« Articles

Some Useful Home Remedies for Dogs Dry Itchy Skin and Other Skin Ailments

By Tess Thompson

Dog skin problems seldom give rise to emergency situations. If you are regular in your pet care and look for changes in the skin and coat for dog or cat dandruff, canine or feline acne, and skin lumps and lesions, there is every reason to believe that you will have enough time at hand to consult your veterinarian about it.

The skin and coat of a pet is the best indicator of any underlying condition that may be brewing inside your dog’s body. Given that your dog cannot communicate minor discomforts to you, the skin proves to be the best indicator and early warning for problems to come.

It has been observed that itchy skin, paw chewing, constant licking and allergies in dogs have become more common than ever before. Diets, digestive enzymes, dietary supplements and essential fatty acids are used for long term treatment of itchy skin in dogs. There are also some home remedies that you can effectively use for short term treatment:

• For hot spots, prepare a mixture by dissolving two aspirin tablets in one tablespoon of rubbing alcohol. Take another cup of warm water and dip a tea bag in it. Mix the two and let it cool. Shave the hair around the hot spot, and apply the mixture with a cotton ball and use as often as required. You can follow it up with a cortisone spray or cream that is available over the counter.

• Allergies are the most common cause of itching in dogs. Allergies may be caused by contact with an allergen causing multiple crusty lesions that are extremely itchy. Give your dog a cool bath for ten minutes to relieve itching. You may add colloidal oatmeal in the bath.

• For itchy feet, mix Epsom salts in cool water. Dip the dog’s feet in the water for 5-10 minutes, ensuring that he does not drink it.

• Ear mites in dogs often cause excessive scratching in areas around the ears. Soak a cotton ball in mineral oil and gently swab the ear canal. This will remove the ear mites but only temporarily.

• For insect bites, use water mixed with baking soda to relieve the itch.

• Flea collars are not advisable for use over a long period. If your dog tends to catch fleas often, a diet that includes yeast and garlic is an effective way of keeping fleas at bay.

An itchy skin often leads to canine and feline hair loss if the itch is not attended to in time. In addition, itchy skin is almost always a precursor of an underlying or hidden medical condition. Home remedies can, at their best, provide only temporary relief. They can provide comfort to the dog for some time and give you some adequate time to arrange for expert consultation.

References:
http://www.home-remedies-for-you.com/articles/151/medicines-and-remedies/home-remedies-for-pets.html 
http://kitchen.robbiehaf.com/PetHomeRemedies.html