Holistic Approaches To Dog Skin Problems
Holistic Approaches To Dog Skin Problems
Holistic Approaches To Dog Skin Problems
It seems like many people today are at their wit's end because they have dogs with skin problems. Problems may range from hot spots to chronic dry, flaky skin to allergies or worse. Consulting with your veterinarian is always advisable if your dog has a serious or recurring health problem. However, there are some holistic approaches to dog skin problems which may help.
Many dog skin problems can be traced to a weakened or compromised immune system. This means that anything you can do to strengthen your dog's immune system can also keep your dog's skin healthier. Many people, including some researchers and veterinarians, feel that pets today are being given too many vaccinations which may be compromising their immune system. This is not written to suggest that you should not vaccinate your pet! However, you may wish to talk to your veterinarian about reducing the number boosters that your pet receives after he has gotten his puppy shots and one-year boosters. Most vaccine manufacturers do not automatically suggest that their vaccines be given annually. Some vaccinations can be given every two or three years, which puts less stress on your dog's immune system. Talk to your vet about spacing out your dog's shots. This may help your dog's autoimmune system responses and reduce possible reactions, including allergies and other skin problems.
If your dog has allergies you will need to try to find out what he's allergic to. This isn't always as easy as it sounds. Dogs can be allergic to many things, ranging from foods to grass or dust mites. Your veterinarian can test your dog to find out what he's allergic to. There are different kinds of tests. By far the best and most efficient test is a blood test that your vet can send out to a lab for evaluation. This isn't the cheapest test but it is easier on your dog and it's a faster way to determine the specific allergies.
Once you know what your pet is allergic to you will need to take steps to eliminate these things from your dog's environment as much as possible. If your dog is allergic to dust mites you'll need to vacuum frequently and wash his bedding often, as well as give him frequent baths. If your dog is allergic to a certain food in his diet you'll need to switch to a food that doesn't have that ingredient. This can sometimes be hard to do if it's a common ingredient or if your dog is allergic to several different ingredients.
If your dog does have allergies, hot spots, dry skin or other skin problems you may be able to boost his immune system by giving him some recommended supplements. There are numerous supplements on the market today and many of them are quite good. Fatty acids are a kind of polyunsaturated fat that are very good for your dog's skin and coat. Omega fatty acid supplements are usually recommended for dogs with skin problems, particularly omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Fish oil and, in particular, salmon oil, are excellent sources of omega fatty acid. Animal sources of these fatty acids are usually the best, although vegetable sources are also good. Vitamin A and E are also very good for your dog's skin and coat.
It may take as long as three months for these supplements to work, especially if your dog's skin and coat are in bad shape, so give them time to work. If you are giving your dog large doses of the supplements he may have some loose stool. You may want to cut back. There's also a question of how much of these supplements your dog can actually absorb on a daily basis. Follow label directions.
The immune system is always related to your dog's overall diet. Make sure that you are feeding your dog a high quality diet with excellent protein sources. This means that there should be at least two named meat sources of protein in the first five ingredients. Named meat sources would be something like "chicken meal" or "lamb meal," for example. They would not be a generic meat source like "poultry digest" or a plant source such as "corn gluten."
If your pet is allergic to one of the more common meat sources then you will need to look for more novel protein sources. Luckily there are many foods available today that contain these exotic protein sources such as venison, duck, and others. The same is true for the carbohydrates and other ingredients in dog foods. You can expect to pay more for these foods, however.
In short, if your dog does have allergies or other skin problems, do talk to your veterinarian. You should also try to approach treatments for your dog from the viewpoint that you need to treat his entire system, not just his skin or other problem. It's likely that your dog's immune system is weakened in some way so try to build it up. This may involve giving him supplements, changing his food, putting him on a different vaccination schedule, and taking a generally more holistic approach to his lifestyle. If you improve your dog's entire immune system then you should see an improvement in his skin and coat.
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