This time of year is an absolute bloody nightmare for your dog, and probably for you too. Is your head pounding? Is your nose blocked? Eyes streaming? Yep, thought so, so I unearthed a blog I wrote years ago about this awful plant and the effect it has on dogs and humans, and then I updated it to add a whole bunch of our new findings to hopefully give you a little understanding of what’s going on in your dog's body, and provide a little relief.
Even though it has turned a little cooler at times, the US has yet to have a good frost and so that Ragweed (that icky vile weed!) is still out there, doing its thing. Plus, those beautiful amber and gold leaf colors mean that nature is having a natural shedding/ metamorphosis, which means it's prime time for fungi growth.
Triple whammy, eh?
Here's how to know if Ragweed is having its wicked way with you...
- Your ears are bunged up like there’s cotton wool in them.
- Your dogs’ eyes are runny.
- Your nose is running.
- You have post nasal drip.
- Your dog has a poop with mucus in it.
- Your dog is itching like a meth addict.
- Your head is banging like a drum.
- Your dog’s poop is bloody.
- Your senior dog is achy and not as mobile.
Yep all of these things can be caused by the pollen, which, as you know because I keep saying this, is a foreign object in the lungs, in the gut and on the skin.....everywhere.
If it goes in your nose, it will instantly affect your ears and your throat.
If it goes in your mouth, it will affect your gut, your colon and your blood stream.
There’s nowhere this nasty stuff won’t infiltrate.
Your own body’s fight to overcome the effects of it can be draining.....for your dog it’s even worse because he inhales so much more of that crap than you do.
So, here is my annual reminder about what to do to help your dog out. You, my human friend, are on your own.....
Have your dog tested for food intolerances, the single greatest thing you can do to ensure long lasting health and vitality. If your dogs’ gut is not having to concentrate on internal fighting with its beef allergy or chicken intolerance, then it is in far better shape to fight the outside agitators of Bermuda grass, dust mites, ragweed, and God only knows what else. I have used this multiple times with multiple dogs and it is ALWAYS worth the money and time to get it done, I have saved the fee in as little as two months by not having to buy drugs and do allergy shots any longer. Nutriscan is an excellent food intolerance test and you can even do it from home. Check it out at Hemopet.org.
Raw food is an amazing tool in the fight against allergens. Raw food ‘tools up’ the gut with beneficial flora and digestive enzymes, shoring up those tiny stomach soldiers with all kinds of ammunition. If you can’t face feeding raw, then try the Primal Freeze-dried nuggets (available on Chewy.com, Amazon or at your local boutique pet store). Even adding some raw food to your dogs’ kibble can be a massive help.
Raw local honey given twice a day in your dogs food. One half a teaspoon for small dogs, a full teaspoon for medium dogs and a dessert spoon for a big ol’ boy.
Fermented apple cider vinegar. Braggs is a good brand. Pop a spoonful in your dogs water or on your dogs food. Restores the Ph balance in the system for both humans and dogs.
CBD oil. Pet Releaf is a good brand but to be honest, any good quality Hemp oil will help. It helps to rebuild cells, and that’s exactly what your dog needs right now, but it also relieves the stress that constant itching can cause. You can give it with anything else, too as there are no contra indications with medications.
Dr Bakers Canine System Saver http://caninesystemsaver.com/....a wonderful anti-inflammatory and yet again, completely natural. Allergies are an inflammatory response, so this little capsule can really help knock out some of the effects of that.
Adequate hydration. Keeping the system flushed is a great way to get rid of toxins, sludge and all the shit that might otherwise linger and cause an issue in your dogs system.
Pre and Probiotics. Oh my God! You should ALL have your dogs on these little gems everyday anyway. Gut health equals brain and body health. Take a look at Dr Marty’s ProPower Plus https://drmartypets.com/product/propower-plus/, we also use Biokult, Purina Fortiflora, Vetriscience probiotic, but there are some other great brands available on the market. Other sources of probiotics are natural live yogurt, which you can mix with Raw honey and pop on top of your dogs food, and of course raw goats milk, which is a wonderful super food and full of too many good things to mention, but one of them is amazing probiotics.
Astaxanthin. Fantastic immunity booster, great ally in the fight against cancer, any inflammatory condition, even helps to boost your brain power.
VF Antronex by Standard Process. This is a great help for the liver when it is trying to clear itself of all the toxic crap coming at it with allergens. Its important to keep the liver clear so that it can keep doing its job. For that reason, we use it for skin issues at Frankie and Andy's Place.
Omega 3's are invaluable at any time of year but particularly now. We like https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pet-Wellbeing-Omega-3-Skin-Support/dp/B07NXW4C3M andf we also like Nordic Naturals, again from Amazon. We trust both brands. Flax seed in your dog's food is a great way to boost Omegas, too.
Coconut oil. Buy the virgin coconut oil, first cold pressing and give it on a spoon in their this food but also use it direct on inflamed areas of the skin to ease itching.
Bovine colostrum. I love, love, love, this stuff. It boosts the immune system in ways that other things don’t and dogs love the creamy taste when added to water and added to their food bowl. I have been going on about this for years and I will never stop. Not til I die. Colostrum is mother's milk and that’s the best stuff ever. It has been known to stop itching very quickly but even if it doesn’t stop your dog itching right away it is boosting their immune system from the inside and that’s super important. We use Body Boost Bovine colostrum at FAAP, and we swear by it.
Quercetin. You will have heard me mention this herb over the years and I can't NOT mention it here as it's really effective to ease itching. Its known as Nature's Benadryl for a reason. However, if your dog has a heart condition or is on heart meds, you cannot use this as it might raise your dog's blood pressure in the same way that Benadryl can.
Lastly, Vitamin C. Is your dog getting enough? If he just eats kibble and never gets fresh food scraps of fruit or some veggies, he probably isn't. Vitamin C is known as the skin vitamin because it supplies the body with collagen. Plain Ester C is great for dogs as it is safe and you can easily cut down the tablets to the required dose for their weight.
Hope this helps, and if you did find it useful, please leave us a comment or a thumbs up.