Home Remedies For Dog Allergies

Having allergies isn't just limited to people because dogs can have them too. Dogs can suffer from an allergy to one or more things in their environment, so it's important to get your pup to the veterinarian for a checkup if you see that he's experiencing itchy skin, ear infections, an upset stomach, or even a runny nose. Whether your dog is allergic to food, dust, grass, or even fleas, there are some simple things you can do at home to help your dog feel better.

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These are all potential symptoms of an allergy or something more serious, so getting the proper diagnosis is vital to your dog's health. In the meantime, you can try some home remedies for dog allergies if the symptoms are mild.

One of the ways that your veterinarian will determine if your dog has a food allergy is to switch her diet to one containing limited ingredients or to a hypoallergenic diet. One of the treatments that your vet might recommend is to switch your dog to a homemade diet containing a single protein, a single carbohydrate, and a mix of the vitamins and minerals your dog needs to stay healthy.

With your veterinarian's guidance, you can easily make a homemade diet for your dog. For example, chicken allergy home remedies would include creating a diet with beef, lamb, or venison as the main protein (instead of chicken) along with a carbohydrate, like pasta or potato. If you don't know what your dog is allergic to, you'll determine which ingredient is the main offender through trial and error with different proteins so you can avoid it later. This trial can take several months.

While there are several prescription-only diets available for dogs, there are also several foods on the market that are made for dogs with food allergies and a sensitive stomach. You can purchase these in pet supply stores without a prescription. This is another dog food allergy home remedy to try that doesn't involve any cooking.

One of the most common causes of allergic reactions in dogs is a flea bite. Fleas are not only an itchy pest but they can also spread disease and can bite humans too. To get rid of fleas on your dog's coat, an easy home remedy is to wash your dog with dish soap.

Dish soap contains detergents that help break down the outer waxy coating of fleas, causing them to sink and drown when you bathe your dog. When treating dog allergies at home, this makes it an excellent home remedy for fleas on your dog. Just take a small amount of the dish soap, lather up your pup, let the soap sit for a few minutes, and rinse away those pesky fleas.

Essential oils like lavender, lemongrass, and rosemary can help kill fleas and repel them from your dog's coat. You can make your own homemade flea spray using a cup of water mixed with witch hazel and 20 drops of each essential oil. Spritz it around your home and on your dog to get rid of fleas in your home.

Environmental allergies are a major cause of itchy skin and stuffy nose in dogs. Just as with humans, dogs can be allergic to everything from pollen and mold to dust and grass. To reduce these allergies, bathing your dog every few days in a gentle shampoo can help. Look for a hypoallergenic dog shampoo that will be gentle on your dog's skin or use a moisturizing detergent, like Castile soap.

An easy home remedy for environmental allergies in dogs is to simply keep your home as clean as possible. Vacuuming daily, dusting a few times a week, and laundering your pet's bedding one to two times weekly will help your dog's symptoms tremendously. During the summer, run the air conditioner or an air purifier to keep pollen levels to a minimum and wipe down your dog with a damp towel after outdoor excursions.