Skin allergies are one of the top most common health complaints found in pets. It is important to understand that in pets, allergies look different than in humans. They typically present with skin troubles, bumps, rash, itching, dry and flaking skin, hives, and edema. In pets, food allergies are said to be the third most common type of allergy, with only flea bite allergies and atopy (inhalant allergies) being more prevalent. Of course, for those of us with our hairless breed’s flea bites thankfully are not something that our pets deal with, so this means when we see our hairless pets presenting with signs of allergies, food allergies are a most likely culprit.
Symptoms of food allergies include: itching, scratching, dry skin, chronic ear infections, yeast issues, coughing, wheezing, sneezing, hair loss and/or excessive shedding in our furry friends. Additionally the symptoms which often strongly indicate a food allergy include gastrointestinal issues such as bloating, gas, excessive gut sounds, vomiting, and diarrhea. Other allergen factors which must be investigated include environmental allergens such as, synthetic grooming products, allergenic cat litter (any litter with high dust, wheat, nuts, corn, and synthetic “fragrance” added), chemical household cleaners, in home carpeting, laundry soap, and fabric softening sheets used when washing pet clothing and or bedding.
The way to address skin allergies from a holistic perspective is to get to the root cause of the issue, and not just mask the symptoms with drugs. This often needs to be done in a gradual, step-by-step process making one small adjustment over a period of time, to be sure and allow the correct identification of what the true cause of the allergies in your pet are. I always recommend addressing the most common food and environmental allergies in your pet first and foremost, however use of a great all natural allergy shampoo is often extremely helpful during the process of the allergy identification and removal process to bring your pet some quick relief without the need for synthetic drugs.
Many pet parents have found great success with using our restorative pet shampoo formula for their pets suffering with all varieties of rash and skin conditions. It can also be purchased in the shampoo and conditioner combo, the triple combo with the waterless shampoo (for hairless pets only), or just the restorative waterless pet shampoo itself for those hairless pets who are affected by skin allergies but also do not tolerate a typical water bath.
Give your pets the BEST of the natural life!
~Your Holistic Pet Coach,
April Arguin