If you're looking for a quick overview of allergies in dogs, you might want to check out this article in our Holistic Healthcare Library:
http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/KnowledgeBase/knowledgebasedetail.aspx?articleid=13

There are more articles available if you choose the "Allergies" subject in the library. If you have allergy related questions or topics you'd like to discuss, feel free to write a new post in this discussion group.

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My Lorenzo is an 11 year old Lhasapoo.  He has allergies caused by pollen (probably Juniper);  symptoms are excessive, almost violent sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes.  Does anyone have any suggestions for alleviating this?

Thanks so much......

I went through 16 years of dealing with allergies with my own four-legged kid and I can give you two solutions besides allergy shots. One is Omega-3 fish oil. Researchers suggest that fish oil supplements for dogs may prevent atopy (allergies to inhaled substances such as pollens and molds). The second is over the counter Diphenhydramine antihistamine (Benadryl), just ask your vet for the appropriate dosage amount. The vet will find it a harmless solution. Based on the size of your Lorenzo the vet may wish you to cut a tablet in half, so check with the doc and it might solve the problem.

Hi Jay.... 

Thank you so much for the suggestions!!  I will try fish oil first, give it a few weeks and see how it goes.  If that doesn't work I will ask my vet about the dosage for Benadryl.  Lorenzo is small, 11 pounds, so it shouldn't take much.

I didn't have a clue that fish oil would have anything to do with allergies.......interesting.

Thank you!

I have on occasion, and with the OK from the vet, given my dogs 1/2 tab of a Claritin daily for allergies. Doesn't seem to harm them, and definately seems to help. It's not a "natural" remedy, but has been worth it the few times I've used it. A natural, home made diet helps, as well as removing the offending plant or plants from the yard. Best of Luck! Susan

Thanks, Susan, for the help.  I do home cook for the kids but the plants are all over the place.  I am pretty sure  Juniper is the culprit and it grows wild here so there is no way I can get rid of it.  If the advice from Jay doesn't work I will try Claritin....hey, Claritin works perfectly for me!  If you are giving them 1/2 tablet, how big are your dogs?

Live and learn, I never heard anything about giving a dog Claritin but if the veterinarians are okay with it, sounds like it could be a step up from the Benedryl. Dogs do not usually get sleepy from Benedryl but some do get a little slower.

They are Corgis! About 30 pounds each.(they both could stand to lose 1 or 2, as could their mom). The vet said I could give them 1/2 or 1 of a 10mg tab. I belive it also comes in a pediatric form, in which case you give a whole dose. I had heard about Claritin use in dogs a couple of years ago. There eas not a lot of literature to support any benefits at the time. The vet I was with had never heard of it. The new vet has, recommended it, and we tried it, and it works! The babies don't suffer any side effects at all!

Jay, I had read that other healthy oils to add to your dogs food were Udo's oil (for the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6, and also wheat germ oil, for a natural source of vitamin E, for heatlhy immune system/coat/skin. Could you comment on these two oils? Their health value in general and if they would also be good for allergies that the other member was describing? Thanks, sophiegirl

 

