Home Remedies For Dog Allergies

Let’s face it, trips to the vet can be costly. Oftentimes, treating dog allergies can be as simple as providing relief until the hot summer’s over. A dog’s skin provides so many clues to the ailment that is lurking in your dog’s body. Typically, symptoms of an allergy include excessive licking, chewing, dry, itchy skin and sometimes, hair loss. The constant, agonizing scratching is almost always the biggest sign that your pup is experiencing an allergic reaction either to his food or the environment.

Seasonal dog skin allergies are extremely common and affect my pet every time the weather starts to warm up. Too bad for the poor pooch that his family has to live in the south! Being on a limited budget has caused me to hit the web in search of some easy, cheap home remedies that can help him to be more comfortable.

If your dog is experiencing any of the symptoms above, try a couple of these to help ease his discomfort:

For all scratching, itching, chewing and licking:

At my house, I give my dog a dose of Benadryl to reduce scratching. It’s an antihistamine, which significantly reduces the itch.  Note: This works especially well on flea allergies. A flea bite releases histamines into the blood stream, so it stands to reason that an antihistamine will help.

If he’s excessively scratching his ears:

There’s a good chance that ear mites are the culprit. To get rid of them, try putting a little mineral oil on a cotton puff/ball (NOT a cotton swab) and wiping around the ear canal.

Note:  If his ears are really worrying him and there’s an odor, it’s probably an ear infection.  This requires treatment beyond mineral oil.

If he’s got the itchy paws:

Mix up a bit of Epsom salts and cool water. Either dip or wipe his paws with the mixture for 5-10 minutes. Please don’t let him drink any!

Hot spot relief:

In case you’ve never heard of hot spots…they are often found on the base of a dog’s tail. They are warm or hot to the touch and usually red and raw. Dissolve 2 aspirins in a cup of hot tea. Add 1 tablespoon of rubbing alcohol. When the mixture cools, dab it directly onto the hot spot.

Now, I feel that this needs mentioning…please DO NOT let any of these home remedies take the place of a trip to your dog’s vet, if you feel that something serious is wrong! I am not a professional, just a well-meaning dog lover.

Related Posts:

• Easing Dog Allergy Symptoms
• Could It Be Ear Mites?
• Why Feed A Hypoallergenic Dog Food for Dog Food Allergies?
• Dog Ear Infection – Symptoms and Causes
• Dogs and Allergies