Pet Allergies

A holistic approach to treat pet allergies.

Just like humans, our furry friends are susceptible to allergens and environmental pollutants.

My Service Dog, GOOSE, would get spring time allergies.  Unlike humans, who produce an overabundance of mucus to wash away the pollen and mold spores, animals scratch, chew, get hot spots and lose giant patches of fur.  

GOOSE was no exception.  It’s hard to take your Service Dog into a restaurant or grocery store when they are constantly scratching and showering fur everywhere.  

We made several trips to the vets.  We used topical medications and tried dietary and lifestyle changes but he was still scratching and chewing and chewing and scratching.

Our Veterinarian talked about the old standby corticosteroids but after doing some research I wasn’t sure that was the answer.

According to the VCA Hospitals short term side effects can include:

• ·         Increased thirst and urination
• ·         Increased hunger
• ·         Panting (especially dogs)
• ·         General loss of energy
• ·         Development or worsening of infections (especially bacterial skin infections)
• ·         Vomiting or nausea (less common)

Long term side effects can include:

• ·         Development of thin skin, blackheads, and a poor or thin hair coat
• ·         Poor wound healing ability 
• ·         Development of obesity due to increased hunger
• ·         Muscle weakness secondary to protein catabolism (breakdown)
• ·         Development of hard plaques or spots on the skin called calcinosis cutis. These plaques are the result of calcium deposition in the skin. 
• ·         Increased susceptibility to opportunistic or secondary bacterial infections
• ·         Increased susceptibility to fungal infections (especially of the nasal cavity) and
• ·         Development of adult onset demodectic mange.
• ·         Predisposition to diabetes mellitus

If only there was a magic pill and not just the systematic treatment options or watching your animal chew himself raw.

I began to do more research.  After all, I treat my human family with all natural remedies, why should my dog be any different.

I found Allergena for Dogs and Cats. 

How does Allergena work for pets? The same way it works for humans!

Allergena is a Homeopathic Immunotherapy that reduces your pet's negative reaction to allergens. Allergena homeopathic allergy drops build immunity by giving micro doses of what your pet is allergic to so their body becomes safely conditioned to tolerate those allergens and reduce allergic symptoms. 

GOOSE is now itch free and back on his cookies – that are all natural but no longer grain-free.  

Pet allergies. If you have them, you know it's nothing to sneeze at, so what is it that we're allergic to and why?

Animals have become cherished additions to our families. We love them like children, and in most cases they love us just as much, if not more, in return. Not everyone experiences pet allergies. Unfortunately, some of us experience mild to severe allergies from these loved ones. Some people have little to no allergy symptoms around cats and dogs, some are allergic to only cats, while others can't even have a pet because of severe allergic reactions. Up to 10% of the population in the United States is allergic to pet allergens- dander. Blame genetics. Pet allergies often runs in families. People with pet allergies tend to have a higher incidence of sensitivity to dander when their parents have pet allergies. Similarly, if you have a pet allergy, the chance of passing this allergy to your children is far more likely. Children with both parents allergic to pets are up to 80% more likely to have a pet allergy themselves.

Most people mistakenly believe that their pet allergy is caused by pet hair. This is not the case. We're actually allergic to pet dander. But what is dander? Dander is microscopic flakes of animal skin that travels through the air and lands on our skin, in our eyes, mouths and in our noses creating an allergic reaction. It is not so much that we're allergic to these microscopic skin flakes as we are allergic to what's IN these skin flakes (dander). Dander is composed of urine-derived proteins which is secreted from an animal's skin glands. These proteins, in addition to saliva proteins on dander from grooming, is where the bulk of our allergies comes from. So even though your pet may groom and lick his fur, it's the protein and saliva on the DANDER that remains the major source of pet allergens.

We all love our pets and I believe most of us have just learned to accept the symptoms. It's important to know that with continued, untreated exposure, your pet allergies may silently trigger worsening asthma, allergic sinusitis or allergic rhinitis. While it's not very realistic to buy a hypo-allergenic pet (hypoallergenic cats actually do exist!), you can take a daily remedy to lessen your pet allergies such as Allergena Pet Dander. It works great and is safe to use daily. We do so much to show our pets we love them, why not do something for ourselves to ensure we're loving them without the misery of pet allergies?