MaddieGirl Organics - The Wag Report - where we explore all things dog
Today: Evie has allergies, here is what I am doing to help her
May 31, 2024
I know you are expecting an article on Animal Communication featuring Julie Hirt, but I am still in researching mode on that one, so today I am writing about one of Evie’s issues…. Allergies.
Evie is a super healthy dog with just two main health issues; her back (which was caused by an allergy medication, more on that in future articles) and skin allergies. I am working on both concurrently as they both can be helped with similar treatments; acupuncture, lasers, and nutrition. I wrote about how these are helping her back in my last issue. Today I want to focus on allergies.
Allergies in Dogs
Lately it seems like so many dogs are getting allergies. I have had or have been around dogs my entire life and not until my first Frenchie Maddie, had I really heard about allergies in dogs. While working with a veterinary dermatologist I discovered that Maddie was allergic to grass, dust, and dust mites. I have found out that there is a genetic predisposition for atopic dermatitis in some breeds such as German Shepherds, Labs, English Bulldogs and Frenchies, who are notorious for having allergies to just about everything. But why are dogs suddenly getting so many allergies? Are there really more cases of allergies in dogs or are we just noticing it more? It turns out that yes, dogs are getting more allergies. A 2018 Banfield Pet Hospital Report noted that over the last 10 years the number of dogs with skin allergies has increased by 30%. Additionally, they seem to be environmental allergies. I found a couple of theories as to why this is happening. The first is Climate Change, specifically the increase in greenhouse gas emissions that is causing more pollen and a longer allergy season. The second is that the increased processing of dog food is leading to diets that are less nutrient rich and less able to support a strong immune system than dog food in the past. A strong immune system is key to battling allergies.
How Allergies Develop
Allergies happen when the immune system responds to an allergen and then with continued exposure to that allergen, the immune system overreacts. In dogs this overreaction may manifest as a breakdown in the skin barrier function caused by immune triggered inflammation. Some dogs may have a genetic skin barrier problem which allows the allergens to enter the body. Here is a breakdown of how the allergy process works:
Initial Exposure: Sensitization Phase
When a dog is first exposed to an allergen, their immune system mistakenly identifies it as harmful.
The immune system then produces specific antibodies called Immunoglobulin E (IgE) to target the allergen.
These IgE antibodies attach to immune cells known as mast cells and basophils, which are found in various tissues, including the skin, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract.
Subsequent Exposure: Allergic Reaction
Upon subsequent exposure to the same allergen, the allergen binds to the IgE antibodies on the surface of mast cells and basophils.
This binding triggers these cells to release various chemicals, including histamine, which are responsible for the symptoms of an allergic reaction.
Histamine and other chemicals cause inflammation and symptoms such as itching, swelling, mucus production, vomiting, and gastrointestinal distress.
Immune System Overreaction
The immune system's overreaction to the allergen leads to the characteristic symptoms of allergies.
The root issue of allergies is really the immune system not the allergen itself. According to Dr. Jill Todd DVM, by fixing the immune system the allergies will fade away. She further explained that by only treating the itching with medication you are not actually healing the allergy and dogs can still get the other allergy symptoms such as a secondary bacterial infection. Treating the immune system is really the key.
Evie’s Allergies
Evie’s allergies target her belly and the secondary bacterial infection targets her entire body. So far, I have tried Cytopoint, which nearly killed her, Benadryl and Zyrtec which were ineffective and various topical sprays that didn’t really work. For the last year she has been on several rounds of antibiotics for a secondary bacterial infection. Nothing has really stopped the itching and subsequent infection. Since I now know that allergies are really an issue with the immune system, my new approach is to strengthen her immune system and repair the skin microbiome on her stomach. In consulting with her vets including Dr. Todd, I learned the best way to do this is through food, nutritional supplements and natural topical treatments. Here is a good article on 9 different natural ways to treat allergies. For Evie I am doing the following:
Repair her gut microbiome with fermented goats milk.
Help her immunity level and overall health with Dynamite TNT supplement powder
Tame inflammation internally with CBD pellets from Dr. Jill Todd’s line and lots of Omega 3
Help her histamine response with Quercetin
Treat her skin by first using a mixture of organic apple cyder vinegar mixed with water in a 50:50 ratio, then applying this CBD balm. As of yesterday, I am also using colloidal silver and I am going to ask her vet about using the baking soda and water solution
Treat the bacteria infection if it comes back with this instead of antibiotics. I do have antibiotics on hand from her vet to use if this doesn’t work.
Use a red-light laser to heal her skin and take down the redness
The very important thing to do with Evie is to go very slowly in trying all of these treatments. I added each one individually and then waited a few days before adding something else. In a week or so I plan to add colostrum and then a few weeks later maybe a Traditional Chinese herb mix that includes mushrooms, nettles and Quercetin.
I have been working on Evie’s allergies with these new treatments for about 3 weeks and she is starting to show improvement in her itchiness so I am very hopeful that she will get 100% better. I will keep you posted with updates.
Thanks for reading!
Evie getting laser treatment on her belly. Picture by Dr. Jill Todd, DVM