5 Ways of Managing Dog Allergies, Naturally

Allergies for dogs is a very serious affair. It is a life of discomfort if your dog has these allergies. Here are a few allergy conditions and what to do for your pup.

1. Bee Pollen

Bee pollen is a mix of the pollen collected by bees and enzymes from the bees themselves. It can help manage environmental allergies in dogs.

Why? When bees gather pollen, they’re not picky. They go to all kinds of different flowers before heading back to the hive. This means chances are good that the bees are collecting pollen that makes your dog itch.

Giving your dog a small dose of the pollen she’s allergic to helps desensitize her to the pollens.

Two things to think about:

1. Make sure the pollen comes from local bees so that it contains allergens from your area. If you use bee pollen from somewhere else, it may not contain any of the allergens that cause your dog’s symptoms.
2. Start with a low dose. Give one granule the first day, mixed in her food. Watch for any response, and if there isn’t one, give two the next day. Increase the amount over several weeks to a dose of 1 tsp per 13.5 kilos or 30 lbs of body weight per day.

2. Herbs

There are herbs that contain anti-allergy properties.

a. Nettles. The histamine content in nettles can protect the body from an attack of allergens. You can dry the herbs or make nettle leaf tea. You can also sauté fresh nettles in a pan with coconut oil until tender and add to your dog’s food.

• If you use a tincture – give 1 drop for every 12 kilos / 25 pounds, two to three times per day.
• Make a tea using 28.5 gms / 1 oz of the herb in 1 litre / 1 quart of filtered water. Boil the water, add the herbs, then cover it and let it steep for 30 minutes. Give 1 Tbsp of the cooled tea for every 12 kilos / 25lbs divided for morning and evenings with food.
• For topical relief, make a compress. Put tincture or tea on a clean cotton cloth and cover the affected area. Use hot or cold.

b. Astragalus. Astragalus helps boost the immune system and relieve allergy symptoms. To give it to your dog, use powder or capsules, and give 100 mg per 4.5 kilos/ 10 lbs of your dog’s weight per day. You can also use a tincture and drop some right into your dog’s food.

3. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Research shows omega-3 fatty acids help regulate the inflammatory response that causes allergies.

You’ll find the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA in cold water oily fish … so mackerel and sardines are good choices to feed. They have a higher content of EPA and DHA, the fatty acids that help regulate inflammation.

You can also add a supplement with these fatty acids. We don’t recommend fish oil … because every time you open the bottle, the fat oxidizes, causing it to go rancid. Rancid oils lead to more inflammation. That is why Bugsy’s Treats are freeze-dried to ‘seal’ in the goodness and ‘seal’ out the bacteria and fat rancidity.

Bugsy’s Treats uses deep sea Australian wild caught fish in their treat Fish Treats which are full of the Omega Oils.

4. Phytoplankton

This amazing product contains omega-3s, plus trace minerals, chlorophyll, essential amino acids, carotenoids and antioxidants.

5. Quercetin

When your dog’s body encounters an allergen, it releases histamine. Histamine contributes to inflammation, redness and irritation. Quercetin (a bioflavonoid) contains antihistamine compounds that can stop this production.

Research shows that quercetin can actually turn off histamine production. It can also stop the production of inflammatory molecules and prevent itching.
It works so well that it has earned the name “Nature’s Benadryl.”

Some fruit and vegetables contain quercetin. You can add these to your dog’s diet:

• Apples
• Bananas
• Broccoli
• Garlic
• Parsley

You can also give a quercetin supplement. Buy a quercetin supplement for humans. Assume the dosing recommendation is for a 70 kilo / 150 lb human and adjust for your dog’s weight.

Caution: Don’t use quercetin supplements long-term. Only give it for as long as is necessary. Do not give quercetin to dogs with kidney disease.

Other Tips to Deal with Environmental Allergies In Dogs

• Feed a fresh, raw diet to boost gut health and improve your dog’s natural immunity.
• When you vacuum, let your dog hang out in a different room. Vacuuming can stir up those allergens and cause the allergies to spike.
• Give her a good old-fashioned wipe down with a damp cloth or towel. Sure, it sounds simple, but it helps to remove the offending allergens.
• Replace your chemical cleaning products with more natural options. This does double duty: it protects your dog from the harmful ingredients in the cleaners. And it can prevent the allergies that may come from exposure to them.

#TreatThemWell #BecauseWeLoveOurPets #HappyDogsOntheHerb #NoVetDebt

(Bugsy’s Treats wishes to thank Emily Vey for her interesting researched points used in this article).