Monday, June 28, 2010

Allergies and Food: Itchiness and your dog

If your dog is constantly scratching, itching, and cannot stop, you are not alone.  There are so many dogs in the United States that suffer from some form of an allergy.  The cause is hard to diagnose, and can be an expensive task to complete.

But with some patience, and some trial an error, you will be successful with a healthy food choice more than any skin cream or treatment.  It is important to read your dog's food, and see what is on the label.  If you don't know what the ingredient is, chances are the food could be a cause of your best friends allergy.

When our Scarlett came up with her allergy, she was over a year old.  She started with slight itchiness, mostly around her rump.  She would itch until fur would come out, and eventually, she had very little fur on her back legs, and near her tail.  It was terrible!  Every cream, bath, and holistic remedy was tried, along with repeated vet visits and constant care from her doctors.

These remedies did bring some relief, but it did not solve the real issue.  This led me to think, what is really causing the itch, and how can I prevent it from happening?

Once I was at this point, it was really frustrating for both Scarlett and us.  We needed a solution, and needed it fast.

I went to the library, and read about dog's immune systems, and solutions to assist the allergy towards a mild reaction, and most vets and experts pointed toward the food that the dog was eating.  Based on this information, we started to cook Scarlett's food, and then introduced her to frozen raw patties.  We made her a chicken stew that was her favorite, a beef casserole with sardines, and added sea kelp into her diet.  We took away all by-products, corn, fillers, or chemicals in her diet.  Slowly, and within a couple of months, she was developing less reactions to her allergies.  She was happier with her food, and had a new step in her gait.  Her fur grew back, and within a year, she was allergy free.

She cannot eat anything with artificial coloring, or any pet food that has a mysterious list of ingredients. She enjoys raw meat, canned food with lots of salmon or sweat potatoes, pumpkin, or green beans right out of the freezer.  She is a sweat potato freak, as we buy her dehydrated sweet potatoes, and she eats those like a chewie.  She does not eat anything from china, or other countries.  She only has the best holistic organic food.

She is a happy dog, and I am happy. She really is a super fun dog, and deserves the best.  I am also happy as the money that was going into salves, vet visits, and allergy treatments,  is now still in my bank account.  The organic and holistic food has saved me a lot of frustration and money.

It makes me sad when I think of the other dogs who may be going through the same thing.  Please don't give your best friend anything but the best dog food.

The choice is empowering, as you are solving a problem, and not covering it up.

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