Spring is finally here! And with spring comes allergies! Do you have a dog or cat with seasonal allergies? I do for the first time. I adopted a 7-year-old Weimaraner last summer, and didn’t realize her allergies were so intense! When we first brought her home, she still must have had some residual medication in her system, because it wasn’t so bad until a few days later. Her eyes were so red and she was scratching all the time.
As with any pet, I looked to the environment first to see what could be causing the problem. I immediately changed her food to a cooling diet of duck, whitefish and rabbit. I also included some cooling fruits and vegetables like apples, cranberries, spinach, and cucumbers. I feed raw, so that in itself also helps cool down her system. As for bathing, I don’t bathe too often, but I do after a walk in the fields or woods. I try to keep up with wiping her paws after walking on grass, but that is difficult with many people taking care of her in the same house. I use animal grade essential oils and diatomaceous earth to help prevent fleas and bug bites. I use Standard Process supplements and herbal remedies to repair her liver. I think I might try a leaky gut protocol next by Adored Beast if what I did over the winter didn’t work.
We’ll see how she does this spring and summer. Hopefully, she will be comfortable. So those of you with this issue, keep trying and don’t give up. Try not to use steroids or chemicals. Try changing their foods and treats to grain-free cooling foods. Consult Sheppard Alternative Animal Care for an appointment to see what other things trigger your pet’s allergies and he will recommend foods to avoid and supplements to strengthen your pet’s system. Feed fresh foods if possible. And, if it does come down to it, sometimes you may have to use limited medicine. Don’t beat yourself up about it, just do what you can.
Wish me and all of the other itchy pets and pet owners good luck on our journeys to make our pets carefree this season!
Health and Happiness Begin with Food
Feed Healthy. Feed Fresh. Feed Raw.
Becky