If you have an itchy, allergic dog, you know that with spring already here and warm weather about to hit, the pollens in the plants and grasses around your home are going to exacerbate your pup’s skin issues. Other than putting your dog on veterinary corticosteroids to quell the skin inflammation inherent in allergies, there are several things you can do at home to lessen the problem.

Frequent Bathing

To remove allergens from your dog’s coat and skin, try bathing your pet once or twice a week.

Because in canines, allergens primarily assert their effect through contact with the animal’s skin, frequent bathing may relieve the allergic inflammation that leads to constant scratching and skin infections. Additionally, bathing eliminates dander, bacteria, yeast, and loose hair that can contribute to infections and skin issues. It also promotes healing by getting rid of dead skin cells and encouraging new cell growth.

If you choose to bathe your dog at 3 to 4 day intervals, you’ll need to ensure that you’re not removing necessary moisture and oils from his skin and hair. You could try using an all-natural, organic shampoo made with colloidal oatmeal that not only promotes healing and reduces inflammation, but also moisturizes dry skin and hair.

Dogs with very flaky skin and dry, damaged hair are best served when their pet parents use an ultra-rich, colloidal oatmeal conditioner after bathing. By massaging the conditioner into your dog’s wet skin and hair before drying him, you’re putting a protective barrier of natural ingredients including shea butter, comfrey, callundula and aloe vera between his skin and allergens. You’re also adding natural moisturizers to your pet’s dry skin and coat.

Another way to avoid removing those necessary skin oils is to simply rinse your dog’s skin and hair under warm, clear water several times a week. By massaging water through the hair down to the skin, you’re still removing allergens and dead cells, but leaving behind the natural moisturizers that chemical canine shampoos take away. Rub most of the water away with a clean, dry towel and allow your pet to air-dry if the weather permits. You’ll be able to get rid of some of the dander and loose cells on the top layer of skin and eliminate dead hair by running a brush or comb through the coats of both short- and long-haired dogs.

If you decide to rinse with clear water instead of bathing, you may want to use an all-natural waterless shampoo and dry bath to help eliminate any of those nasty doggy smells. A dry shampoo is also a great alternative cleaner to keep by the door to clean paws, bellies, and mouths of any plant pollens tracked in from the outside.

Staying a pro-active pet parent often means planning before your furry companion starts his annual itch-fest. By changing your dog’s diet now, adding supplements, and bathing early – and frequently – you can help your pooch be less itchy during warm weather than in previous years, and keep him happy year round.

by Cate Burnette, RVT

With all the new advances in veterinary medicine, many dog owners are turning to stem-cell therapy to relieve their animals of the pain and inflammation associated with such ailments as arthritis, hip dysplasia, patellar luxation, and many tendon and ligament injuries.

Vet-Stem out of San Diego, California is the first company in the U.S. to use stem cells processed from your dog’s fatty tissues in regenerative medicine.

The way the process works is three-fold:

First, your veterinarian collects cells from the fatty areas of your dog’s body, usually the stomach or rump.

Second, that sample is shipped to Vet-Stem where it is processed, and the stem cells in the tissue are concentrated into a number of injections.

Third, your veterinarian then injects these stem cells back into the affected area where they begin working and building new tissue to replace injured or torn bone, tendon, ligament, and muscle.

According to statistics provided by Vet-Stem, over 80 percent of older and younger dogs with severe arthritic pain showed major improvements in their quality of life, and over 34 percent were able to be completely removed from treatment with pain medications.

A June, 2008 article in Time Magazine reports that, in one particular case, a 3½-year-old German Shepherd diagnosed with severe hip dysplasia was noticeably showing improvement only 36 hours after treatment and was considered totally cured a year later.

While the treatments do not come cheap, running up to $5000 for fat extraction, injections, and follow-ups, they can be less expensive than hip replacement surgery and the recovery time is much faster and appears to be showing better results.

For those pet owners reluctant to try what is still considered experimental surgery by some in the veterinary community, or those pet parents where the cost is prohibitive, there are other, less expensive, alternatives.

