Wednesday 6 January 2010

How to Manage Dog Allergies with Home Remedies

If your dog is experiencing an allergy attack, don’t fret – there are various remedies for your dog’s symptoms that you can easily prepare using ordinary items in your household. Here are some of them.


1. Oatmeal. Get rid of your dog’s itching by giving an oatmeal bath. Mix about a handful of oatmeal in cool water, and use this to wash your dog’s skin. Alternatively, you may use regular oats that have been ground finely using a blender, and add this to the bath water. Soak your dog in this mixture for around ten minutes. The oatmeal offers a thin layer of lubrication, preventing your dog’s skin from drying out.



2. Baking soda. For insect bites, you can mix baking soda in some cool water. This helps relieve the itch caused by the bite. Aloe vera and eucalyptus have also been observed to help lessen your dog’s itching and scratching. If your dog’s feet are itching, you can also try using Epsom salts dissolved in water.




3. Rosemary leaves or apple cider vinegar. Try using a homemade flea repellant using rosemary leaves or apple cider vinegar. Boil a pint of water, and add about a teaspoon of dried rosemary leaves. Let the solution cool for 15 minutes before removing the leaves. Apply this solution to the dog’s skin after bathing. Alternatively, you can use apple cider vinegar. Mix the vinegar with an equal amount of water, and spread it on your dog’s skin.


4. Aspirin. A solution to hot spots is a mixture of aspirin, alcohol and tea. First, dissolve two tablets of aspirin in about a tablespoon of alcohol. Next, place a tea bag in hot water. Combine these two solutions together and wait a few minutes. When the mixture has cooled, you can then apply it over and around the hot spot. It should be administered with caution and under veterinary supervision as it can be toxic if given in high doses. Limit it to about 30 mg (milligram) per pound of the dog.


5. Garlic. Keep the fleas away by adding garlic to your dog’s diet. Crush 1 or 2 cloves of garlic and mix this to your dog’s regular meals. Instead of garlic, some experts advocate the addition of yeast in the diet to drive the fleas away.



6. Mineral oil. If your dog is incessantly scratching his ear, mineral oil may help. Pour some mineral oil on a cotton ball and use it to swab in and around your dog’s ears. Mineral oil can help eliminate mites in the ears and reduce itchiness in the area.



Tips and Warnings:

  • It is important to remember that these home remedies are not cures for dog allergies. Rather, they only serve to relieve the symptoms experienced by your dog during allergy attacks.