Fish oils, rich in omega 3 fatty acids, are chemically different from the polyunsaturated oils in plants and it is that difference that has given fish "star billing". the  omega 3s in fish are eicosapentaenoic acid, or EPA, and docosahexaenoic acid, or DHA, considered essential fatty acids, they can also be formed in the body from another omega 3, alpha linolenic acid, or ALA, which is found in plants like flaxseed, spinach, mustard greens, soybeans, canola oil, wheat germ and walnuts, as well as in marine animals that eat plants containing ALA. "The conversion rate is is not that efficient bordering on poor; and you will have to consume large amounts of ALA (from plant sources) to obtain a meaningful amount of EPA and DHA. Eating fish and fish products is far more efficient. By the way, flaxseed oil is not recommended as a fatty acid supplement for pets. High quality fish  oils are stabilized with adequate amounts of vitamin E when they  are in packaging or containers impervious to light and oxygen. An interesting note that Some very recent research carried out at the University of Minnesota found that emulsified fish oils are much better absorbed than the straight oils in gelatin capsules. The more polyunsaturated fats a dog eats the more vitamin E they will need. Vitamin E is comprised of two groups of molecules -- tocopherols and tocotrienols -- each with four forms (alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocopherol, and alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-tocotrienol). Each form also has its own potency and functional use in the body. The vitamin E most often used in pet foods is the alpha-tocopherol form. This specific tocopherol has incredible antioxidant benefits and gamma-tocopherol seems to be the only form of vitamin E that actually inhibits the proliferation of cancer cells. Vitamin E degrades quickly so It's better to add vitamin E in its whole form from a variety of whole foods - as long as you already prepare your little guys food you might consider adding a variety of nuts and seeds, finely chopped vegetables or raw or lightly cooked eggs The requirement of vitamin E is conditional with the selenium content of the diet, The more selenium, the less one needs to add vitamin E. Plant foods, such as vegetables, are the most common dietary sources of selenium. How much selenium that is the vegetables you eat depends on how much of the mineral was in the soil where the plants grew. Brewer's yeast, wheat germ, are also good sources of selenium. Meats produced from animals that ate grains or plants found in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium. In truth selenium deficiencies are rare. Adding a Brazil nut provides both a good source of vitamin E and selenium. Meats produced from animals that ate grains or plants found in selenium-rich soil have higher levels of selenium. For gamma tocopherols, a wonderful source can be had by adding crushed walnuts and pecans, and for the tocotrienols, crushed sunflower seeds. Rotate the nuts: One day a Brazil, the next a pecan, then a walnut, and then a few sunflower seeds. For smaller dogs and cats, you can give a nut or a few seeds every other or every third day.

One nut or a few seeds per day for a 50-pound dog is sufficient. Buy a small quantity of mixed raw nuts, preferably organic, and crush one per day. Spinach is one of the highest vitamin E to calorie ratios and a terrific source of vitamin E and selenium for overweight dogs and cats. Juice or finely chop a small amount of spinach once per week. The only caution here is spinach is high in oxalates, dogs and cats with oxalate crystals should not eat spinach. You can also add juiced broccoli, romaine lettuce (high in gamma tocopherols) and other vegetables up to 1 cup per day for a 50-pound dog. Raw eggs, (the whites can be cooked) provide a full range of vitamin E and selenium. Today we can buy high omega-3 content eggs readily available in the super market. A 50-pound dog can have an egg every three days and that would be ideal. A typical egg provides 1 mg of alpha tocopherol and .5 mg of gamma tocopherol, it just a great addition to your pet's diet! I hope I did not tell you more than you wanted and I hope it is a help to your thoughts. I wish only the best for the good guys in fur coats and wet noses.

 

Hi everyone, I agree with a lot of the information presented here on allergies. In the past I had good success dealing with fall allergies (when we lived in Michigan we had ragweed abloom in the early fall) by boosting the EFA but also in using some herbs and homeopathics as well. I did not get good results using the OTC allergy meds but did with the alternatives. The homeopathic was called "Grass & Weed" and the herbs were: Xanthium and Tibetian Allergy Support. Good luck!

Allergy issues are at epidemic proportions in our canine population.  I believe that most, if not all, of these imbalances are food related:

 

Most dry and canned foods have been heated to high temperatures, sometimes 1,000 degrees, destroying all of the enzymes, minerals and phytonutrients in the ingredients, no matter how good they may appear to be!  The heating process also changes the structure of proteins and carbohydrates, making both much more difficult for your dog to digest and much less nutritious than the original, raw ingredients.  So instead of your friend’s food being nourishing and healing, it actually requires more energy to digest than it is giving back in return.

 

DRY AND CANNED FOODS TAX THE PANCREAS.   In the wild, canines do not dedicate their own enzymes to aid with digestion.  The food they eat is loaded with naturally-occurring enzymes and consists of:  raw meat, including bones and organs, the partially digested contents of their prey’s stomach (grains), roots, berries, herbs, and grasses.  These naturally-occurring enzymes are the elements that make this raw diet bio-available, easily digested and nourishing.  These living nutrients  and enzymes combine with the very acidic digestive acids in the feline and canine digestive tracts to become energy and radiance for our companions.  When we feed our canines and felines food without enzymes, the pancreas has to enlarge and work overtime to produce and expend “personal” enzymes for digestion. Personally, I want ALL of my dog’s personal enzymes to be available for ongoing cellular healing.  Did I mention that humans, dogs and cats have a finite number of enzymes for our entire lives?  That means they should be used wisely, at all cost.

