shih tzu holistic healthshihtzuweb.com/natural-remedies/pdfs/skin itching and... · 2015-01-06 ·...

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Resources Guide

© Furry Joy 2015. All rights reserved.

Contents

An Itchy Dog ...................................................................................... 3

Skin Problems Symptoms .................................................................. 4

Why does Your Dog Itch? .................................................................. 5

External Parasites.............................................................................. 6

Natural Treatment for Parasites ...................................................... 6

Natural Parasite Prevention ............................................................ 8

Ticks ............................................................................................... 9

Mange ........................................................................................... 10

Environmental Effects ...................................................................... 10

Psychological Itching ....................................................................... 12

Food Allergy .................................................................................... 13

Itchy Skin Care ................................................................................ 14

INDEX ............................................................................................. 16

Disclaimer ........................................................................................ 17


An Itchy Dog

The Shih Tzu as a non-shedding breed needs daily brushing or regular clipping to prevent matting and knotting of his fine coat. He gets dirty easily and regular bathing with harsh chemicals can cause itchiness and dry skin.

But shampoo is just one allergen and there are so many things that could be causing your dog to itch including his diet.

We often go to the vet when our dog’s start to scratch and sometimes even assume that the dog has fleas. We then come home with a certain shampoo, ointment or chemical cream to rub on, which often doesn’t work.

Think about this for a minute, when your dog is allergic to something is it really a good idea to then simply treat the symptoms?

I say no, definitely not, because the cream or shampoo may stop the symptoms yet the allergy is still there. If the dog’s skin is treated yet your Shih Tzu is still exposed to the allergen the symptoms will move, they will go inside your dog and become serious ill-health.

If your dog shows some signs of itching, natural therapy is a really good route to explore. By first exploring the reason for the itching and secondly treating the dog without pharmaceutical chemicals you can strengthen your Shih Tzu from the inside out.

Food allergies, environmental factors and even stress can cause itchy, scratchy Shih Tzu behavior. In this short book we are going to look at the symptoms that your Shih Tzu will display when he is itching. We will also look towards common reasons for itchiness, what causes a scratching dog and how you can help your Shih Tzu become comfortable in his own skin.


Skin Problems Symptoms

If your dog has a skin problem it can manifest in a few different ways.

Itchiness is one of the most common symptoms of problem skin.

Your dog will deal with constant itching in one of the following ways:

Scratching himself

Biting and chewing himself

Rubbing up furniture

Constant rolling on the ground

Licking his paws and chewing between the pads

The dog being unable to rest because of itchiness or pain

Weeping and redness in the skin itself

The evidence of parasites such as flea dirt, dandruff and ticks

Pain when touched and avoidance of being stroked

Scooting his bottom along the ground

Hair loss

Hot spots, sore and bleeding areas on the skin

If your dog shows any of the above symptoms, it’s time to take a good look at how you can help to improve the health of his skin, but first the problem needs a proper diagnosis.


Why does Your Dog Itch?

It is important that you, as your dog’s caretaker, try to work out the reason for his itching. Only when it’s recognized will we be able to treat the problem. There are a number of basic reasons that your Shih Tzu may be itching and we will look at them in more detail shortly. Take a look at this list and ask yourself if any of these could apply to your dog?

Food allergies – It is a really good idea to read through the food as fuel book, if you already haven’t.

Environmental chemicals such as a lot of highly chemically washed bedding, cleansing fluids etc.

Parasites.

Anxiety itching as a behavior issue because the dog is bored or worried.

Very tight dry skin from excessive bathing in chemical shampoo.

Painful infected skin or possibly swollen joints.

Ask yourself when your dog itches. Does he itch around his feet after a walk in fresh grass? Perhaps he itches more when he has been bathed or after his bed was washed.

The dog’s skin is an organ and needs attention and care to stay healthy. If your dog itches a lot then it is a sign of ill health, low energy and that his body is dealing with some kind of attack. This can be from external parasites, badly chosen dog food or even a disinfectant used to clean his bedding area.

