Itchy Dog Holistic Treatment: This Is How I Help Itchy Dogs Heal, Naturally

When I first graduated, the main treatment for all the itchy dogs I was told to give was Cortisone. Prednisolone. I dispensed buckets of those little blue and white pills, and they did kill the itch. But at a cost. Then came new kinds of treatments – Cytopoint, Apoquel, and now Zenrelia. Itchy Dog Holistic Treatment was a mystery to me back then.

The regular treatments in Western veterinary Medicine are nearly all suppressive. They kill the itch by depressing the immune system, or by blocking inflammatory cascades in the immune system. These all give symptomatic relief, but that comes at a cost. The cost of western medical treatment of itchy dogs includes side effects. Liver damage. Immune system dysregulation. Killing vitality and longevity. And driving the disease deeper into the body, making the underlying causes worse over time.

Itchy dog holistic treatment works to rebalance and heal at the actual cause, which is nearly always a dysregulated, out-of-balance immune system. By understanding what upsets the body and immune system, what pushes it out of balance, we can then use natural, safe, effective treatments that get your itchy dog’s body back to where it should be. Comfortable. Not hot, inflamed, itching like a demon, and then being prone to secondary yeast and bacterial infections.

My approach to itchy dog holistic treatment is to support the body to be happy, healthy, and balanced. By using natural, holistic treatments and approaches.

However, there are aspects of Western Veterinary Medicine that are very helpful. For example, we can test your dog to see what the hot allergens are. Heska blood tests, while expensive, can be incredibly helpful in managing the environment. And food sensitivity testing, elimination diets, etc., can help us peel back the layers and understand what the causes of this itch really are. I will use these technologies in my ways of approaching itchy dog holistic treatment.

One western medical treatment that is NOT suppressive is immunotherapy, or desensitisation. This approach trains your dog’s immune system to stop overreacting to allergens and can be very effective, without causing harm. You do need to take your dog to a veterinary specialist for this. And it’s a significant investment! However, it integrates really well with my approach to itchy dog holistic treatment

Itchy Dog Holistic Treatment – here is how I help Itchy dogs, as naturally as possible!

When I have an itchy dog come to me, I first take a deep, comprehensive history. Every itchy dog is unique, and I need to understand when and how this itch developed before I can decide the best itchy dog holistic treatment. I need to know when the first itches happened, how often they flared up, and when they flared up.  All in the context of when this dog was vaccinated, when they were desexed, and if there were any home moves, any stresses on the human end of the leash, etc.

The story of any itchy dog shapes my itchy dog holistic treatment. It’s REALLY IMPORTANT.

Then I look at the diet.

Cutting out all highly processed foods (especially kibble, but also tinned) is my first step. This alone often significantly reduces (and sometimes cures) the itches and allergies.  Then elimination diets may be another layer, as food sensitivities can be involved in triggering itches.

Then I look at the environment – can we reduce exposure to allergens? Often, there is a lot we can do, and every little thing we do makes a difference.

Vaccinations? Have the itches begun or been exacerbated after vaccination? If so, homeopathy or energy healing may be required to heal vaccination injuries that have dysregulated the immune system.

Are there serious fires active right now (ear infections, skin infections, scratching so much they are breaking their skin) that need to be dealt with? Sometimes, some short-term, regular, Western-type treatments may be required. But I’ll want to use only the minimum necessary to give the more holistic type treatments time and space to kick in. Without hammering the immune system too much.

Chronic ear infections are often secondary to a primary allergy/itches problem that creates a perfect environment for the yeast and bacteria to take advantage of. But if there is an active infection, we must treat it, and usually Western Medicine will be the best choice to put that fire out. Same with hot spots, infected feet, etc.

Then I’ll explore a range of holistic treatments and interventions – probiotics, supplements, CBD/cannabis extracts, faecal transplants, and maybe refer for TCM acupuncture and herbs.

Energy healing is an integral part of my itchy dog holistic treatment protocol. This can shift deeper patterns of imbalance and help the whole system come back into balance.

How is the household? How are the humans? The human end of the leash can be very impactful and contribute to disease (mostly at an unconscious level). So I will often work to help the humans get themselves in a better place, which then helps their animals heal!

What else is going on with this dog? Often, I’ll find that there is anxiety, other health issues like IBD, behaviour problems, or a range of other issues that are in the mix and need attention.

In the end, everything that’s going on is part of the ‘itchy dog’ problem that we are working to heal, and everything needs to be tended to. A holistic approach understands that everything is related, that all that is going on with this dog will be related to and affect the itches somehow!

When I work up my itchy dog holistic treatment, it’s simple, and sometimes seems complicated, because there are so many moving parts that need to be considered and taken care of. Often, we will go step by step.

I have seen a lot of dogs who ‘nothing else has worked for’, who needed prescription medication often (sometimes weekly) to control raging ear or skin infections, or to tame itching that is so severe the dogs are tearing themselves apart. Nearly all of them, with my help, heal to the point where they hardly ever (or sometimes never) need Western medical prescription drugs. They are happy, healthy, and comfortable.

Some dogs will need minimum levels of prescription drugs for flare-ups or to have a decent quality of life. BUT often we can reduce the amounts of these drugs needed a whole lot with itchy dog holistic treatment.

Want help with your chronically itchy dog? Pop into my services page – you can book an appointment straight away, or you can book a free meet and greet call with me to discuss your animal’s case. Click here to learn more. I have a great system for helping itchy dogs heal, naturally and holistically. We will usually need to have three sessions to begin with, sometimes more will be needed for more chronic, difficult cases. Some dogs only one session does the trick!

Check out my YouTube video about this topic by clicking here.

This is a photo of a little dog who was incredibly, awfully itchy before I helped them! They are so much happier and healthier now.