Over-the-counter glucosamine chondroitin found at your local drugstore can help restore needed joint fluids to arthritic dogs. Most dogs can take up to 1000 mgs. daily without any problems, but you’ll want to check with your veterinarian before starting this medication.

All-natural, collagen-based Happy Tails’ Joint Resolution is a liquid compound containing both Collagen Type 2, chondroitin sulfate, and hyaluronic acid that promotes the growth of new cartilage and reduces further injury to already-damaged joints. A study published in the Journal of Veterinary Pharmacological and Therapeutics showed that Collagen Type 2 “reduced pain and lameness in arthritic dogs and improved their overall activity.”

“We have a 4 year old English bulldog named Gus who loves to chase and tug and jump,” says Anna Buck of Houston, TX. “He was diagnosed with hip dysplasia a year ago. At that time, he had started limping and really slowing down. We discovered Joint Resolution about 6 months later and after only one month, we noticed that Gus completely stopped limping. He started playing more and jumping higher than he ever had. This product has been amazing! Even though it is not a cure for his condition, it has given us a way to manage his condition and give Gus a less painful, better quality of life.”

As part of any alternative medical plan for your aging or injured dog, all-natural medications with ingredients like collagen, chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, and herbs like devils claw root, licorice, dandelion and boswellia, as well as new innovations like stem-cell therapy might just be what your pet needs to be off steroids and pain-free.

If you have an allergic, itchy dog, then you know that with the weather warming up and pollen in the air, your pet’s skin problems are likely to get worse. Did you know that chemicals found in household commodities could exacerbate your pet’s itchy skin issues?

Listed below are 9 everyday products that can be causing irritation and damage to your dog’s sensitive skin.

• Flea control products – Some dogs have been shown to be allergic to the chemicals in particular flea control products. Flea sprays and dips containing limonene (derived from citrus oils), pyrethrin, and pyrethroids (synthetic derivatives of pyrethrin) can cause both skin and respiratory allergic reactions.

• Bleach – Household bleach is made with sodium hypochlorite, a chemical that can damage and irritate your dog’s paws and skin. Make sure to keep it away from your pets, and, if you use it to clean your countertops or floors, that areas are rinsed thoroughly with clean water before your animals are allowed to walk on them.

• Drain cleaners – Most drain cleaners contain sulfuric acid and lye (sodium hydroxide). These chemicals can cause severe skin burns and blindness if they splash on your dog’s skin or eyes.

• Motor oil – Once used as a “cure” for mange, we now know motor oil contains carcinogens that bleed through a dog’s skin and cause cancers, nervous system damage, and other organ system illnesses.

• Lawn fertilizers – Your dogs run, lie, and roll in grass covered in lawn fertilizers that can be potentially toxic to their skin and organ systems. Many lawn fertilizers are combined with herbicides, the so-called “weed ‘n’ feed” products. Not only can these combined products irritate your dog’s skin, paws, and nose, they have been shown to increase the risks of your dog contracting lymphoma, in a 1991 study published in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

• De-icing salts – Even though spring is here, parts of the world are still covered in snow and ice, and de-icings salts on sidewalks and roadways can burn, crack, and irritate the skin on your dogs’ paws. Additionally, if they lick their feet after coming in from the outside, the sodium chloride found in most de-icing salts, along with other minerals such as potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium carbonate or calcium magnesium acetate, can cause internal electrolyte problems that can lead to illness.

• Oven cleaner – Some oven cleaners are made with strong corrosive bases. Both sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide can cause serious chemical burns if they accidentally contact your pet’s skin.

• Windshield wiper fluid – Wiper fluid is toxic to the touch because some of its poisonous chemicals are absorbed through your dog’s skin. Methanol and isopropyl alcohol damage organ systems, cause blindness, and can potentially lead to death.

