Easing Dog Allergy Symptoms

Your dog has been scratching like crazy.  Licking like there’s no tomorrow.  And biting herself like there’s a phantom menace.  Don’t reach for the flea shampoo just yet.  Chances are you’re witnessing dog allergy symptoms.

The good news is that there is a lot that you can do at home to help ease her discomfort.  Not only are there products that will help with the symptoms, but there are also some ways that you can lessen the symptooms by doing things just a little bit differently around the house.

Try one of these solutions or better yet, a combination of them.  Your dog will be back to normal in no time!

Antihistamines and Marine Oils

I swear by a good dose of Benadryl from time to time.  It really helps my baby, Sam, get through some rough spots.  It’s not just my dog that gets relief from over-the-counter allergy medicines, though.  Studies have shown that 1/3 of the dogs with allergies have gotten relief from doses of Benadryl.  If you have Tavist or Chlor-Trimeton on hand, they seem to have the same effect.  If you’re not sure how much to give your dog, then a quick call to his vet will get you the dosing information you need.  My vet has told me to give my 70 lb. lab mix 2 Benadryl caplets at a time.  It works like a charm.

Marine Oils are also an effective remedy.  If you’ve never heard of them, they are oils derived from a certain type of freshwater fish.  Also called, Fish Oil, the anti-inflammatory properties are the key to easing dog allergies symptoms.  When given daily, marine oils will curb about 20 % of the symptoms and when used in conjunction with an antihistamine (allergy pill), 50 % of dogs get relief.

Avoiding Allergens

For many dogs, allergies are seasonal.  They are allergic to the pollen and other spores that are in the air when the seasons change.  However, if your dog seems to suffer year round, it’s likely that there is an allergy to mold and dust present.  Doing things just a little bit differently around the house, will alleviate most of the symptoms.

1.  The Bedroom

I’ll admit it.  My dog sleeps with me.  He has his own pillow on the bed and everything.  He’s also terribly allergic to dust mites, which can be quite the problem since bedrooms are the biggest offender when it comes to this.  I certainly don’t want to kick him out of the room, so I had to find some solutions.

• Use a mattress cover to seal in the dust mites.  Gross, yes, but it works.  By the way, dust mites are a problem for many, regardless of how clean you keep your room!

• Wash your sheets (and your dog’s bed) in very hot water at least every 7-10 days.  Doing so really cuts down on the allergens,  In the case of your dog’s bed, it also removes flea larvae and eggs.

2.  Get a HEPA Filter

Using air purifiers greatly reduces not only the allergens in the air, but also the humidity.  Reducing the humidity levels in your home will drastically improve your dog’s allergy symptoms.

3.  The Great Outdoors

Once you’ve pinpointed certain triggers for allergy symptoms, then there are measures you can take to eradicate the problem.

• If you just cut the grass, don’t allow the dog outside until a few hours have passed.  Mowing the lawn churns up all sorts of pollen and mold.

• If it seems that a certain weed is causing the problem, weed your garden!  That’s an ultra-easy way to keep your dog from coming into contact with a known offender.

• Try putting a t-shirt on your pooch before he goes outside.  Okay, I know how ridiculous that sounds, but it’s a simple way to keep allergens from coming into contact with your allergic dog’s skin.

Instant Allergy Relief

If your baby is having an “itch attack” there’s a couple of things that you can do to provide instant allergy relief.

• Give your dog a bath.  A bath will wash away the pollen, mold and dust from your dog’s coat.  It will also soothe your dog’s skin.  However, keep in mind that you need to run a cool bath.  Warm water will only make the problem worse!  You can even get a rinse from your vet that will help.

• We don’t always have time to give our dog’s a bath.  I know that.  In the meantime, use one of the sprays at the drugstore that are designed to provide itch relief to people.  Again, my favorite, Benadryl puts out a good one.  Spray it directly on your dog and let the itch-relieving properties of the spray work its magic.

If your pup is suffering form dog allergy symptoms, it doesn’t have to be.  Give your dog a little relief today.