What Supplements Should You Give a Dog With Occasional Allergies?

Scratching, itching, sneezing, weepy and watery eyes and noses; these are all symptoms a pup with occasional allergies may experience. Our pets can suffer from temporary allergies much, in the same way, we as humans do. These temporary allergies can be from external triggers like dust, pollen, fleas, or mites, or they could be suffering from food-related allergies. No matter what is causing your dog’s occasional allergies, you just know she is miserable, and sometimes her misery can translate into frustration for you as a pet owner. It can be hard to determine the best course of action in handling a dog with bad occasional allergies. We often consider our pet’s health as important as our own. As such, we don’t want to just care for them, we want to care for them properly and in the most holistic and natural way possible. We take our dog’s healthcare very seriously, and just like our own bodies, we want to be careful that the things we give them, from food to treats to supplements, are not just healthy, but also beneficial and safe. It’s very important to learn the foundations of basic pet care so you know how to triage and take care of your pet and anything that is bothering them. The best way to care for a dog who appears to be unhappy or experiencing occasional allergy symptoms is to:

1. Assess the situation. Ensure your dog is not in need of emergency care. Is your dog experiencing congestion or trouble breathing? Trouble breathing is different from simple congestion. If your dog is experiencing trouble breathing, she needs veterinary attention immediately.
2. Make her comfortable. If she is not experiencing trouble breathing, make her comfortable by ensuring she has water, food if needed, and a comfortable place to lay.
3. Contact her veterinarian. It’s important to call your dog’s veterinarian and get her a full exam before considering administering any supplements to her for any condition, including her occasional allergies.

Once she’s been examined by her veterinarian, you can begin the process of finding supplements that can help support environmental allergy defense.

Signs of Occasional Allergies

It may not be easy to figure out if your dog has temporary allergies or not. While some dogs may be very symptomatic, other dogs may be brave environmental allergy warriors that show very few, if any, symptoms, unless or until they are very uncomfortable. Additionally, dogs can suffer from environmental and food-related allergies. The symptoms for both will be different. Symptoms of environmental allergies will likely include some or all of the following:

• Excessive itching and scratching. Every dog itches and scratches, but dogs that can’t stop scratching and clawing (sometimes to the point of self-harm like fur loss and breaks in the skin) may be suffering from an external allergen.
• Weepy, watery eyes. Many breeds of dogs have issues with watery, weeping eyes, which can be normal for them. However, if your dog rarely has excessive eye drainage and has suddenly developed a discharge from their eyes, it can mean they’re dealing with an environmental allergy.
• Discharge from the nose. Most dogs won’t have runny noses unless their histamine response has been triggered. As such, keep an eye out for dogs who seem to have runny noses as it may mean they are allergic to something in their immediate environment.

Dogs can also have allergic reactions to certain food ingredients. Though these types of food allergies can be harder to diagnose, and usually require an elimination diet to determine the specific allergen, you can look for symptoms of a food allergy. The most common symptoms of food allergies in dogs are vomiting and diarrhea. Remember, it’s essential to have your dog examined by her veterinarian to determine the cause of her discomfort.

Common Allergens for Dogs

Just like humans, dogs can be allergic to certain flowering plants when they bloom, or even certain insects. These external factors trigger your dog’s histamine response and the result is a collage of occasional allergy-related symptoms like the ones listed above. Environmental allergies can be:

• Dust
• Dust mites
• Fleas
• Pollen
• Ragweed
• Mold/mildew

There are, of course, many other external seasonal-type allergies that could be affecting your dog, but these are some of the most common offenders. These may affect your dog only periodically (for instance, when ragweed is pollinating) or continually when they are exposed to the allergen, like having a reaction every time they are bitten by a flea. Dietary allergens can also be very common in canines. While they are less prevalent, the most common canine food allergies are typically

• Certain proteins (beef, chicken, lamb)
• Gluten
• Dairy
• Soy

Regardless of the allergen your dog is suffering from, you just want to provide them with some comfort. You can help soothe your dog’s suffering by giving them supplements to help support their body’s environmental allergy defense system and bring them temporary ease.

A Supplement That Can Help

Your dog feels helpless when she suffers from temporary allergies, but you don’t have to be. You can be proactive in helping her body fight off those occasional allergies and get her back to her normal, happy, tail-wagging self once more by choosing supplements that will help protect her against seasonal and dietary environmental threats. Our favorite supplements for helping combat discomfort in dogs who suffer from occasional allergies are omega fatty acids. We all know we, as humans, should be taking in omega fatty acids. These acids are needed by our bodies, but our bodies don’t make them naturally. The same is true for dogs. A dog needs omega fatty acids but can only get them by taking them in the form of a supplement or through food intake. One of the best sources for omega 3’s is fatty fish. Salmon in particular is full of omega 3’s and is also relatively easy to come by as an ingredient in many dog foods as well as in bite form. Omega 6’s can be found in several plant-based ingredients like sunflower oil, safflower oil, or soybean oil, and is often included in fortified foods in flaxseed or flaxseed oil. Omega fatty acids help your dog by promoting their overall skin and coat health. Healthy skin is able to provide a stronger barrier against external allergens, which keeps your dog comfortable and reduces the discomfort she feels from itchiness and irritation.

CBD as an All-Around Supporter

If you’ve got a poor pup that really suffers from her occasional allergies, you want nothing more than to see her return to her normal, active self. At VETCBD, we understand the compassion you have for your pet, because we’re not just veterinarians, we’re pet owners, too. As such, we’ve developed a CBD oil supplement specially formulated for animals that is packed with ingredients to help keep your dog healthy, happy, and strong. If you’re unfamiliar with CBD oil, it can be intimidating. There’s a lot to learn about this plant-based extract and how it can help your dog with occasional allergy issues. CBD is an abbreviation for “cannabidiol,” which is an extract called a cannabinoid taken from a species of the cannabis-sativa plant. Although you may relate the cannabis plant to marijuana, CBD is non-intoxicating, so it won’t make your dog “high,” or make them feel impaired. CBD oil that is full-spectrum, like the kind available from VETCBD, has been extracted from the cannabis-sativa plant along with all other cannabinoids, terpenes, flavonoids, vitamins, and minerals so that the oil can produce the entourage effect. The entourage effect refers to all portions of the cannabis plant working together synergistically to deliver the maximum CBD benefit to your dog. Only full-spectrum CBD oil can deliver the entourage effect. Our hemp tincture with naturally occurring CBD is crafted with extra virgin olive oil making it rich in omega fatty acids. This means you can effectively give your dog a great supplemental boost of the immune system and skin health support with one great product. This is a great product for soothing irritation and calming issues on the skin like itchiness, redness, and discomfort. CBD oil can be administered to your dog orally through a tincture dropper. CBD is generally very well tolerated by dogs and is beneficial in improving their overall health and wellbeing by supporting the systems that control their histamine responses. Providing vital fatty acids, vitamins, and nutrients to these systems ensures they function properly and keep your dog healthy. CBD oil can also help support GI health. If you suspect your dog may have encountered a known food allergy, CBD oil can give her twisting tummy some comfort, which will allow her to feel better faster.

Closing

A dog with even temporary allergies is a sad pup, indeed. Providing even temporary consolation for occasional allergies related to her environment or her food can be a hard job, especially if you don’t know the specific environmental allergy trigger. You can help your dog feel more calm and relaxed during these itchy episodes by giving her a CBD oil supplement that helps soothe her, promotes a healthy skin and coat, and supports her immune system and histamine response. Sources: https://vetnutrition.tufts.edu/2018/04/the-a-b-cs-of-vitamin-c/ https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/allergy-general-in-dogs#