During the next few pages we will help you to recognize why your Shih Tzu is itching, treat the specific reason and also show you how to strengthen your dog’s skin naturally.


External Parasites

The dog that has a flea infestation will increasingly itch. Fleas breed quickly when they have a host that they like. Fleas love a clean dog so do not be offended by the concept of your pet becoming host to a family of little jumpers.

Flea dirt looks like little black grit and as the infestation intensifies the grit will increase. You can check for fleas by taking some of the black grit, popping it on a tissue and getting it wet. If it turns red then it is flea dirt.

Alongside the uncomfortable itching, of playing host to a flea family, some dogs actually develop allergies to the fleas themselves causing infection along with infestation.

Fleas are highly persistent and will live in your carpets, your pet’s bedding and all over your home when they are established.

Treatment of flea infestation is usually chemical and prescribed by the vet as a spot on flea treatment. The spot on treatments are highly effective but are they truly healthy?

Fleas can be treated without veterinary intervention and though it is a longer process it will be a better, more natural option for your dog.

Natural Treatment for Parasites

Invest in a flea comb and comb your dog completely whilst dropping fleas and their eggs into a bowl of hot soapy water, which will kill them.

Repeat this a few times, at least twice a day, and be thorough –

the idea is to remove all fleas and their eggs from the coat and skin of your dog.

Find a holistic flea shampoo and bathe your dog in it twice a

week. You should be able to get a completely natural shampoo


online or from a good holistic vets. Flea comb your dog whilst he is in the bath too and wash the little critters away. You can add Aloe Vera to the shampoo to soothe itchiness.

Beware of high doses of tea tree oil as it has recently been

associated with toxicity towards small dogs. Clean every area that your dog occupies, his beds, blankets,

your bed, the sofa and car included. Hoover carefully to remove fleas and their eggs from the living environment. Boric acid can be used to clean the home, available from health food stores.

Remember that the flea life cycle is pretty relentless so you will

need to clean, your dog and home, stringently for at least three weeks to catch all of the eggs as they hatch.

After you have bathed your dog rinse with a pint of warm water

containing a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, this will regulate the alkaline within your pet’s skin after bathing.

By following these steps you will see a vast reduction in fleas very quickly and if you are tenacious the little critters will vanish altogether whilst your dog has not been exposed to any chemicals at all.

Then it is simply a case of preventing re-infestation in the future.

Many veterinarians advise that we use flea treatment chemicals to prevent an infestation even when the dog is flea free already. Remember what I said about veterinary science and pharmaceutical companies?

I would never treat my dogs for flea prevention with veterinary or pet store medicines.

One of my dogs has a true fear of chemical flea treatment and hides, then seems in pain, when the ‘spot-on’ treatment is on his skin. Which led me to ask what on earth I was doing to his body.

My own dogs never have fleas and I see the prevention as an unnecessary influx of chemicals into the bloodstream of the dog.


Sadly people do still expose their dogs to parasite treatments, needlessly, every few months because they believe that this is part of responsible dog ownership.

So how can you prevent flea infestation, naturally?

Natural Parasite Prevention

There are precautions that you can take in order to prevent infestation without using pet store or prescription medicines.

The idea is that you make your dog naturally repellent to fleas and this is actually more pleasant than it sounds.

Here are some natural remedies that will ensure a visiting flea doesn’t stick around or breed in the coat of your dog:

Ensure that your dog is at the peak of health and fitness fleas

thrive on unhealthy dogs. Keep your pet clean and well groomed, check regularly for

signs of infestation. Garlic is a good addition to his food as this can make his blood

taste garlicky and repel fleas – either add a small amount of fresh garlic to his home cooked food or invest in a good quality garlic supplement created specifically for dogs.\

A small amount of brewer’s yeast regularly added to your dog’s

food will also make him taste bad enough to deter fleas. ½ teaspoon a day should be enough for your Shih Tzu but watch out for extra itching and if it occurs cease with the yeast because it doesn’t suit all dogs.


