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Hey, Katie K-9!KatieK9@readthecitizen.comwww.KTK9.com 651-429-5433 |
Hey, Katie K-9!
My 4-year-old lab mix, who is in good health, is scratching all over like mad. The U of M said it was allergies and I’ve given him a few rounds of Prednisone. Are Omega 3 fatty acids another good option? IF so, how much should I give him and how long might it typically take to kick in? Can I give it long term? It pains me to see my buddy in such misery!
Thanks so much!
Ellie
Hey, Ellie!
What conventional veterinarians usually do is treat the itching with Prednisone, but that only treats the symptoms. It doesn’t address why the dog is itching like crazy. If you take your dog off the Prednisone, the itching starts again.
The real question is, why is your dog itching? Yes, it likely is allergies—and usually, food allergies.
Time for a diet change and Omega 3 fatty acids! The main problem is that in feeding the same dog food over and over again, dogs can build up allergies against the grains in the food. Corn and wheat are the main problems when fed over and over.
The old school of thought was, when you find a dog food your dog does well on, stay with it. Think about that for a minute: dogs are carnivores and so are we. What would happen if we ate the same thing day after day?
New studies have found that variety and balance over time are the key to keeping our dogs healthy.
When dogs overlick their paws, have chronic ear infections, hot spots and itching, these are all signs that their system is broken. A diet change will start repairing their system.
Commercial dog foods are very overprocessed; many dogs systems are so broken that pulling them off commercial dog food and cooking for them is the only way to repair them.
Remember the 2007 pet food recall? Many owners began to ask what was really in their pet’s food. One way to know for sure is to cook for your dogs.
I just published a book that gives you very simple recipes to prepare, suggests natural supplements and advises how to look for a good commercial dog food.
The book also addresses how to rotate your dog’s diet to give them more variety and how to get your hefty hound slimmed down.
It’s 160 pages of good information on overall nutrition for your dog.
Daily fatty acids are very important for dogs. Fish oil capsules are the best way to get this.
For a large dog like you have, give 1,000 mg once each day, along with “The Missing Link,” which is an all-natural supplement you can find at local pet stores. This will also help your dog’s coat and the itching.
When the furnace goes on, dogs’ coats get drier, like our skin during the cold months. They need supplements to keep their coats in condition.
I hope this helps you and your buddy.
Katie K-9!
You may order Katie’s book, “Simple Cooking for Dogs 101” on her Web site at www.ktk9. com or stop by Hugo Liquor, 14849 N. Forest Blvd., to pick one up for $13.95. Send in your dog questions to “Hey, Katie K-9!” by mailing them to Th e Citizen, P. O. Box 393, Hugo, MN 55038 or e-mailing them to Katie at KatieK- 9@ReadTh eCitizen.com.