Question: I have 3 dogs and they are itching a lot and showing signs of allergies. Is their dog food causing this? They have been on it for years. I noticed it getting worse recently and we just hit the hot summer months in FLorida. Not sure if it is something they are eating or something external. Please give me your thoughts. Thanks.

Answer: Thanks for writing in. It would be extremely unusual for all 3 of your dogs to simultaneously develop allergies to a food they have been eating for years. While it is possible that a single bag of food could be spoiled, the most common sign a pet would exhibit in that situation would be digestive upset. A true allergy to a food developing in 3 dogs simultaneously would be almost unheard of!

It is much more likely that their itching is a result of an external issue and seasonal allergies are a HUGE problem right now! The big ones at this time of year are flea allergy, mange, other insect allergy (fly bite, mosquito, etc), and inhaled allergies (molds, pollens, etc). Other things to consider…have you changed the type of detergent you use to launder their beds? Other environmental changes?

You should see your veterinarian to check for things like mange. Make sure to be vigilant about flea control during these hot summer months. Check out my article Nix the Itch of Summer.

Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna J. Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.

Question: My Pomeranian dog is 1 year old and for the second time has skin allergies…smells like a “dirty wet dog all the time”. Is there anything I can use besides shots of cortizone from the vet? I’ve tried different home remedies, other people told me to use but his scratching and smell is unbearable for me and my poor dog. Please help if you can, most appreciated!

Answer: Allergies are frequent and the most common ones are flea allergy, atopy (inhaled allergies–like hayfever) and food allergy. It is important to not just treat the symptoms of allergies with steroid shots. It is best to actually determine the source of the allergy and then avoid or minimize exposure to the offending allergen.

For some types of inhaled allergies, there are even allergy shots available. Your dog is very young and we don’t want him to have a lifetime full of cortisone shots in front of him. Regardless of the type of allergy, fatty acid supplements are often very helpful–they help to decrease the inflammation within the skin and minimize the allergy signs.

Many dogs with allergies often develop a secondary bacteria or yeast skin infection (often giving a wet dog smell)..and that must be treated with appropriate medications. Ask your vet more about your dogs allergies and what the next steps should be. Check out my article on dog allergies “Allergies in Dogs“.

Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna J. Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.

I only recommend detergent-free shampoo, like Halo Herbal Shampoo, which contains natural botanical oils and extracts that nourish the skin and coat instead of stripping the skin of its essential oils.

It is important to bathe no more than once weekly to prevent excessive drying.

Pets that have skin breakouts may also benefit from Halo Herbal Healing Salve applied to the affected areas two to three times daily.

The healing salve is a great ointment that cures a world of skin hurts—I also love it for soothing dry or cracked pads.

Read more about dry skin remedies.

Question: If my wife home cooks for our dogs which she does. And she is using the halo vita-mineral mix is that enough vitamins and minerals for our pet’s?

She use’s the recipe for spots stews with chicken and turkey and lamb meat she does change the meat and she does use organ meats. I just want to know if this is really good for our pets, or should we use kibble?

Answer: Thanks for writing. Glad to hear you are making the recipes at home. You can meet all of your dogs’ needs with these recipes and there is no need to feed dry kibble.

If you are using the Vitamin Mineral Mix daily you will be supplying an adequate amount of essential nutrients. Make sure you do not add the vitamin supplement during cooking, but to the individual portion for each pet–right before feeding.

Hope that helps.
Dr. Donna J. Spector

Answers provided to pet owners by Dr. Donna Spector should be considered information and not specific advice. Answers are to be used for general information purposes only and not as a substitute for in-person evaluation or specific professional advice from your veterinarian. Communications on this site are very limited and should never be used in possible cases of emergency. Halo, Purely for Pets will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on any information or content contained in a blog or article post.

Canned food should be included as part of a healthy pet diet. Dry kibble is very low in moisture and pets are similar to people in that they rarely drink enough water every day—these things lead to constant mild dehydration for your pet.

Canned food provides vital water supplementation and is excellent for organ (including skin and kidney!) hydration and function.

Read my article, How do I transition my dog or cat to a new food? , to add canned food to your pet’s diet.