Dog’s allergic reaction is different from cats. Dogs have a general itchiness of skin and rash or sores. Dog’s will allergies will have redness (inflammation) in ears, toes, and genitals. Gastrointestinal disturbance is common also (gas).

Cats also have skin problems but they more frequently have bladder inflammation and digestive upset. Cats may display no symptoms at all except erratic behavior caused by their discomfort such as fidgeting, licking and biting themselves.

To discover natural cures for pet allergies see our post Home Remedies for Dog Skin Allergies and Cat Allergies

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Home Remedies for Dog Skin Allergies and Cat Allergies

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How to Treat Dog Allergies

There are many ways to treat itchy skin in dogs and cats. Here are three suggestion for natural cures and one specific natural cure for cats itchy skin.

1. Give your pet a gentle bath - Don’t use tap water, use distilled , purified or spring water. Water should be lukewarm. Use mild soap such as baby shampoo or use Pet Alive Skin and Coat Tonic. After shampooing rinse your pets coat (again use distilled, purified or spring water) with equal parts cool water and a tincture of witch hazel (you can buy it at the grocery store in the first aid aisle or skin care aisle) or use cooled strained peppermint tea.

After the bath, sponge affected or red areas with a rag (that has not been washed in soap) dipped in cool peppermint tea. Wring out the rag and hold the compress in place for several minutes.

2. If affected area is your pets hindquarters – Spray hindquarters with a solution of witch hazel combined with peppermint tea (8 oz. of cool tea combined with 4 oz. of witch hazel).

3. Apply aloe-vera gel - Before applying mix with two drops of wormwood or some valerian tea. Add no more than one-half teaspoon of wormwood or valerian tea mixed in one half cup of boiling water for ten minutes. You will probably have an easier time finding valerian tea since it is available at your grocery store (Celestial Seasons brand Sleepytime Tea). Both herbs have a bad taste and will prevent your pet from licking off the aloe-vera gel.

Tea for cat allergies – Add one teaspoon each eyebright herb, red raspberry leaves, and stinging nettle herb (You can probably find all these in a tea form at a health food store) and steep in 12 oz of boiling distilled water for 15 minutes. Strain the tea and let cool. Put in a spray bottle and spray affected area. Can be sprayed on cat’s face which your cat probably won’t like. Try using a cotton swab for ears, nose and eyes if spraying is too difficult.

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Canine Food Allergies and Cat Food Allergies

Cat Food Allergies and Dog Food Allergies Remedies

According to holistic vets writing in book, New Choices in Natural Healing for Dogs and Cats by Amy Shojai and the editors of Prevention for Pets, “the best ways to stop food allergies is to identify the problem ingredient and avoid it in the future. Veterinarians also recommend trying to make the immune system more “accepting” so that it doesn’t react to harmless substances.

There is an excellent natural product called PetAlive Immunity & Liver Support which will help strengthen your pet’s immune system. This product can be used for both dogs and cats. Here is what some users of the product had to say:

Thank you for such wonderful products! I wish I had known about them sooner. I started giving my 13 year old cocker Immunity & Liver Support capsules for about 2 months. He seems to have a spring in his step now when walking …I can’t thank you enough!

Patti, MI, USA

I’ve been giving my 5-year-old pug Immunity and Liver Support, along with C-Caps, for 6 months. After only a few days, I noticed a new vitality and energy… it was like I had a puppy again. Her overall health improved immensely. Recently, I ran out of these products. Thinking I had another bottle of each in the cabinet, I did not order again in time to not miss some doses. I wasn’t too worried as she is doing so wonderfully, but I quickly ordered again. PetAlive.com is so quick and responsive; I had the refills in just a few days. Beans went without her supplements for about 5 days. Two days after starting her regular dosage again, she was perkier and more full of energy. I am convinced that Immunity and Liver Support is doing wonders in keeping her healthy and happy. I recommend your site and your products to every one. With all the toxins in our air, water and environment, even if your pet does not suffer from any disease or condition, I believe Immunity and Liver Support can do wonders to keep your precious family member healthy and full of energy throughout a long, happy life. Thank you PetAlive.com!

Camille, PA, USA

To get more information about this product, please click on the ad below

Here are some other possible solutions to pet food allergies suggested by the vets writing for New Choices in Natural Healing for Dogs and Cats:

Find the problem ingredient: The only way to find out if your pet has food allergies is to put her on an elimination diet. Give your dog a hypoallergenic food-one that contains ingredients that she has never had before. Also replace regular tap water with distilled water. If her symptoms go away in six to eight weeks, you can be pretty sure that she was allergic to something in her food. Begin reintroducing old foods one at a time. If your pet does not have a reaction (itching and scratching) in three days that food is “safe.”

