Animal Health Issues: Allergies/Eyes, Ears and Skin

*Immune System: Problems and Support*	*Allergies/Eyes, Ears and Skin*	*Bloat*
*Cancer*	*First Aid*	*Incontinence*
*Miscellaneous*	*Natural Pest Control*	Heartworms and Other Parasites

Common Allergens: Beef, Wheat, Dairy, Lamb, Chicken, Egg, Soy, Corn, Flaxseed/flax oil.

Using Prednisone (cortisone) to suppress chronic allergic responses is very hard on the body, has long term side effects, and has a diuretic effect as well. Keep in mind that a dog or cat with allergy issues is dealing with a compromised immune system (often caused by vaccination), and may be allergic to one or more ingredients in the kibble and/or treats (including chemically treated products like rawhide chews) which you’re feeding. Consider changing to a premium kibble. One I really like is Old Mother Hubbard’s “Wellness Super5” dog and cat kibble and canned foods. It has been rated very highly by several independent organizations and pet industry advisors for its high quality, unique ingredients, and lack of known allergenic foods. For an article regarding how to determine whether your pet has a food allergy (written about dogs but can be relative to cats as well): http://k9joy.com/dogarticles/dogfood01allergies.pdf

There are many natural alternatives for addressing allergies, so please research this topic further in natural care books or on the Internet. A few are:

Vitamin C. Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine. I recommend TwinLab Super Ascorbate C instant vitamin C concentrate (powder). It is a pure blend of vitamin C (from five mineral ascorbates), with lemon bioflavonoids, rose hips, acerola, rutin and hesperidin. Give to bowel tolerance (for a small dog, start with 1/8 tsp twice a day and slowly increase until stools get a bit soft, then back down a bit. For a large dog, start with 1 tsp. twice a day).

Honey. Honey is also a natural antihistamine, by helping desensitize the body to plant based allergens. Note that you must purchase locally harvetsed honey so that the pollens the bees use to make the honey are those that your animals are exposed to. Add 1 tsp (small dog) to 2T (large dog) to their food a day.

Quercetin with Bromelain. This combination is anti-inflammatory/anti-allergy which suppresses histamine response, the cause for itching. "Quercetin stabilizes mast cell membranes and prevents the release of histamine and other inflammatory agents." Regarding Bromelain, ""Cautions and possible side effects [for humans]: May cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, skin rash, and heavy menstrual bleeding; may increase the risk of bleeding in people taking aspirin or anticoagulants (blood thinners). Do not take if you are allergic to pineapple." There are possible side effects for any supplement (herbal or otherwise), so this caution is provided as an FYI. Someone recommended Quercetin/Nettle Plus by Lang's Nutrition, which contains herbs and vitamins helpful for combatting allergies. You can order it from http://www.bright.net/~hoss1/quercetin.htm or perhaps your health food store carries it.

Nettle Capsules. Nettle is an herb. I heard from one woman that she had great success using this to stop her dog's itchiness, as she was unable to determine the cause. For proper use of this herb, please purchase the book Herbs for Pets by Mary Wulff-Tilford on my Books-Holistic Care page. See the Quercetin/Nettle Plus product above.

Zinc. Not enough Zinc and too much protein can cause itching. Zinc is important in healing the skin. A recommended amount is 5 mg. for a 60 lb. dog once a day for one week, then 2-3 times per week after that. I highly recommend that you place the dog or cat on a full spectrum vitamin/mineral supplement rather than trying to mix and match individual ingredients. See the Health-Immune System page for options.

Essential Fatty Acids Omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids are very important for overall health, and essential for healthy skin and coat, as are fatty acids from fish oils (EPA and DHA). There are many products available; Seameal and The Missing Link, above, are good choices. You can also buy EFA supplements at pet stores or from your vet. A good quality EFA product will contain the following: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA; omega-3), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, omega 3), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, omega 3), gamma-linolenic acid (GLA, omega 6), linoleic acid (omega-6), oleic acid (omega-9). One product for humans is The Total EFA made by Health from the Sun. This can be found at health food stores. If you find a comparable product for pets, please let me know so I can add it here.