• Laundry detergent and softeners – Just like humans, some dogs are allergic to the dyes and chemicals in the laundry detergent used to wash their bedding and towels. The artificial fragrances found in liquid softeners and dryer softening sheets can also irritate a sensitive dog’s nose and skin.

What are some solutions?

If chemical flea repellents bother your dog, try purchasing inexpensive electric flea traps for your home and use all-natural, diatomaceous earth in your yard and gardens. You can also use diatomaceous earth around the baseboards of your house as a flea repellent.

Instead of chemical lawn fertilizers, spread corn gluten on your lawn and garden. Corn gluten is an organic fertilizer and weed killer that has become popular for use in residential lawns as well as school fields and golf courses. Additionally, corn gluten is safe for pets.

When your dogs are out on icy streets and sidewalks risking exposure to de-icing salts make sure they wear protective, waterproof “pet boots” to save their paws. You can try sand, kitty litter, or crushed cinder on icy walkways to keep from slipping, although those products won’t melt the ice. Remember to wipe your pet’s paws with an aloe vera-based baby wipe when coming in from the cold.

Keep all household cleaners and detergents locked away where your dogs can’t get to them. Rinse all bedding and areas where the products are used for cleaning thoroughly with clear water. If possible, purchase all-natural, organic products labeled “Safe For Pets.”

When you start noticing your dog beginning to scratch red, irritated skin, try an all-natural, oatmeal based canine shampoo to relieve the inflammation and itchiness associated with allergies. The colloidal oatmeal in the shampoo is one of the few organic products approved by the FDA to relieve itching caused by allergies and insect bites and also helps moisturize dry skin.

For immediate spot itch relief, spray an all natural anti-itch spray directly onto the irritated areas of your dog’s skin. By getting the spray through the fur and directly on inflamed skin, an all-natural anti-itch spray uses organic products such as oat extract, aloe, and litchi to soothe the itch. Other organics including boswellia serrate, calendula, and grapefruit see extract reduce inflammation and prevent infections.

Keeping our dogs clean and smelling nice can be a huge problem if your pet has itchy, flaky skin or is sensitive to the chemicals in human shampoos. Finding a canine shampoo that matches your dog’s skin type is often a matter of testing different products to see what works best for your dog. When you maintain the proper pH balance in your dog’s skin, you can prevent a lot of issues that lead to itching, scratching, and a dull hair coat.

What is the normal pH balance of a dog’s skin and how is it different than human skin?

All mammals have what is called an “acid mantle” – a thin layer of acidic oil that covers the top layer of skin and protects it from bacteria, viruses, and other harmful elements. When humans bathe, we wash away that protective mantle. Human shampoos and soaps are typically formulated with oils and moisturizers that replace that acidic layer until the body is able to rejuvenate it on it’s own…usually within 12 hours. If that acid mantle is not replaced, we see irritated, dry, flaky skin, or even a bumpy rash.

That acidic layer is what determines the relative pH of both human and canine skin. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with levels more than 6.4 considered high alkalinity, and with levels less than 6.4 considered high acidity. Human skin falls into a pH range of 5.2 to 6.2, fairly acidic, and human shampoos and soaps are made to maintain that balance.

Canine skin, on the other hand, can range from 5.5 to 7.5, moving into more of an alkaline range depending on the breed, sex, and size of the dog. The climate of where the dog lives also factors into skin balance.

Pet parents can make the mistake of using human shampoo on their dogs, and totally remove that acidic mantle without the dog’s body being able to replenish the needed oils back to its normal range. When that happens, you’ll see a dog with dry, itchy skin that can lead to scratching sores and bacterial infections.

What do I look for in doggy shampoos?

Read the labels on canine shampoos. Look for all-natural, organic ingredients, fragrances, moisturizers.

Shampoos containing natural, colloidal oatmeal, aloe vera, and tea tree oils will replace your dog’s natural skin balance more quickly than shampoos made with chemical components. Shampoos and rich conditioners with natural fragrances such as lavender, peppermint oil, or eucalyptus not only replenish skin oils and keep your pet smelling nice, they can also work as insect repellents.

