of watery eyes, itchy noses and dry skin.  Well, it is the same for our pets!  Some pets can have allergies also!  Daisy, my lab mix, started biting at her hind quarters and rolling around in the yard… kind of like that bear from ‘The Jungle Book.

After 1 week of her frenzied scratching, I decided to try out some holistic remedies for allergies.  What do you know… they worked!

Below you will find some holistic home remedies for your pet’s allergies:

• Nettles:You can find this in many forms at your all natural foods store or drug store. Look for it in either capsule form, powdered form, tinctures or in dried ‘tea’ form. Administer about half of the dose they suggest on the container. I get either the tea form or the capsule form and then sprinkle them over her morning stew. During peak allergy season, administer up to 3 times per day.
• Benadryl: I know this is a human drug… I am not one to use it on a regular basis either! But, if your pet is itching or is in so much discomfort that they are chewing/scratching sores into their skin, then this might be an immediate option for the severe case of allergies. Administer a half pill up to 2 times a day.
• Aloe Vera:Aloe Vera has miraculous healing properties! Buy some Aloe Vera gel or cream and rub it on itchy parts of your dog’s body. This can also be used on open wounds. It will not only help to ease the itching, but it will help to heal their skin as well.
• Comfrey:  Comfrey can be used as a general topical soothing agent. It works best when you buy it in salve form or mixed in with a cream. I love ‘Wise Woman Comfrey Salve.’ It is an olive oil based salve that is good for just about everything! Rub this right on their itchy parts, making sure it gets rubbed deep into the skin.
• Olive Oil: Go ahead and add a little oil to your dog’s food. Olive oil is a great, safe way to add some moisture and comfort to your dog’s coat and skin. Plus it makes them look fabulously shiny!
• Eggs: Eggs are a great holistic way to nourish your dog’s coat and skin. I buy local, free range and organic eggs and give them to Daisy raw. But if you do not feel comfortable with that, just soft boil a couple and give them as a mid-day treat. Again… this will do wonders to your dog’s coat.

Try these things and see if you notice a change in your dog’s allergies over a 3 day period. Along with some or all of these remedies, brush your dog often and DO NOT bathe your dog if it is at all possible during allergy season. Bathing removes the natural oils from your dog’s coat and skin causing it to become dry and itchy which can aggravate your dog’s allergy symptoms even more.

Also, keep an eye on your dog’s eyes and ears. If their eyes become gungy, clean them out with a damp clean cloth as often as needed. If their ears are hot, red, irritated and have a musty smell, think about taking a cloth and putting some hydrogen peroxide on it. Then rub about 1 knuckle into their ear and rotate, making sure to really get in the crevices. Be sure not to go too far into their ear so you do not damage it. If their ears continue to be red and irritated after a week, take them into your veterinarian to make sure they do not have a serious ear infection.

Happy Allergy Season to ALL!

Wouldn’t you believe it!  There is a natural tooth brush!  What exactly did dog’s do without us, when they lived in the wild?  How did they keep their teeth bright and healthy then?

After learning just how much it would cost me to get that brown plaque off of Daisy’s teeth, I started doing some research.  I found that there are natural ‘tooth scrubbers’ in nature.  I was a little hesitant when I started giving her some of these natural tooth cleaning items, but once I saw the results… we were both hooked!

1.  Raw beef marrow bones and neck bones:  The natural connective tissues and strength of the raw meat in these two items was key in removing plaque from Daisy’s teeth.  Within 1 week I started to notice a reduction in plaque and within 1 month her teeth were completely clean!  I give her raw bones 3-5 times a week and she continues to have clean teeth and a healthy heart!  Raw bones have natural oils and fats that are very healthy for your dog and can actually help their coat, nails, bones and total health!  After all, dogs were chewing on bones long before we came into their lives!  You can get raw beef marrow and/or neck bones at most grocery stores or butcher shops.

2.  Raw foods:  Does your dog like fruits and vegies?  You might not even know that they like them!  Daisy LOVES frozen broccoli, raw carrots, raw apples with peanut butter, watermelon rhinds and many other fun fresh foods!  Try a few with your pet and see how they like them.  Note that dogs should not have excessive amounts of fat, should not have onions and are extremely illergic to chocolate. 

3.  Ropes:  Does your dog like to play tug of war?  Daisy does!  One of her favorite toys are huge, thick, natural fiber ropes with knots in them.  We go and buy rope by the yard, tie it up in knots and play…play…play!  The fibers in the rope naturally ‘brush’ her teeth.  It is a win-win!  Note that you should use cloth fibers/threads and try not to use plastic ropes.  If you do use plastic ropes, make sure that you do not leave it laying around while you are not around.  Your dog could chew off chunks of this rope and could severely injure itself.  Also, you should throw away cloth ropes that seem too dirty, moldy or smell funny.  This could be a sign of mold, bugs or other fungus that could harm your animal.  Just use common sense and you will be fine!