For more options (including complete supplement products such as Primal Defense UltraZorbe caplets and powder), see Health-Immune System.

Skin Care. The pH of a dog’s skin is an average of 7.5; that of humans is an average of 5.5. Fleas, mosquitoes, etc. are attracted to alkaline skin. Using shampoo formulated for humans on your dog or cat may cause skin problems rather than alleviate them. The website of Virbac Australia provides detailed information on this topic -- http://www.virbac.com.au/ (click on Dog & Cat, then Dermatology (Shampoo)), and states in part:

“Choosing the best shampoo for your dog. It is important to understand that there are significant differences between canine and human skin. A surprisingly large number of pet owners use human shampoo on their pets. Shampoos designed for human use can be harmful to your pet’s skin. It is for this reason that pet owners should choose shampoos that are specifically formulated for use on the coats of animals. Choosing the right shampoo for your dog will depend on a number of factors, most importantly the reason for deciding to shampoo your pet. If your dog is simply dirty, most mild shampoos will usually be satisfactory. If your pet has a skin problem which you are trying to address using topical treatment in the form of a shampoo, for example, a scurfy coat, a specific product is required. It is important to remember that a dog’s skin is different from that of a human. It is thinner, has no sweat glands (dogs do not perspire) and has a different pH (the surface is less acidic, more neutral). Therefore, many human shampoo preparations are not appropriate for use on dogs. Particular care should be taken when choosing a shampoo for your pet, especially if your dog’s skin is irritated, dry or otherwise abnormal or unusual. Some conditions may be aggravated through use of the incorrect shampoo. If you are unsure which shampoo is the appropriate one for your pet, consult your veterinarian.

Can I bath my dog too frequently? Some owners worry that their dog’s skin will become dry and scaley if they bath their pet too frequently. On the contrary, most dogs with dry skin benefit from regular bathing using an appropriate shampoo. Harsh detergents, chemicals, perfumes and other potential sensitizing agents should be avoided when bathing a dog prone to dry skin. Simply soaking your pet in warm water may assist re-hydration of the skin. Most problems associated with shampooing result from a failure to rinse all the shampoo residue from the skin and hair coat. If there is any doubt whether all the shampoo has been rinsed out and the dog is prone to dry skin, the coat should be rinsed again. Mild, unscented bath oils added to the rinsing water may assist skin re-hydration. However, if these products are not diluted properly, they may cause excessive oiliness of the skin and hair coat, attracting dirt and bacteria.

How can I get rid of that ‘doggy smell’? It is normal for dogs to have a certain degree of odour. However, a dog’s odour can increase and become offensive when the animal is wet or has an oily, though normal, coat. Shampooing is an easy and effective way to resolve this problem. Occasionally dogs express their anal sacs, producing a malodorous scent around their tail-base and anus. Anal sacs are small ‘sack-like’ glands located just inside the anus. These glands are involved in producing the scent that marks the stools of the dog, a territorial trait. Their secretion is a dog’s ‘signature’. This odour can be difficult to remove or mask. Shampooing is often helpful if some of the secretion is on the animal’s fur. Some odours are related to an underlying problem, for example, odours around the head may be associated with oral or dental problems or ear infections, generalised odours may be associated with a seborrhoeic skin condition or a skin infection. If you suspect that your pet is suffering from an underlying problem or you are unsure what is causing the odour, you should consult your veterinarian.”

There are a number of herbal and natural shampoos available for dogs and cats, and can be found at pet stores and on-line (search “natural pet shampoos”). I highly recommend Mary Kay Wolfshohl’s line of skin care products for dogs, which are all natural, smell great, and contain no chemical ingredients. Sales benefit Weimaraner rescue at the statewide level. See www.weim.net/stoli.

