Most pet parents believe that their pets are itching due to food allergies. Unfortunately, food allergy tests typically pick up everything a pet eats at the time of the test and results in many positive negatives. This is why we do not recommend relying on such tests to reduce itching.  If you do decide to perform an allergy test, we do not recommend doing such whilst feeding dry food since almost all dogs react negatively to the processed ingredients and additives found in such food. 

Results of allergy tests tend to sentence a pets life to a very select and limited diet which is not recommended. Rabbit, turkey, duck and lamb are some of the least reactive raw food for pets.

What steps should you take?

1. Ease the itch: We know how devastating it is to see your pet uneasy. It may take some time for your pet's itching to stop and to arrive to the culprit of such problem. If your pet has affected areas of redness and irritation help alleviate the irritation by dabbing the area with properly extracted aloe vera gel, witch hazel, raw organic coconut oil and Insect plus Itch Relief 50ml. If the area has no open wounds you can also spray our flea spray which contains all organic ingredients and essential oils. Also bathe regularly with clean water and natural shampoo and pat dry to prevent a build up of allergens in the coat. A teaspoon or two of coconut or jojoba oil can be added to the final rinse to help provide a surface barrier to protect the skin underneath.

2. Rule out any parasites (fleas, mites) and microbial infections (bacteria, yeasts)

3. Remove the kibble: Kibble dry food diets have denatured proteins which have been cooked at high temperatures  leading to live enzymes being destroyed. Ultra processed protein is not the same as fresh animal protein. Furthermore, sweet and starchy vegetables, fruits, grains (including wheat, oats, corn, barley, rice etc), carbohydrate additives added to most commercial pet foods, and similar ingredients, fuel yeast overgrowths in the gut, on the skin and elsewhere. As long as these continue to be fed, the more likely it is that the diet is part of the problem and not part of the solution. Many pets which switch to a real raw diet experience a great reduction in allergies since almost all dogs react negatively to the high level of carbs and sugars, synthetic additives, flavourings and preservatives. At this stage we recommend adding  Algae oil to aid the body's natural anti-inflammatory pathways.

4. Go natural with cleaning products & fresheners: Be it your floor detergent, laundry detergent or air fresher, going natural is important to support a clean environment for your pet. Common household cleaning products often contain chemicals like ammonia and formaldehyde which are toxic to our pets and in turn can negatively impact our pets. Shifting to natural freshers and cleaning products can make all the difference, not only for them but also us!

5. Remove the chemical flea treatments: this includes chemical collars, drops and tablets. These treatments adversely impact our pets due to the harsh chemicals in such product which are targeted to kill insects (refer to  FDA warnings published and endless potential side effect found on the packages/ leaflets of these products). It is no surprise that exposing our pets to such treatments can significantly impact their skin and allergies (apart from numerous other organs). We recommend shifting to all natural products which though effective pose no health issues or side effects on your pets.

6. Try an elimination diet: the only way to confirm if an itchy skin is caused or made worse by food allergens is by means of an elimination diet. This can only be done through a raw or home made diet as kibble contains too many ingredients for such to be properly conducted.  Pick one protein (we recommend choosing from rabbit, duck, lamb and turkey), and feed this for approximately 3 weeks. Monitor the amount of itching. After 3 weeks, try a different protein for another 3 weeks and again monitor the amount of itching. This needs to be repeated until either a meat is found which results in a marked reduction in skin signs or it becomes clear that changes of diet is having little effect. Make sure to remove any treats, snacks or human foods out of the diet during elimination diet period as any small exposure to an "allergic protein" can deviate the results. During an elimination diet, we also recommend avoiding grains, starchy and sweet vegetables, fruits and milk.

7. Test for environmental atopy: If all else fails, test if your pet has allergies to the environment trough theses steps. If confirmed, start on PEA. Adding immune supporting supplements to the diet at this stage such as Immunity (to help the body's natural defences combat yeast and bacterial infections), Vitality to reduce free-radical induced inflammation and provide a rich supply of micronutrients which support tissue regeneration and repair, and  Digestion (to support a healthy gut microbiome, which is important for preventing yeast overgrowths in the bowels, on the skin and elsewhere) can help calm the skin further. At this stage we also recommend to continue giving  Algae oil (one capsule per 25 - 30kg squeezed onto food daily) and Insect plus Itch Relief 50ml.