Among the many dog allergy treatments the herbal remedies are the only ones that will cause absolutely no side effects. The herbal remedies may be used as a topical treatment and there are also other herbs for internal use that aim at strengthening the dog’s immunity. For a complete treatment both the herbs for topical and internal use are recommended.
Herbal Remedies for Topical Use
There are a number of herbal remedies that may be used on the dog’s skin to reduce the symptoms of allergies.
Oat extracts are efficient in relieving the itchiness. You may use oat while bathing your dog or get a shampoo that contains oat extracts. However, shampoos may contain a lot of chemicals, so you should prepare an oat solution; use oat straw and boil this in a bit of water. Pour the water into the regular dog’s bathwater.
After bathing your pet, you may also use a rinse to relieve the itchiness on the skin. Dry yellow dock may be added to boiling water and after cooling the water; this may be used as a rinse.
Aloe has also a soothing effect on the dog’s skin; it is also effective in healing dry skin and gives shine to the coat. You may opt for a shampoo containing aloe or aloe combined with oat; make sure that all the ingredients are natural.
Calendula is also an ingredient that may be used topically for dogs with allergies.
There are also a few herbal sprays that are made for topical use. These may be found in alternative health stores.
Herbs for Internal Use
Some herbs may be used to boost the dog’s internal organs (i.e. liver or kidneys) and the immune system; in a dog with a stronger immune system, the allergy symptoms will be weaker or totally absent.
Some of the most commonly used herbs include:
- Extracts of burdock root, which will cleanse the dog’s body from toxins; these may be added to the dog’s food
- Dandelion supplements are efficient in cleansing the liver and this will make the body healthy and able to remove toxins faster, diminishing the allergy symptoms
- Echinacea is a common immune booster
- Licorice root is similar to corticosteroids due to a substance known as glycyrrhizin which stimulates the dog’s body to produce corticosteroids, which are used to relieve allergies; licorice root may be administered as drops or as a supplement; the licorice root may relieve swelling, rashes and remove toxins from the body without having any side effects
- Nettle is a herb that may be effective in treating skin allergies, rashes and dermatitis
- Sarsaparilla is a herb that may be used for dogs with dry and flaky skin; this ingredient will also strengthen the immune system
Talk to an alternative medicine vet to assess your pet’s health condition and recommend you the best remedies. Don’t administer herbal remedies without talking to a vet first.