A few more companies which offer natural skin care products for pets are Earthbath (www.earthbath.com), see their oatmeal and aloe shampoo; PurePet products, www.purepet.com, see their Pure Care Herbal Skin Therapy shampoo (and the spray is great for hotspots) and their Pure Clover Creme Rinse conditioner; All Systems Super Cleaning Shampoo available from http://www.decacs.com/decac/allsystems.html

Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse. Another option for rebalancing skin pH and repelling fleas and ticks is the apple cider vinegar rinse. Add 2 to 4 cups of apple cider vinegar to 1 gallon of warm water, pour it over them after bathing, let it stand for a few minutes, then dab off (don’t rinse it off, and don’t towel dry them thoroughly). It smells fruity/sour for a few hours, then fades. If the weather is nice, put them outside to dry, or use a hair dryer set on the lowest heat, held far enough away so as not to overheat their skin. One site which explains the use of ACV for dogs: http://www.healers-network.com/Remedies/acvfordogs.html.

For more options on how to treat skin conditions, and deal with fleas and ticks, see Health Care-Immune System.

Ears Goopy, smelly ears are often caused by a pH imbalance in the body, and an imbalance in beneficial bacteria in the gut. These imbalances allow certain bacteria, such as Candida (yeast), to flourish. Rather than use a commercially prepared ear wash, try the following: Add a good quality probiotic to the animal’s diet (see the Health Care-Immune System page for suggestions). Using a bottle with a dropper or squeeze tube (such as a plastic honey bottle), make an earwash solution of 50/50 apple cider vinegar and filtered water (1/4 cup each), to which you add 2 Tablespoons of olive oil or sweet almond oil. The oil will smother ear mites, and helps soothe the ear as well. Shake vigorously before and while using. Use this twice a day for a week (for mite treatment, use for 10 days), until the ears are clear again, then use once a week to keep them clean. Be sure to thoroughly and gently massage the ear for one minute, with the animal’s nose held pointed straight down, to work the solution down the ear canal. Dab out the excess, let them shake their head, then dab out the remainder that is visible. Do not clean down into the ear canal with Q-tips; allow the goop to work its way back up the canal on its own. Clients have been amazed at how quickly this clears up ear problems (improvement often seen within two days). Other ear cleaning treatments can be found in various books (such as Dr. Pitcairn’s).

Also, see http://itsfortheanimals.com/BLUE.HTM for detailed information on why probiotics and Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) are important, what signs to watch for that the animal is going through the detoxification process (which is a good thing – don’t suppress it with drugs!!), and much more. Included at her site is the Blue Power Ear Treatment, which is said to be 95-99% effective with ear problems. I know a number of people who have used it with great success, and I've heard it can be used to heal hot spots. Note that the Gentian Violet will stain fabric. To remove stains: Gentian Violet will rub off counters and skin with rubbing alcohol, if used immediately. Spray stained fabric with aerosol hair spray; then wash normally. One woman reported having good luck with ZOUT stain remover, even after the stains were dry. Another used Didi 7 with similar results. Any item that can be safely bleached with chlorine bleach should come clean. A cotton swab/ball with vodka or rubbing alcohol can remove stains from skin. Rinse off immediately after cleaning stain.

Another recommendation I learned about is Mullein oil, which is similar to Sweet Almond Oil. This is supposed to clear up yeast infections very quickly. I would put 5-10 drops (use a dropper or plastic syringe) into the ear (be careful not to put the point of the dropper or syringe too far down the ear canal), fold the ear flap over, and gently massage for one minute twice a day for one week. Be sure to massage well enough that you get the oil down the canal so it can do its work.

Eyes For eye irritation from allergies, use Eyebright or other natural herbal or homeopathic eye drops which can be found at health food stores.

Cleaning With Non-Toxic Products Because animals can be very sensitive to harsh household cleaning products, see http://www.thensome.com/largecleaning.htm for natural solutions.