One VERY itchy dog (no more)

My Oscar had been suffering from SEVERE allergies for the past 2 months. The poor guy was full of bumps, scabs, rashes, chewed up paws, crusty nose - just PITIFUL.

At first I gave him Benadryl, but the results were minimal. My vet recommended Prednisone, but I refused. I'm not big on steroids, unless absolutely necessary.

Then I started reading and researching until I was blue in the face. By Monday I had purchased almost all the stuff I was going to supplement him with. When he came downstairs yesterday morning for his breakfast, my jaw dropped. There was NO way that I could see any results in only 24 hours, was there? No, my eyes didn't play tricks on me. His nose looked MUCH improved, the bumps had diminished by a good 75%, his feet were no longer a bloody mess, he was no longer shaking his head and scratching his ears like a mad man.

Then last night was the first night in I don't even know how long that I didn't wake up to him scratching himself (he sleeps next to the bed...on 7" of memory foam).

Both my dogs get a mostly RAW diet, mixed with TOTW dog food. And here are the supplements I've added. (Please, NEVER supplement your pets with anything, UNLESS you've spoken with your vet.)

Omega 3 6 9 (high doses of Omega 3)
Astragalus
Spirulina
Reishi Mushrooms

And HERE is Ocar this morning.....saying HELLO

Crikey who would have thought it would make that much difference so soon. If you don't mind I'd like to pass the info on to a friend of mine who's dog is suffering in much the same way. She's spent a fortune on vets bills with little to no improvement.

I hope Oscar continues to improve.

Poppetsmum said:

Crikey who would have thought it would make that much difference so soon. If you don't mind I'd like to pass the info on to a friend of mine who's dog is suffering in much the same way. She's spent a fortune on vets bills with little to no improvement.

I hope Oscar continues to improve.

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I was hoping it would make a difference, but I NEVER dreamt so see results THAT quickly.

Yes, by all means, pass this on, but PLEASE tell your friend to consult with her vet and let him/her know what she wants to supplement her dog with. Dosage is important here.

The other thing I noticed with Oscar is he had ZERO crud in his eyes this morning.

Here are a few more pics of the Oscar this morning.



And outside:

that is amazing!! the poor dog must have suffered so....
he's a very handsome boy.

maybe you can explain to us what the ingredients do.
I know what omega 3,6 9 & spirulina are, but what are the other two ingredients and what are they used for/benefits?

I had a old black lab named Sanford, he was the best dog ever, he suffered so from arthritis in his knee's, one was worse than the other. After numerous vet visits, and rolling out the $$$$$, I got fed up with no results. So like you, I started researching like crazy, for over a month.
I came across a product called Syn-Flex, which comes from the states. It is the highest form of Glucosamine you can find, and is humane grade, but primarily used for horses.
This dog struggled daily to get up, and stairs were a night mare.
On the third day of the Glucosamine, early in the morning, I watched him get up to greet me. He struggled a bit, then got up, tail wagging, and trotted over to me....what?????.....no way, I thought,!!!!
it was so much better, but still had a long way to go.
Not only did he improve by about 60%, I was able to walk him daily, he lost 20lbs. in one month, and then he was able to have his hip surgery....
it just goes to show you how love, determinatation, and persistence pays off, and just common sense.
sorry, I don't mean to derail your thread, but I wanted to make the point that sometimes owners must intervene and common sense prevails.

Thank you so much, Beth.

I, too, am quite familiar with Glucosamine. One of my Bernese Mountain Dogs suffered from inverted hocks and arthritis, and he took a daily dose of a combination "Glucosamine, Chondroitin + MSM", and it made a world of a difference for him.

Instead of me explaining what Astragalus and Reishi Mushrooms do, here is an informative site. Immune support supplements for dogs and cats

I am glad you have find a solution to the problem. I well know the worry and impotence of trying and trying and trying and not been able to make the poor dog comfortable. But although I use natural supplements all the time, I much rather I didn't if I can help it. I have three allergic dogs, one mild (shih-poo), one medium (golden retriever) and one VERY high (shih-Tzu). They all eat a diet of lower protein lamb and brown rice (even the treats) which is the only thing that keeps them well. I tried all other types of diets (buffalo, venison, white fish, salmon mixed with barley, sweet potatoes and white potatoes but the one that works is the lower protein (some dogs react to high protein and, usually, raw diets are high protein so you might want to look into that) lamb and brown rice.