An apple cider vinegar/warm water rinse after bathing will leave your dog gleaming and far less tasty smelling to fleas. You can even add a tiny amount to his food if he will accept it.

Lemon juice and water mixed an also be sprayed onto your dog’s coat which will deter fleas and make your pooch smell zesty and clean.

Ticks

Ticks are parasites that attach to a dog in one specific place. They start small and almost invisible to the naked eye. The tick buries his head under the skin of the dog and drinks.

As its body fills with the blood of the dog the tick gets fatter and starts to look like a wrinkly wart. Eventually when the creature is the size of a grape it falls off the dog and waddles away.

Ticks should be deterred by the prevention methods described above, however if one does get through and into your dog’s coat you do not need chemicals.

Invest in a tick removal tool from the pet store, they are very cheap and you can just hook the tool between the tick’s body and your dog’s skin and pull it out, head and all.

If you have no remover handy do not try to pull it off with your fingers as you can easily burst the creature and send it’s innards into your dog’s skin. Simply take a fingertip and spin the tick gently in a one-way circle. This will make the creature dizzy and release the head naturally then you can just dispose of the tick.

Ledum is a homeopathic remedy that can help to prevent infection from tick bites so if you live in a high tick area it’s worth stocking up in the season. Ledum can help your dog’s body to cope if he is been exposed to tick carried Lyme disease.


Mange

Mange is caused by a very small mite that cannot be seen by the naked eye. It can be very bad for your dog and if left untreated the mange mite will attack the immune system of a dog. Ensure your dog is getting his proper dosage of good quality vitamins C & E to enable his body to cope.

Rubbing Neem oil into the affected area can help to rid the body of mange mites, be sure to avoid the dog’s eye area. The prevention steps above will also be really good natural measures to deter mites.

Environmental Effects

The first stage in identifying the environmental cause for itchiness in your Shih Tzu is observation. We now live lives filled with chemicals, processed food contains all-sorts of allergens see our food guide and there are more dogs showing signs of allergy than there ever have been before.

Allergens have the greatest effect if the dog’s immune system is weak, if he is unwell or not receiving the right nutrients in his diet.

Holistic care addresses the basic good health of a dog and the healthier your dog is the more his body will be able to cope with those nasty allergens.

Here are some common environmental allergens and how to manage them;

Harvest mites; as the grass is cut throughout the summer months the dog can suffer from an allergic reaction to harvest mites. These little mites are present in cut crops, all of the time, yet only affect some dogs.


If your dog chews or licks between his toes after walks in grass then he may be acknowledging that mites are bothering him. Wash his feet and legs in soapy water and this should get rid of the mites- remember to use natural soaps and not chemicals.

Cleaning substances; when we talk about holistic care for our dogs we often overlook the general environment.

As you begin to see your dog’s health improve you may naturally want to remove chemicals from the rest of your home too. Bleach in high quantities, highly scented laundry liquid and even air fresheners are environmental allergens to the susceptible dog.

Try cutting out chemicals if your dog is itching and you may be surprised by the difference it makes.

Smoking around your dog or a damp environment can cause allergic reactions. Consider dehumidifying the home and keeping it smoke free.

Beware of over treating; vaccinations and chemical parasite treatments can attack the dog’s immune system leaving him highly susceptible to allergens. The vaccination section of the natural health and natural remedies book talks more about this.

Antibiotic treatment; antibiotics to kill infection also affect the immune and digestive system of a dog. If your pet has been treated by antibiotics then it is important to re-adjust his body with a positive, natural pro-biotic to keep him healthy.

Genetic influence; Immune system function can be partly genetic, so if your Shih Tzu has inherited immune system problems then he will need more immune support. A lowered immune system will be far more susceptible to environmental allergens and by providing complete, holistic care to your dog you will be naturally targeting for a stronger immune system.


Psychological Itching

Some dogs itch and scratch for reasons that are more psychological than they are physical. This can be really obvious to the trained eye or it can be difficult to detect the fine differences between allergy itching or anxiety itching.