Contrary to popular belief, you can wash your dog every week to every month (depending on the breed). Keeping your dog clean means washing away allergens that can make her itchy. And if you (the human) have allergies you really want to keep your dog allergen free. Buying a good quality, all-natural doggy shampoo and conditioner may mean digging a little deeper into your pockets than it does when you purchase your own shampoos and soaps – but one bottle can last 6 months and can save your dog from the incessant itching and scratching that comes from using a cheaper, human product. Click here to learn more about how washing your dog can help eliminate itchiness.

by Cate Burnette, RVT

With Pet Dental Health Month just ending, many pet owners are probably wondering just what exactly they need to do to keep their dog’s teeth and gums healthy from one yearly veterinary cleaning to the next. Traditionally, vets have suggested regular, at-home brushing to help prevent plaque and calculus, reduce the chance of infection, and keep your pooch’s breath fresh. With the advent of new water additives and at-home oral rinses in the pet marketplace, we wanted to take a look at some of those products and see what ingredients are in them, and if they are as effective as the friction caused brushing.

What are water additives and how do they work?

Water additives and at-home dental rinses are a relatively new development in pet dental health. Marketed to veterinarians and pet parents as a tool to prevent dental problems in dogs, the additives are supposed to be dropped into your dog’s drinking water on a daily basis and are billed as a safe, healthy alternative to regular tooth brushing. Dental rinses are essentially the same product formulated into a liquid gel that can be squirted on the teeth after meal times.

Several of the additives say that the chemical ingredients used to manufacture them break down the carbohydrate molecules that help to form the plaque on your dog’s teeth. Other additives claim they use particular chemicals and natural ingredients to reduce bad breath, kill microbes, and prevent calculus. However, using a water additive is similar to us using a mouth wash. It’s a nice addition to our dental routine, but we certainly wouldn’t replace brushing with mouth wash. The same goes for our canine companions. Nothing is going to be as efficient as the friction on the tooth from the brush.

What are some of the ingredients in water additives?

Ingredients in water additives include such organics as a mixture of mutanase and dextranase enzymes to break down filmy plaque on teeth, zinc gluconate, a mineral zinc salt used as an anti-bacterial agent, cetylpyridinium chloride, a chemical antiseptic found in some pesticides, and chlorhexidine gluconate, another chemical antiseptic.

The use of chlorhexidine gluconate in at-home dental rinses is particularly troubling to some veterinarians because the chemical is contraindicated for use near the eyes, ears, and mouth of animal patients, yet the manufacturers of products containing this chemical offer it as an alternative to regular in-home brushing. The most common side effects associated with chlorhexidine gluconate oral rinses include an actual increase in calculus formation, stomatitis (an inflammation of the mucosal lining of the mouth and gums), and an inflammation of the salivary glands.

Additionally, products containing chlorhexidine have been associated with a high incidence of deafness in cats and thus are not recommended for felines or internal use in humans.

Some products also contain xylitol, a canine antibiotic known to cause stomach upset in some dogs.

Does home brushing still work?

Most veterinarians still recommend daily tooth brushing to help prevent dental disease in your pet, even if you choose to use a water additive or oral rinse. Even the manufacturers of these products suggest that daily brushing is essential for good oral hygiene and that their additives and rinses be used in conjunction with regular vet checkups and at-home brushing.

For those pet parents that want that something extra to help keep doggy breath fresh and teeth clean and white, there are all-natural, organic dental wipes and probiotic sprays on the market that reduce plaque and tartar, freshen breath, and use human grade ingredients safe for people, puppies, and other pets. Additionally, all-natural toothpastes combined with a special doggy brush allow you to reach all the surfaces of your dog’s teeth while disinfecting the whole mouth. These toothpastes are also formulated with human grade ingredients making them safe for your dog’s digestive system.

For those pet parents wanting to keep chemicals and additives away from their sensitive pups, brushing with a naturalc paste still seems the best way to prevent canine dental disease.