 

HOW ALLERGIES FORM:

If your dog is not digesting his food completely, larger than normal particles get absorbed into the body, where the immune system interprets them as “invaders” or toxins, and creates inflammation – in the form of itching, paw licking, ear infections, IBD, anal gland issues, bad breath, etc.  THIS IS HOW ALLERGIES FORM!

 

Even airborne allergies are most likely food-related, as the above process of absorbing larger-than-normal particles can push the dog's immune system to the "edge" and sensitize the dog to incoming potential allergens that would go unnoticed if that same dog's food was species-appropriate and bio-available.

 

 

From The Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care:

 

“Most allergies in pets are caused by poor nutrition.  Well-nourished animals don’t get allergies and animals that have them often get rid of them if they eat a well-balanced, natural, raw diet.   Cortisone and other drugs may mask or suppress allergic symptoms, but they don’t reverse them, and, over time, the condition of drug-treated animals usually deteriorates.”

 

“Even if your pet’s allergies seem unrelated to food, they are probably connected.  Hot spots, skin eruptions, inflamed toes, anal itching, inflamed ears, lick granulomas, most digestive problems and several immune system disorders have their roots in diet.  Because nutrition is such an important factor in treating allergies of all types, changing to a raw, natural diet is the single most important step you can take to improve your pet’s health.  Once your pet is eating whole, natural foods, taking nutritional supplements and herbs that improve digestion and the activity of beneficial intestinal bacteria, drinking pure, uncontaminated water, dining from glass, ceramic or stainless steel dishes, getting the right kind of exercise, spending several hours per day exposed to natural light and enjoying a life of reduced stress, his or her allergic conditions should improve and gradually disappear.  The other strategy most recommended by holistic veterinarians is the elimination of annual revaccinations.”

 

For dogs that have allergies, I recommend eliminating all dry and canned food and any heat-processed treats.  Switch to a meat and vegetable diet, or foods such as Honest Kitchen, Sojos Europa Grain-Free, ZiwiPeak, or one of the raw food blends.  Including digestive enzymes, essential fatty acids and a green supplement will speed the healing process.  For many, if not most, dogs, providing meat, vegetables, greens and EFA's will resolve many imbalances, including allergies.

 

I think I have asked this question before, but, can you give honey to dogs?  I just came from my local nursery, where they keep bees and produce their own honey.  They have a new variety that comes strictly from bees that pollinate palm trees! It is very dark colored and sweet.  It is said if you take a certain amount every day for so many days, it is supposed to help reduce allergies. All the sanitation workers in St Pete swear by it!

I thought I would give it a go with Miss Dixie, who seems to be having a lot of trouble with allergies lately.

Does anybody have experience with this?

As long as the honey is raw, I believe it is beneficial for dogs.  Juliette de Bairacli Levy describes it as "hghly medicinal and will inhibit growth of harmful bacteria in the entire digestive tract and destroy those of a toxic nature."  She emphasizes raw only (no heating), and also recommends getting a guarantee from the beekeeper that there are no pesticides on the trees.  She uses it mixed with herbs to treat respiratory disorders, kidney imbalances, and all kinds of other things.  The book is The Complete Herbal Handbook for the Dog and Cat.  

 

Here's how I use it:  Every so often I chop some fresh garlic, mix it with honey, and offer 1/2 tsp to my little Corgi.  It always seems to energize her and clear up any runny eyes.  She almost always eats it right off the spoon, but if she doesn't, I will add it to her food.  I give this when I notice any congestion, and I usually only give it once or twice in a row.

 

I would be interested to know how other people are using honey.  Good question.

Honey is a great nutrient, although you want to watch amounts in chubby pets as it is pure carb sugar! Also, honey can be allergenic; sensitization may be due either to the honey itself, to airborne pollen or molds caught in the honey, or even to bee venom components if the pet is allergic to bee stings.

An unrelated but handy bit of honey trivia is that honey makes a wonderful wound dressing and really helps heal scrapes and burns.