There’s nothing worse than watching your furry friend itch and scratch. What makes matters harder, is the fact that these little ones can’t speak up about how they’re feeling. Not knowing why your dog is uncomfortable or in pain can be extremely disheartening. At Pet Botanica our heart is to care for pets naturally. Below we discuss how you can try and treat itchy skin with natural remedies before resorting to medication.
Wash your dog once a week to treat skin
Has your pet recently been showing signs of dry, itchy skin. There are many reasons why dogs can develop skin rashes and irritations. According to Pet Plan, ‘A good bathing routine can help to manage a range of skin issues.’ However, it’s important to note that overbathing your pet could cause more harm than good if you’re stripping the pet fur of essential natural oils. For this reason, it is advised that when trying to treat a skin condition flare, a once-a-week wash can help keep certain skin conditions under control, including pet skin allergies caused by bacteria, fleas and allergies.
Switch to more natural pet care formulations
At Pet Botanica, our whole ethos is centred around using nature to care for nature.
We believe that our pets deserve a quality lifestyle. Like you, as pet owners ourselves, we’re unhappy that most of the ‘natural products’ on the market meet the bare minimum when it comes to offering a safe, quality, natural solution. With so many brands on our shelves having hidden chemicals, nasties or poor-quality alternatives for certain ingredients, it’s no wonder that pets can often have an adverse reaction to the many pet shampoos and conditioners out there. Having worked closely with a Formulator and Animal Naturopath to develop our formulations, we specifically selected the following ingredients for their medicinal benefits that come naturally:
Oat straw – this general and nervine tonic can calm inflamed skin. You’ll typically find this ingredient within many hypoallergenic pet shampoos. Non-toxic, calming and soothing,
this natural ingredient does wonders when applied to the skin.
Coconut oil – according to Paw Life coconut oil has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties that can work to relieve skin conditions on pets such as eczema, yeast infections and flea allergies or bites.
Chamomile – this carminative mild sedative is another calming ingredient that we use across our products that can be added to a bath soak, anti-inflammatory in nature, this ingredient quietens the redness of skin.
Always check with your veterinarian on the severity of your pet’s skin condition and whether certain treatment is required.
Be aware of pet treats
A holistic approach to pet health can’t ignore the fact that what we feed our pets matter. Commercial products packed with artificial fillers, wheat, gluten and allergens could be causing skin issues from the inside out. Fatty fish like salmon and barramundi that are rich in anti-inflammatory omega-3s are a great addition to your pet’s diet and this is why we always recommend going for a more natural blend of dog food. According to The Spruce Pets, dog food with sweet potato can also be a great nutrient-dense choice when considering the health of your pets. Switched to a more natural blend but still not seeing an improvement? Be sure to look at the ingredient list of the treats you’re feeing your dog. Switching to pure dried liver treats and natural alternatives like our Pet Botanica Lamb Puffs or Pet Botanica Australian Little Fish may help improve your dog’s wellness.
At Pet Botanica, we believe that a holistic lifestyle benefits not only humans, but our furry canines too. Finding better alternatives and simple swaps for the products that we’d usually reach for, is how we’re helping pet owners better care for their pets with a prevention first mindset. Ready to make the switch? You can view our pet-friendly product range HERE
www.petplan.co.uk/pet-information/dog/advice/bathing-a-dog-with-skin-issues/
