Oh it is absolutely that time of year..… ALLERGIES GALORE! But hey I mean not only is it our pets, but many of us are also experience those miserable allergies too. We all know how frustrating they can be. We are shouting at our dogs… STOP LICKING YOUR PAWS! It’s possible you are sleep deprived because we hear our pet scratching all night. It’s certainly all to common this time of year, and for some pets its spring, summer, and fall!
Not only are those signs of allergies but often we see physical changes to our pets also. Those may include:
Rashes | Pimples | Hair-loss : often armpits and belly | Red inflamed paws!
SEASONAL ALLERGIES: Like with people, many of pets allergies and skin issues are cause from the environment. Seasonal allergies are VERY common. SPRING, SUMMER, and FALL are the most common times alleries. In my practice experience of the fall can be the WORST!
Food: Boy is food a hot topic right now : grain free , raw ect , ITS ALL THE HYPE
I have a lot of thoughts on food but we wont dive to deep into that right now. That is a long in depth conversation. If something your interested in its certainly a topic we can address via a consultation.
Parasites : Fleas are a huge reason veterinarians treat allergies. SO many people are misinformed and or choose to make their own scientific options on treating and preventing fleas. If you are not on a monthly prevention, the chances of getting fleas is VERY LIKELY. Other less common parasites are demuxed mange and lice.
Treatment
If you have taken them to your vet to get help and treatment ( which I recommend!) then your pet may likely have been given APOQUEL or Cytopoint ( CADI) injection which are the latest greatest effective allergy drugs. If you were given steroids instead, then ask your vet about these other options. If they aren’t open to these safe options then…. I honestly would look into getting a new vet! We know the negative affects of chronic steroid use and using them longterm for allergies is a thing of the past! It may have been recommended to give Zyrtec or benadryl also, but likely you saw these are fairly ineffective.
What about supplements???
What are the things are pet diets mat be missing that could help build and support the natural skin barrier? Are there any supplements out there to help the liver filter out the histamine in the bodies triggered by allergies? Can supplements help reduce or eliminate allergy prescription drugs?
The answer is yes. While allergies and nutrition are complex, there are quality products out there today to help support the immune system and skin of our pets. What I like to do is focus on the supporting the organs directly or indirectly influence the immune system like the liver, adrenal glands, and small intestine. When we optimize the function of these individual areas it can lead to reduction of immune activation, allergen exposure, and reduction of immune reactive substance
People are now really into more natural alternatives, people are seeking them out, and seeking advice and looking into these options. So where do people go …. to owner blogs, amazon, Facebook where everyone is a medical professional Thats where things can get dangerous and why so many vets are leery of “natural “ options
One of the issues veterinarians face is the MANY low grade, in effective, over the counter products that people spend their hard earned money on that just simply don’t work! We often question if what is listen on the bottle is even what is truly in the products. I highly advise if buying products on your own to do major reattach and investigating on the company on products they sell. Safety studies? Regulated by any government agencies? Quality control on products? This is all crucial info to know before giving our pets and supplement or vitamin.
So iv set out to be that person who not only supports the traditional veterinarian and medicine, but will be able to provide SAFE, EFFECTIVE, and QUALITY natural supplements take a more holistic approach to helping improve our pets life
I know all this information can be hard to sort though. Likely theres a lot of questions you have. Maybe some have been answered by your traditional veterinarian, but maybe some questions you are too embarrassed to ask. Maybe you asked but your veterinarian felt uncomfortable recommending or giving any advice on supplements. If this is you…. then setting up a consult with Dr. Seth may be right for you. With out consultation we address all the above and more!