Natural eczema treatment for dogs is a good alternative to the conventional eczema treatment. Generally veterinarians prescribe anti-inflammatory medication and antibiotics to treat eczema in dogs. These treatments might have certain side effects on your pet. In order to avoid these negative effects, you can turn to alternative natural treatments. Both topical and internal herbal remedies can cure eczema in your dog without jeopardizing his health.
Natural Eczema Treatment for Dogs
Skin conditions are common in dogs. They can cause serious discomfort to your pet and, left untreated, can lead to more serious infections and hair loss. Eczema is a skin disease which is generally symptomatic for another underlying condition or a weakened immune system.
It manifests thorough dry, flaky skin, red irritated spots and itching. Excessive scratching may result in opening up the skin to other infectious agents.
In treating eczema, you should take into consideration both the symptoms and the cause. The traditional treatment for eczema consists of anti-inflammatory medication and antibiotics. Some veterinarians also recommend vaccination for de-sensitizing the dog. These treatments fail to treat the underlying condition and allow eczema to reoccur. They also have serious side effects which you might want to avoid in your dog. Natural eczema treatments for dogs represent a good alternative to conventional treatments. They may consist of:
- Topical remedies to relieve the symptoms
- Internal remedies to strengthen the overall state of health
- Natural dietary supplements to help with skin conditions
Natural treatments address both the symptoms and the underlying cause.
Topical Natural Remedies for Dogs with Eczema
Topical natural remedies help relieve the symptoms of eczema such as itchiness and inflammation. They also have healing and anti-bacterial properties. Topical remedies consist mainly of poultices and pastes applied on the affected areas of the skin.
Oat is effective in treating itchy skin. Boil oatmeal in water until you obtain a paste. Let it cool and then apply it on your dog’s affected skin. Oat contains salicylic acid (just like aspirin) and is also good to put in your dog’s bath water (1 pound oat straw boiled in 20 liters of water). You can also make poultices based on herbal infusions from:
- Calendula
- Green tea
- Chamomile
- Yarrow
Most herbs have anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties and favor wound healing. Make sure you let the infusion cool before you apply it to your dog’s affected areas. Otherwise you might cause new symptoms.
Internal Natural Remedies for Dog Eczema
Internal natural remedies are meant to nourish and detoxify the body. They are very efficient in stimulating the immune system and strengthening internal organs. The effect of herbal therapy also helps with the underlying cause of eczema. Herbs which can be used on a daily basis to fortify the body are:
- Burdock root (detoxifying, good for the skin)
- Dandelion (detoxifying)
- Cleavers (detoxifying)
- Echinacea (stimulates the immune system)
- Garlic (antioxidant, good for the liver and immune system)
- Licorice root (anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, immune stimulator)
- Nettle (antibiotic and anti-allergic properties)
- Yellow Dock (good for the liver)
Natural Dietary Supplements
Your dog’s skin condition can improve considerably if you supplement his diet with:
- Vitamins A and C
- Omega-3 fatty acids (also found in flaxseed oil, fish oil, salmon oil or pumpkin seeds).