allergies in dog causing hair loss on feet-natural remedies?

[Halcyon]

My dog has hair loss and itchiness on his feet due to allergies (so says our behavioural vet). Is there anything i can give him that is natural that might help? or something otc and mild for the itching? I would rather not put him on antoher prescription drug (he is on prozac and trazadone).

 

thanks!

[MercyA]

Have you tried an elimination diet for food allergies?

 

If outdoor allergens are a problem, it sometimes helps to wash or wipe feet with a damp cloth every time the dog comes back inside.

[Pawz4me]

There are several OTC antihistamines that can be given to dogs. From generic Benadryl to the newer ones like Claritin and Zyrtec. You can find dosages by Googling. Fish oil in high enough amounts acts as an anti inflammatory and can help. It's generally believed that giving both an antihistamine and fish oil works best. Frequent bathing (as often as every other day) is good. It washes pollen off the coat and feet. If you can't do a full bath just dipping his feet in some water and wiping the rest of him down with a damp towel can help.

[hepatica]

You could try coconut oil. One of our dogs had horrible skin problems. The vet was worse than useless. The only thing that finally worked was bathing in Malaseb (veterinary anti-fungal/anti-bacterial shampoo) which we got on amazon, and two daily tablespoons of coconut oil with his meals (he's a big,  skinny dog so if you have a smaller dog you could try less). It took 6 months but he improved slowly and streakily.

[Valley Girl]

Are the allergens seasonal or is it more of a food allergy that's causing problems? We've dealt with both over the years, and both have created skin issues.  As previous posters said, for seasonal allergies, frequent bathing and foot washing can help as well as OTC antihistamines. (The dosage varies depending on the antihistamine.) Ours has occasionally needed a short course of steriods to get the symptoms under control before going on the OTC meds. If it's diet, talk to your vet about switching to a dog food that contains a protein your pet hasn't had yet (such as duck and potato mix). Good luck. Allergies are tough. It can break your heart seeing how much discomfort they cause a pet.