One of the MORE common pet health problems is Allergies.
Chronic scratching
Ear infections
Oily/smelly skin
Constant paw chewing
Anal licking
Hair loss
If you happen to have an allergic pet, it is very unpleasant for
BOTH you and your dog or cat.
Conventional medicine gives you few options.
Like steroids- they rapidly stop the itching, but often bring a
HOST of side effects.
Excessive drinking
Excessive urinating
Muscle wasting
Drug induced Cushings
Diabetes Mellitus
Immune Suppression
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BUT there are *other* options
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Here is a small section from my Dog and Cat Healing Therapy Special:
How to Incorporate Herbs in Treating Your Dog or Cat
Herbs are relatively safe and gentle medicines – most are very
forgiving with fewer side effects compared to conventions
medications. There is a synergy between the parts of the plants
components, making herbal medicine safe, and effective.
The goal of using herbs is to enable your pet’s body to
ultimately heal itself. To see how to incorporate herbal healing,
let’s look at the example of a dog with chronic allergies.
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Chronic Allergies
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Allergies are caused by a variety of things – the most common
are: food, atopy (environmental), and parasites. This produces
the secondary signs of chronic itching, infected skin, red
lesions, pustules, thickened black skin, ear infections, and
chronic paw licking.
Antibiotic and steroid therapies may make the symptoms disappear,
but the underlying cause will continue, and the disease may be
pushed deeper into your pet’s body to result in a much more
serious disorder over time.
All forms of chronic skin disease have two things in common:
•All are connected to diet
•All are less likely to occur in animals who have a healthy GI
tract with good waste elimination, and strong immune systems.
Tonic herbs are used to gently support your pet’s cleansing
systems – it makes it easier for your pet to heal himself.
Tonics: A Basic Formula for Chronic Skin Problems
•2 parts Burdock root, 1 part Dandelion, 1 part Red Clover, 1
part garlic powder.
•Tincture, tea, or the pressed juice of the fresh herb must be
used.
•Flaxseed oil, evening primrose oil, borage seed oil, fish oil,
or a prepared multi-essential fatty acid supplement should be fed
along with this formula.
Dose: 1 tablespoon per forty pounds of the animal’s body weight
daily.
This tonic will assist organ functions and help optimize the
absorption of needed nutrients.
Herbal Symptomatic Relief
For animals with itchy skin, use an oatmeal based shampoo. Peppermint or lavender skin rinse is another option to help relieve itching.
If Itching is associated with minor redness, a daily skin rinse of cooled chamomile, plantain, or calendula tea may bring relief. Completely soak your pet with the tea, and allow your pet to drip dry.
If scabs or sores are present, try combining calendula and comfrey with sage or thyme tea in equal proportions. When cooled and used in a rinse, this will speed up the healing process and help prevent any bacterial infection.
With bacterial skin infection, use internal doses of Echinacea tincture, and use external doses of herbs such as Echinacea and Oregon Grape, or Goldenseal, in tincture or salve format.
For severe itching, using internal doses of licorice may bring relief. Licorice can help boost production of corticosteroids in the body and provide direct anti-inflammatory help. Use licorice only for short-term inflammatory flare-ups.