Getting a Jump-Start on Pet Allergies

It was a mild winter, and now we already have days in the 80s. The word is out that fleas, ticks and allergies will be worse this summer because we did not suffer through a long, cold and icy winter. I’m okay with not having the last part, but I am certain everyone would rather do without the first.

The more an animal lives in a chemically-doused, processed life, the more we can expect allergies to appear. One isolated allergy may go unnoticed, but the accumulation of several of them likely will tip the scale enough that the body can no longer compensate, adapt and adjust—and the symptoms become obvious.

Allergic symptoms can include: red, itchy skin and/or ears; licking feet, legs or body; scooting; inflamed eyes or anus; change in texture or color of fur or skin; sporadic vomiting or diarrhea; lethargy; weak immune system and frequent infections. Often, the treatments for the symptoms actually perpetuate the problem.

There are some things you can do now to help your animals prepare for the potential allergies ahead.

  • Understand the source of allergies. There are antigen/antibody reactions linked to many areas of the body. It can occur in the gut from gluten and carbohydrate overload, on the skin surface from pollens sitting on your pet (go figure—you need to dust your dog, too!), inadequate vitamin and mineral levels to support the immune system and toxins of all kinds. Anything processed, denatured, treated or chemically laden can alter the body’s defense mechanisms, allowing for an allergic reaction to occur at a later date. The body’s pH will also determine if your pet will be more likely to be allergic.
  • At Animal Fitness Center, we have a simple in-clinic way to check for the pH, parasitic interactions, mold, pollen, grasses, yeast and fungal allergens.
  • Have the diet reviewed. Dry, processed diets containing rice, wheat, oats, corn, gluten, barley and other grains are culprits in starting the food allergy cascade. Grain-free diets are less stimulating. Canned, raw, home-cooked or dehydrated foods are the best bet. Have a food allergy screening done to determine what is safe to feed your pet. At Animal Fitness Center, we have a simple in-clinic way of doing this, so you go home with a shopping list of what to feed and not feed.
  • Look for the underlying etiology. Allergies begin from a stressed immune system and a liver that is not working at full function. The liver and the digestive tract are the two primary areas that need to be addressed in order to become allergy free. The endocrine system, which includes the thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal gland, thyroid, adrenals and pancreas, also needs specific nutritional items to be built up so it can protect and not overreact. We have a system that uses a fur sample that can delineate the precise direction the pet requires to go for rebuilding its body.
  • Start early and expect to work on it for a year. Your pet did not develop the allergies overnight and they may not go away quickly either. Drugs are a quick fix, but nutrition and body organ support is progressive and usually requires nine to 18 months for a good resolution. You can, however, expect see improvement every few weeks, as our clients typically do.
  • Eliminate as many chemicals and toxins from your pet’s environment as possible. Sure, you can’t possibly get rid of all of the toxins, but being aware and doing what you can is a great start to a cleaner, healthier body.