How do you make homemade dog allergy relief

Easy Homemade Dog Shampoo

Whether you prefer natural products for your dog, are a regular DIYer, or just want to save some money, making your own dog shampoo is one way to accomplish all three. The ingredients may already be in your pantry, and if not, theyre easy to find in stores. Theyre as basic as baking soda, vinegar, and ordinary dish soap.

One thing you dont want to use is shampoo made for humans. The pH level of our skin is different from that of dogs: ours ranges from 5.5-5.6, while dogs pH is between 6.2-7.4. Human shampoo will be too acidic for dogs and can cause skin irritations. If youre going to mix up your own dog shampoo, youll be aiming for a pH level around 7. Luckily, others have done the math for you and devised simple homemade dog shampoo recipes.

Basic Homemade Dog Shampoo

3-Ingredient Simple ShampooDish detergent is formulated to cut through grease and will do a great job of washing away oils that accumulate on your dogs coat and skin. White vinegar has antibacterial and deodorant properties and will leave his coat shiny and clean. Just be careful not to get any in his eyes.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of warm water
• 1/4 cup of nontoxic dish soap
• 1/2 cup of white vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a spray bottle and shake to mix. Then wet your dogs coat with warm water and spray with shampoo, avoiding his eyes. Work the shampoo into his coat, creating a thick lather. Rinse thoroughly and repeatedly, even if you think all signs of shampoo are gone. Then dry him off, and hes good to go!

Homemade Dog Shampoos for Dry Skin

If your dog has itchy, dry, or sensitive skin, there are a few things you can add to the shampoo to relieve his symptoms. You can make a shampoo that has glycerinwhich can be found in pharmacies, some grocery stores, and onlineand aloe vera gel. Or you can make an oatmeal shampoo. Oatmeal is known for its soothing properties and is found in many commercial grooming products.

Aloe Vera and Glycerin Shampoo

Ingredients:

• 1 quart of water
• 1 cup of baby shampoo or nontoxic dish soap
• 1 cup of white or apple cider vinegar
• 1/3 cup of glycerin
• 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel

Mix all ingredients in spray bottle and shake to thoroughly combine. Apply to your dog, avoiding his eyes and work into his coat. Rinse.

Oatmeal Dog Shampoo for Dry Skin

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of uncooked oatmeal
• 1/2 cup of baking soda
• 1 quart of warm water

Grind the oatmeal in a coffee grinder or food processor until its the consistency of flour. Pour into a large bowl and mix in baking soda. Add warm water and stir until incorporated. Wet your dog with warm water and then lather him up with your homemade shampoo. Work into his coat and allow it to sit for a few minutes, if hell let you. Then rinse thoroughly and dry.

Homemade Shampoo to Repel and Kill Fleas

You can even use homemade dog shampoo to fight fleas. The trick is to add lavender essential oil, which is thought to be a natural antiparasitic and antibacterial. Some DIYers combine oils that are pet-safe, but if you have to choose just one, lavender will do.

Its important to note that not all essential oils are safe for dogs or other pets. Some dogs have severe toxicity and immune-mediated reactions after exposure to some essential oils. Never apply 100 percent essential oils from aromatherapy products on your pet. Also, make sure your dog doesnt ingest essential oils. If you have questions, always contact your veterinarian.

Flea-Repellent Dog Shampoo with Essential Oils

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces of warm water
• 2 ounces of aloe vera gel
• 1 tablespoon of Castile soap
• 2 drops of lavender essential oil

Combine all ingredients in a clean spray bottle and shake to combine thoroughly. Wet your dog with warm water, spray on shampoo and work into his coat, especially in harder to reach places, making sure not to get any in his eyes. Rinse thoroughly.

There are hundreds of homemade dog shampoo recipes out there, most using some combination of vinegar, which deodorizes and adds shine; Castile soap, or dish soap, which helps the ingredients bind together; and baking soda to balance the acidity of vinegar and water, which is pH neutral. So next time you and your dog are preparing to bond over bath time, start in the kitchen and mix up some easy, safe, and inexpensive dog shampoo of your own!

Types of Dog Allergies and How to Treat Them

Have you heard someone tell you that their dog has allergies? Has your veterinarian suggested that allergies could be a problem for your dog? Do you suspect that your dog has allergies? If so, then youve probably realized that allergies in dogs are not quite as simple as we might wish. For starters, there are several different types of allergies that could be causing your dogs symptoms.

Allergies are a misguided reaction to foreign substances by the bodys immune system, which, of course, people and pets can suffer from. There are quite a few different types of allergies in dogs. Skin allergies, food allergies, and environmental allergens all pose challenges for dogs and their owners, and to make things more complicated, the symptoms of all these different types of allergies can overlap.

Symptoms of Allergies in Dogs

The symptoms of allergies in dogs may vary depending on the cause. A dog that goes into anaphylactic shock, for instance, will have a drop in blood pressure followed by shock, which is very different from a skin condition.

In general, however, the following symptoms could be a sign of an allergic reaction.

• Itchiness
• Hives
• Swelling of the face, ears, lips, eyelids, or earflaps
• Red, inflamed skin
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Sneezing
• Itchy ears
• Chronic ear infections
• Itchy, runny eyes
• Constant licking

Some of these symptoms could also be a sign of another condition. Make an appointment with your veterinarian if you notice changes in their behavior to get an accurate diagnosis.