PS I tried Omegas in my other golden retriever and it only worked for a while. I hope it works for you indefinitely but keep in mind that it might not.

The things we do for our babies......

Pajarita said:

I am glad you have find a solution to the problem. I well know the worry and impotence of trying and trying and trying and not been able to make the poor dog comfortable. But although I use natural supplements all the time, I much rather I didn't if I can help it. I have three allergic dogs, one mild (shih-poo), one medium (golden retriever) and one VERY high (shih-Tzu). They all eat a diet of lower protein lamb and brown rice (even the treats) which is the only thing that keeps them well. I tried all other types of diets (buffalo, venison, white fish, salmon mixed with barley, sweet potatoes and white potatoes but the one that works is the lower protein (some dogs react to high protein and, usually, raw diets are high protein so you might want to look into that) lamb and brown rice.

PS I tried Omegas in my other golden retriever and it only worked for a while. I hope it works for you indefinitely but keep in mind that it might not.

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High protein diets are not for all dogs. Both my dogs are WORKING dogs, in a true sense, but I still monitor their kidneys closely, and as they get older I will most likely will have to adjust their protein intake.

They both walk/run 5 miles almost every day, and in addition to that my AmBull Pit mix does agility. Oscar is a certified therapy dog.

I am not planning on keeping Oscar on the supplements year round. He ONLY has these severe allergies during the summer, and I am beyond happy I was able to avoid Prednisone.

We have a German shepherd who has extreme allergies. How much of each item do you give? Is this based on weight? Where can I purchase these items?

Merlee said:

We have a German shepherd who has extreme allergies. How much of each item do you give? Is this based on weight? Where can I purchase these items?

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I got the majority of mine from a nearby health store.

Yes, this is based on weight.

Oscar weighs 100 pounds.

He gets 3 pills of 1,200 mg of Omega 3 (divided between breakfast and dinner)
1 pill of Omega 3 6 9
2 teaspoons of Spirulina with breakfast and dinner
2 Astragalus, 500mg capsules (divided between breakfast and dinner)
2 Reishi Mushrooms, 600mg each, capsules (also divided between meals)

I don't feed him the actual capsules. I break them open and sprinkle over the food. The same with the Fish Oils, I snip a hole into the soft gels and squirt over the food.

Merlee, please consult with your vet first. Do you know what your GSD is allergic to???

ALL these items can also be found on Amazon. I ONLY give human grade supplements.

Yes, I do know what my dog is allergic to. I have had blood tests done. The allergies run from environment - trees, weeds, different food proteins and the majority of molds. Just this summer, the skin on her stomach turned black which has never happened before. I believe with all the rain we had caused it. Just after posting on this thread, I looked her over and found that she had been licking her back feet and they look like hotspots. I put on something that would soothe the itching and heal.

If you wouldn't mind. Would you list the exact brands and strengths of what you used. I think this will be easier to follow if I had everything exactly as you.

I have told the vet I prefer doing things holistically and he was fine with it. So, I am willing to try almost anything. I thought mushrooms were toxic.

Here are a few writeups on Reishi Mushrooms and the possible benefit on dogs:
The National Canine Cancer Foundation - What is Reishi?
Functional Foods For Pets: All About Mushrooms | Dr. Ihor Basko - Worldwide Holistic Veterinary Care, Acupuncture, Diet Therapy
Healthy Pet Cafe: GanoDerma (Reishi Mushroom) as Natural Pet Care

Have you ever tried THIS shampoo on your GSD? It just arrived in the mail yesterday, and I will give Oscar a bath with it today. All the other medicated "anti itch" shampoos we tried have done absolutely nothing for him.


Ok, here are the EXACT supplements I give to my Boo Boy (his nickname):

Astragalus (2 capsules/day)
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Foods-Astragalus-Capsules-500mg-Pack/dp/B001F0R7UA/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1376562266&sr=8-3&keywords=astragalus"]Amazon.com: NOW Foods Astragalus, 100 Capsules / 500mg (Pack of 4): Health & Personal Care[/ame]


Reishi Mushrooms (2 capsules/day)
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Solaray-Reishi-Mushroom-600-capsules/dp/B000QS7GQ2/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1376563132&sr=8-5&keywords=reishi+mushroom"]Amazon.com: Solaray - Reishi Mushroom, 600 mg, 100 capsules: Health & Personal Care[/ame]