Here are some examples of psychological itching and why they may be occurring;

Chewing on or limbs can be a form of alleviating boredom or unused energy. This can also be a form of arthritis pain so it is important to be completely thorough in the observation of your dog.

This particular dog will benefit from an arthritis check with the vet and if he gets the all clear more walks and interaction. You will find a lot of arthritis information in our natural remedies book as part of the holistic health package.

The dog that scratches himself during training sessions but not at any other time is probably confused or stressed, scratching is a form of displacement behavior.

If this happens in your training sessions, or even when you ask for something from your dog, then he is misunderstanding you and you need to change your training approach.

Habitual scratching, the dog learned to scratch an itchy area and even after the itching has ceased the dog still scratches the area. This can be as a result of being given attention when he scratches. Anxiety based on noise phobia such as fireworks or similar can become a habit too because by the time the noises stop the habit has been formed.

Hormone imbalances can cause sore skin. The dog that’s thyroid is not properly regulating can cause lack of balance in your dog’s hormone levels. Thyroid therapy is described in detail in the natural remedies area of the course.


When your dog is itching there is no point in treating the itch without also treating the reason for it. By offering surface treatment without changing the health and lifestyle of your dog you could be sending the disorder deeper into your dog’s body until it manifests in serious illness.

Food Allergy

As we talked so much about dog food in the ‘food as fuel’ book which is packed with dog food ingredient information. It is important that if your dog is itching and you cannot find the cause that you take some time to test his food for allergies.

The idea of allergy testing with food is to literally restrict your dog’s diet as much as you possibly can.

You need to make sure that your Shih Tzu gets all the nutrition that is needed from the smallest amount of food types possible.

By doing this you can then add in foods, carefully and gradually, then observe your dog for changes in his well-being.

A typical allergy testing diet should contain a protein source. White fish and boiled sweet potato with added fish oil and a natural digestive vitamin substitute is a good meal to begin allergy testing your dog with. It is important to ensure that the vitamin substitute is complete, containing calcium and potassium.

The fish and fish oil will support and soothe itchy skin and by choosing a natural and organic vitamin supplement you can keep your dog on this food, and this food alone for up to twelve weeks.


You can mix up the carbohydrate source by swapping rice with the potatoes during the trial and after your dog’s itching settles down add in other foods gradually then watch for itching to reoccur.

Itchy Skin Care

There are some supplements that you can give to your dog that will maintain a healthy coat and skin. The same supplements can also stop itching by restoring your dog’s skin to a natural and comfortable state of balance.

Oatmeal is a natural soother of itchy skin. By bathing your dog in oatmeal shampoo you will be helping to settle his skin. Do not use water that is too hot though for this can exacerbate itching.

Flax oil is a really great food source of omega 3 which is a

natural skin soothing agent. Fish oil too contains essential omegas that will nourish your dog’s skin from inside his body. Omega three will also work within the body of your dog to keep his eyes strong and healthy.

Bach flower remedies can help with itchiness and it’s important

to talk to a practitioner before deciding on a specific remedy, we will talk more about flower remedies soon.

Vitamin C & E work as antioxidants within the body of the itchy dog acting to keep the skin supple and soothe your pet from the inside out.

Garlic extract will help to cleanse the system but be very careful

with garlic as it has conflicting reports of being toxic to a dog. A tiny amount in a home-made meal is sufficient. Otherwise specific garlic for dogs is available from most pet stores with its own safe dosage recommendations.


For an unexpected case of severe itching antihistamines will soothe your dog but they only treat the symptoms of allergy and if your pet is taking other medications it is better to check that the two mix before giving antihistamines to your dog.

Primrose oil may also achieve an improved suppleness to

dry and tight skin. You can easily get these in oil or caplet form from pet stores or health shops and add them to your dog’s dinner.

Anxiety can be treated with ginger, arnica or Rescue

Remedy from Bach flower remedies. We talk more about anxiety in the main remedies book.

For pollen allergies a little bit of local honey can be added to

your dog’s daily food. Local honey contains tiny amounts of local pollen which will gradually build up your dog’s immunity.

