Our pets can experience health issues much like we do. The skin, which is the largest organ of the body, can create an unpleasant experience for both a pet and his/her owner when it is aggravated. Does your pet experience skin issues?
Signs of Skin Issues for Our Pets:
– constant stratching or licking – red patches or rashes
– sores, bumps, or scabs – scaly or dry skin
– dull coat – hair loss or excessive shedding
What Causes Skin Issues for Our Pets?
Skin issues are often caused by external or internal factors. Or in some cases, both.
External Factors:
– soaps – detergents – household clearners – dust
– pollen – mold – bacteria – fungi
– chemicals – insect bites – grooming products
Internal Factors:
– toxicity – food sensitivities
– emotional factors (ex. stress) – system stagnation
Natural Skin Remedies
Avoiding Environmental Sensitivities: Try the following: switching to natural cleaning products and detergents that are fragrance free. Vacuuming often to reduce dust.
Avoiding Food Sensitivities: Try an elimination diet for your pet, the most common food sensitivities for dogs are: pork, rabbit, beef, chicken, fish, lamb, egg, corn, soy, wheat, dairy, and artificial ingredients. The most common food sensitivities for cats are: beef, lamb, seafood, corn, soy, dairy, wheat, and artificial ingredients. Potential food sensitivities for horses could include: grasses, grains, and additives. By eliminating all possible culprits for a few weeks, then slowly, one by one, reintroduce each food can show you which one/s could be causing skin issues.
Managing Emotions (Stress): Stress and other emotional factors can cause a number of issues for the body, including the skin. Find out if there are specific settings or situations that cause excess stress for your pet.
Supplements: The following supplements can provide our pets with the necessary nutrients for healthy skin: vitamin D, selenium, zinc, fish oil, & probiotics.
Drink Water: Making sure that your pet is staying hydrated will encourage your pet’s body to flush out toxins.
Exercise: Exercising your pet will encourage toxins to be released through the process of sweating and breathing more heavily.
Topical Care: Applying one of the following topical remedies to affected areas of the skin could also be beneficial: coconut oil, calendula, liquid vitamin D, emu oil, or an essential oils such as frankincense, geranium, lavender, myrrh, patchouli, or rose. **DO NOT USE ESSENTIAL OILS ON CATS.
Do you have a pet that seems to be reacting to environmental or food sensitivities? PetMedella scans for close to 1000 different sensitivities. To find out what sort of stress could be contributing to your pet’s skin issues, contact us at 612-812-9121 to purchase a Hair & Saliva Analysis Wellness kit or at www.PetMedella.com.