Helpful Tips for Allergy Prone Pooches

Allergies are no fun. Whether you have two legs or four, the constant itching, scratching and other allergic symptoms can make life miserable. If your dog is prone to these kinds of allergies, you already know how the symptoms can disrupt your life and make your pet miserable.

The good news is that there are some things you can do to reduce those allergy symptoms and make life more comfortable for you and your pet. Here are some tips you can use to help your allergy prone pooch (and you) feel better all season long.

Skin allergies are among the most common ailments reported by dog owners. If your pet is one of the unlucky ones, here are some things you can do to make them feel better.

• Bathe your dog often. Keeping the hair coat and underlying skin clean can reduce allergies, kill fleas and reduce irritation. Regular bathing will also reduce itching and help your pet sleep better. While many pet owners use oatmeal-based shampoo for their pets, a non-grain herbal preparation is generally better for allergy-prone animals.

• Use a flea comb to check your pet for parasites. Regular flea control is very important for allergy-prone dogs, and using an all-natural pest repellant is one of the best ways to keep fleas and ticks at bay.

While skin allergies are common ailments in dogs, they are not the only kinds of allergies pet owners need to be concerned about. Here are some tips pet owners can use to deal with food allergies in their animals.

• Ask your vet to run saliva tests to see if your dog is allergic to common food ingredients like corn, beef, wheat, eggs, soy and milk. Altering the dog's diet to avoid these ingredients can reduce allergies and make your pet more comfortable.

• Diversify your dog's diet to reduce allergy symptoms. Eating the same food year after year can cause sensitivities and allergies to develop. If you want to stick with the same brand of food, consider buying different varieties to change things up.

• Work with your vet to develop an allergy elimination diet. Following this kind of diet for three months is an excellent way to pinpoint dietary sensitivities, clear allergenic substances from the dog's system, detoxify their body and clean out cellular debris. After the three month period you can slowly add foods back while monitoring allergic reactions.

• Add natural supplements like Winnie's Cookies to your dog's diet. Winnie's Cookies are 100% certified organic, and adding them to your dog's diet can aid with detoxification, relieve allergies and boost your pet's immune system.

Environmental factors can also cause allergic reactions in dogs, and it is important to pinpoint those triggers and deal with them effectively. Here are some tips for helping your environmentally sensitive dog:

• Work with your vet to determine the root cause of the allergy. It could be an outdoor trigger like ragweed, grass or pollen, or an indoor factor like mold, dust, cleaning chemicals, fabrics or mites. The greater the exposure, the more severe the reaction, and it may take time to rule out specific environmental triggers.

• Keep your home as clean as possible. Vacuuming often will remove dust mites and other potential triggers, while keeping a smoke-free home will improve indoor air quality.

• Provide high quality drinking water to your dog and make sure it is available at all times. Make sure the water you give does not contain fluoride or heavy metals.

• Do not over-vaccinate or over-medicate your dog. Allergy-prone dogs often have overactive immune systems, and too many vaccines or medications could trigger an allergic reaction. Over-medication can also destroy the good bacteria in the gut and make allergic symptoms worse.

As a dog owner, you are responsible for the health and well-being of your dog. Having an allergy-prone dog can make your job harder, but the tips above should help you deal with the problem and reduce the impact of allergies on your (and your dog's) life.