Types of Allergic Reactions in Dogs

Allergic Dermatitis in Dogs

Skin allergies in dogs, known as allergic dermatitis, is the most common type of allergic reaction in dogs. Skin allergies in dogs are mainly caused by one of three things: fleas, food allergies, and atopicor environmentalallergies.Flea allergy dermatitis is an allergic reaction to fleabites, and some dogs are allergic to flea saliva, which can cause their skin to become red, inflamed, or scabbed because their skin will feel extremely itchy. Its the easiest type of allergic dermatitis to treat, since you can apply flea medication for dogs to help heal their skin.

Another cause of skin allergy in dogs is from food allergies and sensitivities. Just like humans can be allergic to certain foods or ingredients, dogs can be allergic, which can cause itchy skin. Dogs with food allergies usually have itchy ears or paws, sometimes along with gastrointestinal symptoms. Dr. Klein, Chief Veterinary Officer for the AKC, says that food allergies are not as common as you might think. True food allergies result in an immune response, which can range in symptoms from hives, facial swelling, and itchiness to gastrointestinal signs like vomiting and diarrhea or a combination of both.

Environmental allergens can also affect the skin and be the cause of allergic dermatitis. Things like dust, pollen, fungus, and mold can cause these reactions, but in most cases, these allergies are seasonal. As with food allergies that affect the skin, the most commonly affected areas are the paws and ears (but also include the wrists, ankles, muzzle, underarms, groin, around the eyes, and in between the toes).

All skin allergies pose the risk of secondary infection. As your dog scratches, bites, and licks at his skin, he risks opening up his skin to yeast and bacterial infections that may require treatment.

Urticaria, or Hives, in Dogs

Also known as urticaria, hives on dogs are very itchy but are not life-threatening. Hives appear as a reaction anywhere from 6 to 24 hours after exposure to allergens. This consists of itchy, swelled skin, that usually looks like a red rash. Its easiest to spot hives on dogs that are hairless or have short coats. Dogs with longer hair can get them too, but its more likely that youd be able to fee the hives rather than see them. Your vet will prescribe an antihistamine in order to treat urticaria in dogs.

Edema of Face or Throat

Swelling of the throat or face looks severe, but its actually almost never fatal. This area of swelling, which can also include swelling of the eyelids or ear flaps, is known as angioneurotic edema. Its actually pretty easily treated, and despite how it looks, its a good sign in terms of allergic reactions.

If your dog has edema of any of these areas, the time for a fatal allergic reaction has most likely passed, and they arent in as much danger. Angioneurotic edema occurs anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours after exposure to an allergen, and can also come with hives.A veterinarian will often give dogs with this reaction an antihistamine injection. Untreated, it may take a day or two for the swelling to subside.

Anaphylactic Shock

Perhaps the most alarming of all the types of allergic reactions in dogs is anaphylactic shock. Like people, dogs can go into anaphylactic shock if they have a severe reaction to an allergen. This happens when antibodies produced by the host react negatively to the allergen, dropping your dogs blood pressure rapidly and sending them into shock. This can be fatal if not treated, but luckily, anaphylactic reactions are rare in dogs.

This can be a response to any allergen, most commonly bee or wasp stings, or vaccine reactions. Because of this, your vet will always recommend keeping a close eye on your dog after theyve been given any new vaccine, drug, or food item, as they might be allergic.

If a dog has had a past incident and survived, the owner may carry an epipen, but sometimes the first occurrence can lead to death. Fortunately these reactions are very rare in dogs.

In some rare cases, a severe food allergy reaction resulting in anaphylaxis can occur, similar to severe peanut allergies in humans. The best way to diagnose and treat a food allergy is to work with your veterinarian to manage your dogs symptoms and discover the ingredient causing the reaction.

Diagnosing Allergies in Dogs

Flea allergy dermatitis is typically the easiest allergy to diagnose. It is usually diagnosed by identifying fleas on your dogs body and applying a product that kills fleas before they can bite to see if that solves the issues.

The first thing your veterinarian will do in allergy testing is rule out any other condition that could be causing your dogs symptoms. If your veterinarian feels that an allergy is a likely cause, they may propose allergy testing to try and determine the cause of the allergen that is causing the reaction. However, keep in mind it may not always be possible to determine the cause of an allergy with testing.

If you have ever undergone allergy testing, then you know that diagnosing allergies is often complicated. Its the same for dogs, but its worth it to understand what to stay away from when it comes to your dog.Food allergies are often diagnosed using an elimination diet. A food trial consists of feeding a dog one source of protein and carbohydrate for 12 weeks.

Treating Allergies in Dogs

The best way to treat an allergy is avoidance of the cause and allergen, which may not always be possible. They type of treatment depends on the type of allergy your dog has. For example, the best way to treat flea allergy dermatitis is to kill the fleas, whereas the best way to treat a food allergy or food intolerance is a change in diet.

Depending on the cause and severity of your dogs allergic reaction, your veterinarian will prescribe different things. For hives, they might suggest antihistamines, cortisones, medicated shampoos, whereas with food allergies they might suggest fish oil or other Omega-3 fatty acid supplements. For skin allergies, they might prescribe dog-safe anti-inflammatory wipes or shampoo on skin to provide irritation relief.

In addition to any lifestyle changes that might be necessary, your veterinarian may also prescribe an allergy relief medication for your dog that will help control the signs associated with the allergic reaction, such as itching and any secondary skin infections that might have developed as a result of the irritant.

If your dog has a severe allergic reaction, your best course of action is to get them to an emergency veterinary hospital as quickly as possible.