Rhus Tox is a homeopathic remedy which focuses on

providing an anti-inflammatory effect which can help with sore itchy skin. This is available in health food stores and pharmacies.

Chamomile lotion is a human and an animal safe soothing

cream for itchy areas of the skin. For topical use only.

It is a good idea to use a daily skin supplement of natural oils in your dog’s food on a regular basis. Don’t wait for the symptoms to show keep your dog’s skin, digestion and immune system, healthy as a matter of habit and those nasty allergens will never be able to take hold.

Remember that obvious signs of allergy are symptoms that your dog’s immune system is not coping with internal or external environmental stressors. So once again it is vitally important to


provide your pet with the best possible nutrition and holistic care to keep his whole being healthy.

INDEX

allergy testing diet ..................... 15 antihistamines ........................... 16 Anxiety .............................5, 14, 16 apple cider vinegar ................. 7, 9 Bach flower remedies ............... 16 Biting .......................................... 4 Chamomile ............................... 17 chemicals............... 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 12 Chewing.................................... 13 chewing himself .......................... 4 Cleaning substances ................ 12 dehumidifying ........................... 12 dirt .......................................... 4, 6 displacement behavior .............. 14 dry skin ................................... 3, 5 eggs ........................................ 6, 7 feet ....................................... 5, 12 Flax ........................................... 16 flea...................................4, 6, 7, 8 Fleas ........................................... 6 Food allergies ............................. 3 Garlic .................................... 8, 16 habit .................................... 14, 17 Hair loss...................................... 4

holistic ...................................... 13 honey........................................ 17 Hormone imbalances ................ 14 Hot spots .................................... 4 immune system ....... 11, 12, 13, 17 Ledum ...................................... 10 Lyme disease ........................... 10 mites ...................................11, 12 noise phobia ............................. 14 Oatmeal .................................... 16 parasite treatments ................8, 12 Parasites ................................ 5, 6 pollen ........................................ 17 prevent infestation ...................... 8 Primrose oil............................... 16 Rhus Tox .................................. 17 Scratching .................................. 4 shampoo ........................ 3, 5, 7, 16 tea tree oil ................................... 7 thyroid....................................... 14 Ticks ........................................... 9 training...................................... 14 vaccination ............................... 13 Vitamin C & E ........................... 16


Disclaimer

This product is not legal or medical advice and should not be interpreted in that manner. You need to do your own due-diligence to determine if the content of this product is right for you. The author or affiliates of this product are not liable for any damages or losses associated with the content in this product. While every attempt has been made to verify the information shared in this publication, neither the author nor the affiliates assume any responsibility for errors, omissions or contrary interpretation of the subject matter herein. Any perceived slights to any specific person(s) or organisation(s) are purely unintentional. We have no control over the nature, content and availability of the web sites listed in this book. The inclusion of any web site links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them. The author and any affiliates of this product take no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the websites being temporarily unavailable or being removed from the Internet. The accuracy and completeness of information provided herein and opinions stated herein are not guaranteed or warranted to produce any particular results, and the advice and strategies, contained herein may not be suitable for every individual. The author shall not be liable for any loss incurred as a consequence of the use and application, directly or indirectly, of any information presented in this work. This publication is designed to provide information in regard to the subject matter covered. The information included in this book has been compiled to give an overview of the subject and detail some of the symptoms, treatments, etc. that are available for specific conditions.


It is not intended to give medical advice. For a firm diagnosis of your dog’s condition, and for a suitable treatment plan, you should consult your veterinarian or consultant. The writer of this book and the publisher are not responsible for any damages or negative consequences that may result from following any of the treatments or methods highlighted in this book. Website links are for informational purposes and should not be seen as a personal endorsement; the same applies to the products detailed in this book. The reader should also be aware that although the web links included were correct at the time of writing, they may change or become out of date.

shih tzu holistic healthshihtzuweb.com/natural-remedies/pdfs/skin itching and... · 2015-01-06 ·...

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