Treating atopic dermatitis

this article is worth a read for your dog ..

hemp oil

and coconut oil

could be really helpful ..

Balanced fatty acids also play a major role in reducing inflammation linked to common skin issues, including atopic dermatitis, itchy skin conditions, and granulomas.

How hemp seed oil works

Your dog has substances in its body called prostaglandins. These act a bit like hormones and circulate through the body, helping to smooth out muscle contractions, control inflammation, regulate body temperature, and handle other vital functions.

The GLA found in abundance in hemp seed is a building block for prostaglandins. Researchers now consider GLA supplementation to be an important part of hormonal health and development.

A word of caution!

Before you start adding hemp oil to your dog’s meals, there are a few things you should know first.

Hemp oil is a polyunsaturated fat, which means the oil is unstable. If you cook your dog's food, you shouldn't add hemp oil during the cooking process, as it can cause the oil to go rancid and lead to health problems for your pup.

Additionally, if your dog eats poultry, adding hemp oil might lead to an imbalance in their diet because chicken is already quite high in polyunsaturated fats and linoleic acid. According to Steve Brown, author of Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet, flaxseed oil is a better choice for chicken-based diets.

But if your dog is on a diet rich in beef or other ruminants, hemp oil is a brilliant way to balance their meals, alongside their usual fish.

How much to give

So, we’ve established that giving your dog hemp oil whenever you feed them red meat is a great health boost. But how much should you give?

Steve Brown recommends adding one teaspoon for every 2 to 2.7 lbs (roughly 1 to 1.25 kg) of food.

Cannabis sativa actually means "useful hemp" in Latin. Try adding some to your dog’s diet and find out why this ancient superfood is making such a massive comeback!

Dana Scott

Hemp seeds are also rich in an essential Omega-6 fatty acid called gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). This is important because there are some really good reasons to boost the GLA in your dog’s diet:

1. It helps fight cancer

According to experts at leading cancer charities, there is evidence that people with cancer, diabetes and skin allergies don't produce enough GLA... and these issues are incredibly common in dogs too. Although GLA is considered an essential fatty acid (meaning most dogs can make enough of it most of the time), there are plenty of circumstances — such as strenuous exercise or stress — where dogs can't produce enough GLA, and supplements can become important.

Finally, as GLA is perfectly balanced with Omega-3 fatty acids, hemp seed oil will help reduce inflammation in your dog and boost their immune system.

2. It reduces joint pain

Researchers in the Journal of Arthritis and Rheumatology found that the GLA in hemp seeds reduced arthritis symptoms by 25% compared to 4% for the placebo. Again, this is because the perfect balance of fatty acids helps to naturally reduce inflammation.

Is your dog struggling with joint pain? These herbs can help

3. It improves skin and coat

Hemp seed has been used in cosmetics and soaps for a long time because the oil can penetrate the inner layers of the skin and encourage healthy cell growth.

Is your dog missing out on a superfood? You might be thinking: "Hemp is a variety of cannabis, I'm not giving that to my dog!" If so, it would be a real shame, as hemp has so many health benefits that almost every dog could do with!

Why I think you should be giving your dog hemp

Hemp is one of our oldest and most versatile plants, dating back as far as the 28th century BC. Nowadays, hemp is used in food and even textiles, but what we’re most interested in are hemp seeds and the oil they produce.

Unlike fish oil, hemp oil contains the perfect ratio of Omega-6 (linoleic acid) and Omega-3 (alpha-linolenic acid) fatty acids. These are essential fatty acids, which means your dog can't produce them naturally and has to get them through their diet. A good balance of these omega oils is vital for your dog’s health because they work in synergy within the body.

Apoquel to settle things down, yes, but only if the vet hasn't found the root cause or causes of the dermatitis or intolerance. It only "masks" it really...

Dogs Naturally gave me some good info

https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/?s=apoquel

Just a word of caution, I’m not advising you to stop the Apoquel, but rather to see if there might be a cause for the atopic dermatitis or skin issues in their diet...

https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/?s=atopic

https://www.vismedicatrixnaturae.fr/pathologies/la-dermatite-a-levures-malassezia-pachydermatis/

We had an appointment booked with a vet dermatologist, but I cancelled it the day before (he was a puppy at the time) because our vet had prescribed Bravecto three days prior—and coincidentally, the allergy had cleared up.

At the same time, I had started an elimination diet, cutting out things like chicken and banana.

If you are feeding dry food or kibble, you need to check the carb and starch content, as it varies depending on the brand.

With home-cooked meals (if you use rice, pasta, or semolina), you’ve got starch, carbs, and gluten.

BARF (there are some, but much less).

Prey Model (you can avoid carbs entirely).

For care: I use organic coconut oil applied to his itchy spots, and I also add a little bit to his food.

When his allergy was really bad, I would put a drop of tea tree essential oil mixed with organic food-grade coconut oil on his skin (always keep essential oils well away from the eyes and genitals).

It works well between the pads of his paws.

When he was a puppy, I did a patch test by mixing a drop of tea tree oil with some olive oil and leaving it for 24 hours to check for a reaction.

Hi Marilou 41

Is it red inside the ear? With black or brown deposits? Does it look a bit greasy?

And is the itching focused on her paws, or underneath between the toes and around the nail beds?

What food is she on?

I managed to ease the scratching with mine by significantly cutting down on carbs. When she was a puppy, she had bad allergies when she first came to us—she was on Royal Canin dry food and had diarrhoea and vomiting.

I switched her over to raw (a deliberate choice, she’s my third dog on BARF).

I also had a Lab before her, my first one had allergies too (she was on kibble at the time and did better on a home-cooked diet, but after a few years that triggered pancreatitis, which is why I moved to raw/BARF, which was the best diet for her).

Let me try to explain: in some types of food, there are carbs and starch.

I really believe—in fact, I’m certain—that this is the issue (or one of the main triggers).

Ear infections, scratching at the ears, scratching the skin until it bleeds, intense chewing, not being able to sleep at night...

That’s why I’m asking what her food is?

So, my dog is on BARF (meat, fish, veg, fruit, oils, meaty bones, offal). She still has the occasional flare-up (though less severe than when she was a pup, she’s 21 months old now).

Every time she starts chewing a paw, it’s red inside her pads.

At first, it seemed to be triggered by organic apple cider vinegar and banana in her meals; I only recently made the connection.

I looked into yeast issues (genetic atopic dermatitis) and tried cutting those two things out, and the itching eased off.

Every time sugar (above a certain level) ends up in her bowl, she starts scratching again and "gnawing" at her paw; it’s whenever there are carbs or sugar.

She’s had rice a few times (leftovers from our plates) and it was the same, a bit of itching.

I’ve been tracking it by noting down ingredients (I even tested it with a bit of pasta) just to see... and sure enough, a reaction.

As soon as she has sugar or starch, she gets itchy (she's already had 2 ear infections in 21 months).

Hi Marilou41,

Could you let us know how things are going with your little dog?

What are you feeding him? What treatment is he on? How severe are his reactions, and which areas are most affected?

I also have a Labrador who is almost certainly atopic (yeast dermatitis), and we're currently using natural remedies (including an elimination diet).

Best regards,