Food for Thought -- Allergies in Dogs, A Holistic Look

Food for Thought -- Allergies in Dogs, a Holistic Look

by Dr. Janice Elenbaas

 

 

 An allergy is a sign of an overactive immune system. The body is working overtime to protect us from a perceived threat. There is overproduction of histamine in response to exposure to a foreign protein. The result is swelling and inflammation. This can be seen as:

 -itchy, red moist skin  or 'hot spots'

-increased scratching

-runny eyes

-itchy back or base of tail ( especially in flea allergies)

-ear infections

-paw chewing

-vomiting

-diarrhea

 

Common triggers are:

 

-fleas - the most common cause of allergic response

-pollens - like tree and ragweed pollens

-mold spores

-drugs

-cigarette smoke

-foods

 

The most common cause of allergies is a reaction to fleas followed by inhaled allergies. Only 10% of dog allergies is due to foods.

 Having said all that, allergies are still a sign that the immune system is overworked and turned against itself. It has over-responded to a naturally occurring protein. Symptoms in and of themselves should never be covered up or ignored. It would be like ignoring your oil light indicator in your car. Eventually, something more serious can happen.

 Traditional western medicine uses steroids, antihistamines and topical creams to block the immune response. This might work for a time, but if the cause is not eliminated, there will be a revolving door of symptoms and drug treatment.

 The holistic approach is to balance the immune system and a large portion of the immune system is in the gut. A healthy GI tract means a healthy body.

 Most commercial dog foods contain artificial colorings, flavors and preservatives. Traditionally, dog foods are made up of ingredients unfit for human consumption. It is common for them to contain moldy grains, spent grains, mycotoxins, poor quality proteins and artificial supplements. Kibble is processed at high temperatures, denaturing proteins, making them hard to digest and destroying naturally occurring vitamins and minerals.

This all places tremendous strain on the immune system to identify and eliminate these foreign substances.  No wonder the immune system is on overdrive. Toxic response is shown in skin lesions and other allergic responses listed above.

 So what can we do?

 We want to allow the body to work as efficiently and easily as possible:

 -reduce fleas

-improve the quality of food

-feed high quality, whole foods without artificial ingredients

-try nutritional supplements like essential fatty acids

-use natural anti-inflammatory herbs and supplements

-feed probiotics

-reduce environmental pollens - use an air filter - certainly do not smoke around your dog

 Seek advice from a holistic vet.

Please remember that allergies are a sign that something is wrong inside. Take a multi prong approach and consider acupuncture, chiropractic and herbal treatment. Be patient. True healing takes time and patient persistence!

With four years of nutritional training and twenty years as a Doctor of Chiropractic for both humans and animals Dr. Janice Elenbaas is the founder and owner of Lucky Dog Cuisine, and a guest blogger for PawsGo

www.luckydogcuisine.com