Nettle For Allergies

[Prydenjoy]

Berri has allergies, he often has a scratch here or there but I didn't realise it was so bad until I saw a dry, red, bare patch of skin on each of his front legs around his dew claws. I had a closer look and his skin is quite red. He seems to get seasonal allergies (so do I, I feel his pain!) and I've heard that nettle tea can help with that. I have some that I got for him a while ago but haven't used much, I wasn't sure how to use it. Do I make it up into a tea and give it as drinking water? Or am I better off to add it directly to his food? How much would I add for a <4kg dog? If I add it to his water will it hurt little Mango pup?

I have some alloveen that I'm rubbing into it, is there anything else I can do to help him? He's on a good diet with plenty of fish oil etc. Would Vitamin E help his skin problems? That is one thing I don't add to his food... How about Ester C? I bought some today for Mango, perhaps it will help him?

[Kirislin]

I found this, although it's for people it gives some info you could use. Probably just offer it to him in a bowl and hope he drinks it.

http://www.ehow.com/how_2070630_treat-alle...ing-nettle.html

this link mentions cooking tender young plants and eating with butter, that might work if he doesn't drink the water.

http://www.anniesremedy.com/herb_detail107.php

Edited March 15, 2010 by Kirislin

[Crazy Daisy]

You can just make up stinging nettle tea as you normally would for yourself. Try just giving it to him to drink or if he isn't interested add it to his food.

Calendula tea is also great for allergies. You can make it up as normal and use it to bathe him where it's sore.

[sas]

A lot of dogs are allergic to Nettle and the reaction itself can be pretty bad.

If you're looking at using Nettle, do a little spot test first.

Calendula tea use as a skin spray is better.

Edited March 15, 2010 by sas

[stormie]

Agree with sas - do a spot test first with any sort of plant extract you're planning on using. It's possible your dog might be allergic to the plants, so giving them orally or applying them all over could cause a terrible reaction.

[AmandaJ]

We use Telfast 24hr on our Neuter who suffers from multiple allergies....fleas, spiders (and he still chases spiders ) etc.

[Prydenjoy]

Thanks for all of the great info, I'll try the calendula as well.

Can someone explain the spot test? Theoretically, if I apply it to some of his skin he'll have a reaction if he's going to have a reaction to drinking it? So I just make up the tea and dab a bit on his tummy?

[sas]

Thanks for all of the great info, I'll try the calendula as well.

Can someone explain the spot test? Theoretically, if I apply it to some of his skin he'll have a reaction if he's going to have a reaction to drinking it? So I just make up the tea and dab a bit on his tummy?

I don't think you'll get your dog to drink the tea.

A spot test is about applying a small amount to the skin and waiting 48 hours, if the skin reacts then you can't use it on the skin.

You can't 'spot test' a liquid taken internally and if the dog doesn't react on its' skin doesn't mean it's not going to react to it internally.

As far as I'm aware Nettle is a big no no in Dogs.

Edited March 16, 2010 by sas

[Prydenjoy]

That's what I was confused about sas, spot testing to see if you can take it internally...

He's drunk the tea before, he didn't like it much but he drank it still the same. It seemed to help but then the problem went away for a while (it seems worse when the grass is long, I'm struggling to get OH to mow it at the moment but he's incredibly stubborn and lazy!).

What if I added it to his vets all natural and let it soak overnight, then he could eat it in his food? Would eating the leaves, as opposed to drinking them in form of a tea, be bad?

[Crazy Daisy]

Nettle tea is fine for dogs as far as I'm aware. I have researched most of the teas I sell and when doing a search for nettle I found a UK company that sells it in tablet form for dogs (Denes.co.uk) So it should be fine. If your at all concerned I would maybe check with your vet.

[KitKat]

We use Telfast 24hr on our Neuter who suffers from multiple allergies....fleas, spiders (and he still chases spiders :D ) etc.

So you give a tablet a day? or..?

[poodlefan]

Jeanne:

I'm struggling to get OH to mow it at the moment but he's incredibly stubborn and lazy!).

Mow it yourself. It's not difficult. Removing the source of the allergy will be a lot more effective than treating the symptoms.

[sas]

That's what I was confused about sas, spot testing to see if you can take it internally...

He's drunk the tea before, he didn't like it much but he drank it still the same. It seemed to help but then the problem went away for a while (it seems worse when the grass is long, I'm struggling to get OH to mow it at the moment but he's incredibly stubborn and lazy!).

What if I added it to his vets all natural and let it soak overnight, then he could eat it in his food? Would eating the leaves, as opposed to drinking them in form of a tea, be bad?

Maybe you could mow the lawn?

Sorry, I can't give you advice on giving Nettle, as mentioned before as far as I'm concered it's not suitable for allergic dogs.

If your Dog is getting Vets All Natural with the Skin Supplement Powder and the Omega Oil and has been for 8 weeks and this is not working, you probably want to speak to your vet to get a referral to a Dermatologist?

Edited March 16, 2010 by sas

[sas]

Nettle tea is fine for dogs as far as I'm aware. I have researched most of the teas I sell and when doing a search for nettle I found a UK company that sells it in tablet form for dogs (Denes.co.uk) So it should be fine. If your at all concerned I would maybe check with your vet.

It's not always fine for dogs, there is a tone of information out there relevant to Nettle. Dogs allergic to plants will typically be allergic to Nettle and a nettle reaction is typically not a small one.

Vets are not typically educated in Herbal treatments so they really can't give much advice there, the individual would have to find a Holistic Vet.

Edited March 16, 2010 by sas

[Prydenjoy]

I've mowed the lawn before, I do work full time and if I need to mow the lawn I need to find a baby sitter, so isn't as "easy" as it might be otherwise. But if the weekend comes around or I finish work early one day and it hasn't been done (I get promises EVERY day "I'll do it tonight" but the words themselves are meaningless) I'll send Meika off to her nanny or something and mow the lawn myself. Actually, the dog run has been mowed, I made a deal with mum that if her OH cuts the lawn I'd look after her 3 dogs for the week, a deal which my OH isn't happy about but he's got to live with the consequenses of his lazyness!

I did a spot test yesterday with the nettle and it looks fine. I'd rather give it to him internally though, he doesn't get bathed often. For a dog with allergies would you bathe them more or less often?

I don't him on the whole VAN allergy thing, just the standard VAN that I mix up with a liver/mince mix and some EFA supplements. He's never really had that much of a problem for me to take extra measures before, just a scratch here and there. This is the first time he's actually licked any fur away and had a bare patch. Poor little buddy

[AmandaJ]

We use Telfast 24hr on our Neuter who suffers from multiple allergies....fleas, spiders (and he still chases spiders ) etc.

So you give a tablet a day? or..?

He gets a tablet a day until he's over the problem. Spider bite one table is enough but some of the allergies require him to be on it for a week or more. No real grass in our yard, and thanks to our girl no plants on the dogs side either. Not much left out there for him to be allergic to. Our vet recommended it - he uses it on his dogue de bourdex. You get some really funny looks from the pharmacist when you answer the usual "who is it for, have you used it before".

[KitKat]

Hmmm...perhaps i might look into that for my problem dog...lol