If you have a cat though you must take special precautions with an elimination diet. Suddenly changing your cat’s diet could cause her to stop eating entirely. That can lead to a serious liver disorder called hepatic lipidosis. Holistic vets recommend gradually replacing some of your cat’s regular food with the new food over a period of several weeks. Keep making the change slowly even if the allergy symptoms continue to appear. It may take several month before all allergens leave your cat’s system.

Shop for natural foods – Some dogs and cats are sensitive to the chemical preservatives, dyes, or artificial flavoring used in commercial pet foods. You may have to keep looking for a food they can eat safely. See our post on Pet Food Additives

Give them raw foods - Vets recommend cooked broccoli and string beans, raw zucchini, raw carrots, alfalfa sprouts, and baby carrots for dog treats.

Try a modified fast – Putting pets on a “modified fast” will help eliminate substances from the body that may be triggering the allergies. One Prevention for Pet’s vet says “give your pet only one tablespoon of raw meat a day, along with pure water. Large pets can fast for three days, while smaller pets, including cats, can go one day. If they seem unhappy about not eating, you can give them some homemade chicken or beef broth.” Be sure to consult your vet before trying this one.

Detoxify with herbs – There are number of herbs that promote healing by clearing your pet’s body of harmful substances and making the body more resistant to food allergens. Holistic vets recommend burdock, dandelion, yellow dock or golden seal. Dandelion is actually the main ingredient in Petalive Immunity & Liver Support.

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Signs of Pet Allergies

Pet Food Allergies

Just like people pet’s can be allergic to certain ingredients in their food. For dogs and cats with food allergies, however, even normal eating can cause problems. According to New Choices in Healing for Dogs and Cats by Amy Shojai and the Editors of Prevention for Pets, “When they eat the wrong food, they may get extremely itchy. Any ingredient may cause allergies, with beef and soy protein being common offenders. Even if your vet puts your pet on a scientifically designed diet, it may take two months or more before the problems go away. In the meantime, she will continue scratching sometimes damaging the skin in the process.”

To help with the itching and scratching consider using a natural product to reduce itching. Native Remedies Skin & Coat Tonic contains a combination of specially selected herbs, nutrients and biochemic tissue salts known for their tonic and supportive function on the skin and coat. Regular use of Skin & Coat Tonic has been shown to relieve itchy skin in pets. The product comes in the form of a capsule. Check out the following testimonial:

“I can’t tell you how pleased I am with this product. I have a one year old English Toy Spaniel who has been suffering from horrible itchy skin (this breed is apparently prone to skin problems). I tried a “skin balance” remedy offered by one of your competitors, with no results or relief whatsoever. After having Romeo on your Skin and Coat Tonic for about 3 weeks now, the improvement in his skin is about 80% (and hopefully will continue to improve the longer he is on this formula). I also noticed that where his skin was previously hot to the touch, it is now normal and cool, and he is comfortable and relieved. Thanks you for a wonderful product. I will keep him on this forever.
Linda, CA, USA

To find out more about this product click on the ad below:

Here are the common symptoms of food allergies in pets:

- Licking or biting skin or scratching face

- Ears or “armpits” look red and irritated, or the ears contain a gooey discharge.

- Vomiting, diarrhea or gas

- Cat has small scabs around ears or neck

To find out more natural solutions to pet food allergies see our related post Pet Food Allergies

[tag]pet allergies,dog itchy skin,dog skin allergies,cat allergies,native remedies,dog health problems,dog health questions,cat health questions,cat health problems[/tag]

Dog Dehydration and Feline Dehydration

Signs of Dehydration

With summer coming soon, it is time to post information about dehydration in pets. According to the vets writing in The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats by the editors of Prevention Magazine Health books it is important to maintain constant fluid levels. Symptoms of dehydration include a dry mouth, sunken eyes, loss of elasticity in the skin and extreme exhaustion. This condition always requires a veterinarian’s care. So to prevent your pet from getting dehydrated this summer follow these tips:

Always have water available – As you may or may not know, pets do not really sweat. Most of their water is lost through panting. The vets recommend keeping two bowls filled with water in case one gets knocked over when you are not around.

No guzzling – If your pet has gone for a long time without drinking, letting them drink lots of water all at once may result in vomiting. Vomiting will cause your pet to lose even more fluid. Take the bowl after your pet has a had a few laps. Wait a minute or two and let them have some more.

Give electrolytes – Dehydration can cause your pet to lose electrolytes (minerals such as potassium and sodium that transmit electrical impulses throughout the body). You can give your pet an electrolyte rich drink such as Pedialyte or get an electrolyte solution at your local grocery store or drug store.

Try a sports drink – If your pet is uninterested in drinking, you can try giving them a sports drink that contains electrolytes such as Gatorade. Vets say some pets like sweet, fruity flavors.