Spirulina (4 tsp/day)
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/NuSci-Organic-Spirulina-Powder-Fresh/dp/B004ICVEQK/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1376563189&sr=8-16&keywords=spirulina"]Amazon.com: NuSci Organic Spirulina Powder 500g (1.1 lb) Pure Fresh: Health & Personal Care[/ame]


Omega 3 6 9 (1 softgel/day)
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Now-Foods-Soft-gels-1200Mg-180-Count/dp/B0007O1OHW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1376563236&sr=8-2&keywords=omega+3+6+9"]Amazon.com: Now Foods Super Omega 3-6-9 Soft-gels, 1200Mg, 180-Count: Health & Personal Care[/ame]


Omega 3 (3 softgels/day)
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Omega-3-500-Softgels/dp/B002J0KCR0/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1376563269&sr=8-13&keywords=omega+3"]Amazon.com: NOW Foods Omega-3, 500 Softgels: Health & Personal Care[/ame]

Oscar was really going to town on his feet, too, Merlee. You can still see some of the sore spots in the very first picture I posted.

I truly hope this will help your GSD as much as it's been helping us.

antoinette said:

If I lived nearby Wendy I would take my dog, bird or any pet to you rather than a vet, unless it was a life threatening situation.

I know of many more "incidences" where you have brought Oscar back to health and some of them were serious cases.

How does this sound ?

JeryseyWendy Veterinarian Services

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You're making me blush here.

I really do like my vet, and I know I can always call him and talk to him personally. I've sent him pictures of Oscar, too. It's VERY important to let your vet know WHAT sort of supplements you give your dog.

That is awesome. Some of my dogs have had severe allergic reactions, but that is only to vaccines, so it is rare and 'controllable' now that i know what to expect. Having something ongoing must be very difficult! He looks awesome in those photos!

Thanks a bunch. Knock on wood...he ONLY gets this during the hot weather months. He is perfectly fine in the fall, winter and spring.

Gosh, I hope I didn't just jynx myself. :52:

JerseyWendy said:

Here are a few writeups on Reishi Mushrooms and the possible benefit on dogs:
The National Canine Cancer Foundation - What is Reishi?
Functional Foods For Pets: All About Mushrooms | Dr. Ihor Basko - Worldwide Holistic Veterinary Care, Acupuncture, Diet Therapy
Healthy Pet Cafe: GanoDerma (Reishi Mushroom) as Natural Pet Care

Have you ever tried THIS shampoo on your GSD? It just arrived in the mail yesterday, and I will give Oscar a bath with it today. All the other medicated "anti itch" shampoos we tried have done absolutely nothing for him.


Ok, here are the EXACT supplements I give to my Boo Boy (his nickname):

Astragalus (2 capsules/day)
Amazon.com: NOW Foods Astragalus, 100 Capsules / 500mg (Pack of 4): Health & Personal Care


Reishi Mushrooms (2 capsules/day)
Amazon.com: Solaray - Reishi Mushroom, 600 mg, 100 capsules: Health & Personal Care


Spirulina (4 tsp/day)
Amazon.com: NuSci Organic Spirulina Powder 500g (1.1 lb) Pure Fresh: Health & Personal Care


Omega 3 6 9 (1 softgel/day)
Amazon.com: Now Foods Super Omega 3-6-9 Soft-gels, 1200Mg, 180-Count: Health & Personal Care


Omega 3 (3 softgels/day)
Amazon.com: NOW Foods Omega-3, 500 Softgels: Health & Personal Care

Oscar was really going to town on his feet, too, Merlee. You can still see some of the sore spots in the very first picture I posted.

I truly hope this will help your GSD as much as it's been helping us.

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I will look into those ingredients ASAP. I do have some shampoo by Virbac but it is called Etiderm. I wonder why we were not given the same thing?

Because they are for different things. Sebolux is for seborrhea: inflammation and scaling of the skin, dry or oily without infection. Epiderm is to inhibit thickening of the skin and infection. We used to use tar for both and either but there are more products now...

WOW!!! you are amazing!!! I will have to suggest this to my sister in law she has a dog that is suffering and the allergy medication is not help I will have her consult with her vet first. Thank you so much for sharing!!!

That's amazing! I'm so so happy he isn't miserable anymore, all that scratching must of been driving him crazy.