Try ice – Pets that have gone too long without water may have trouble keeping fluids down. You know how when you having been throwing up, you eat ice chips until your stomach can tolerate liquid? It works the same for pets but you use an ice cube they can lick. That way your pet takes in fluid slowly.

Check the mouth – Sometime dogs or cats will not drink because something hurtful is stuck in their mouth, like a burr. If your pet is not drinking take a careful look (don’t get bit). If you can’t get the thing out, call the vet for advice.

Keep water with you at all times - You can get a no spill water bowl or keep a collapsible pet bowl that fits inside a pants pocket as well as variety of spill-proof containers. Check online sources and local pet stores.

Quick test for dehydration – Gently lift the skin along your pet’s back. If it snaps back into place your pet is okay, if it stands up in a ridge it is an emergency. Take your pet to the vet immediately.

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Cat Asthma – Help Your Cat Breathe More Freely

Check out our Hubpage on Asthma in Cats – Natural Ways to Ease their Breathing Follow the highlighted link. Asthma is less common in dogs but most of the suggestions can be used for dogs who are having asthma problems also.

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Dog Gas – Natural Remedies

Excessive Flatulence in Pets

Though intestinal gas is a natural part of digestion, it is still unpleasant. Some animals produce more gas than others. Dogs have more a problem than cats but then often dogs are much larger than cats thus making it a more difficult problem to ignore.

Here some natural ways to help rid your pet of gas. These suggestions come from The Doctors Book of Home Remedies for Dogs and Cats by the editors of Prevention for Pets.

Walk your dog – Exercise helps move gas out of the intestine, and if your pet happens to relieve himself on  his walk, even more gas will be released.

Soybean content in food – Soybeans comprise up to 25% of some pet foods. Some pets may find soy hard to digest. Changing to a food with less soy or no soy could make a big difference. Wenaewe Adult Dry Dog Food  contains no corn, soybean, wheat, meat by-products, food by-products, dairy, artificial flavors, chemical preservatives, artificial colorants, GMOs, fillers, or ashes. Wenaewe also makes an equally nutritious cat food.

Switch brands slowly -Vets say it takes awhile for the colon to adjust to a new diet. They recommend switching over a period of three days, substituting one third of the new food for one-third of the old each day.

Keep trash can tightly covered – If your dog gets in the trash frequently, it can really affect their digestive system and increase their gas output.

Feed your pet the right amount of food – Overeating can overload the gut, so things end up fermenting that normally wouldn’t as a result your pet will have more gas.

No dairy - Most adult dogs and cats can digest only tiny amounts of milk. If your flatulent pet is getting milk, take it away for a few days and see if things improve.

Try Yogurt - Many yogurts contain digestion-friendly bacteria that can help decrease flatulence. Vets recommend giving 1/4 teaspoon of plain yogurt to cats and small dogs, 1 teaspoon to do 15 to 20 pounds and 1 tablespoon for large dogs. Most pets like the taste, so you won’t need to hide it in their food. Even pets that can’t handle lactose can usually enjoy yogurt without any problems.

Try activated charcoal – It’s messy, but it can absorb the smell pretty well. For small pets add 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon to their food daily. For larger pets, 1/2 teaspoon is about right. Be aware activated charcoal can absorb nutrients as well as gas from the digestive tract. Don’t use it for more than a few days at a time.

Try a natural anti-gas product – Many vets recommend giving pets digestive enzymes on a regular basis because pets are subject to the sames kinds of environmental factors that cause humans to experience digestive problems.PetAlive Digestive Support is an excellent digestive system tonic and contains three carefully chosen herbs in therapeutic dosage to soothe and support the stomach lining, esophagus, and entire digestive tract. I like Native Remedies Pet Alive products because they are all natural and are thoroughly tested. If you more information on the product click on the banner at the top or bottom of the post.

Reduce mealtime competition - When pets are fed together, one pet may eat too quickly to prevent the other pet from get their food. Just like humans, pets take in too much air when they eat too fast and this causes gas. Feeding your pets separately will allow them to eat more slowly.

Make your pet eat more slowly – I thought this was a really clever idea. You put a large object – like a ball- in your pet’s bowl. Your dog or cat has to nose around and work harder to get the food so they will forced to slow down.

Raise the food dish – If your dog does not have to bend their neck so far down they will swallow less air. You can place the food bowl securely on a box or you can buy a stand that holds food and water at mouth level. The stands are really nice. My mother-in-law’s Doberman used to have a stand that a neighbor made for him. The dog’s look so much more comfortable eating from a dish at their level.

[tag]cat health,cat health problems,dog gas,dog health,dog health problems,excessive flatulence,flatulence in dogs[/tag]

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