SKIN ALLERGIES – how frustrating is it to have an itchy dog!!! I remember when I had rescue terrier many many years ago who suffered from skin and other allergies, it was incredibly heartbreaking and frustrating- back then I didn’t have much knowledge about natural medicines so naturally just followed my vets advice of drugs etc. Interestingly my vet never even mentioned about the importance of nutrition and how this might affect the health of my dogs skin.
And of course I didn’t register this either. I think sometimes we seem to forget about what our dogs skin needs nutritionally to stay healthy and when skin allergies arise, nutrition becomes even more important. SO today lets look at my top 5 nutritional deficiencies that can lead to skin allergy in dogs. So stay tuned to learn more.
When we think about our dogs skin we need to remember that it is one more organ in the body and a rather large one at that. Our dogs skin provides a protective barrier and also has its own microbiome of bacteria and yeasts which cause no problems unless things get out of balance. Skin allergies or allergic dermatitis along with other skin rashes and itchiness affect a huge amount of dogs out there. While there are a number of different types of skin conditions that can be problematic, ultimately they come from your dogs immune system that is reacting to something and being overactive. Typically this is treated by steroids that help suppress the immune system along with antibiotics that are aimed at any infection associated with the itchy skin condition. Unfortunately this combination of drugs is often why your dog then ends up with not only the dermatitis or allergy skin problem but also secondary yeast infections and many of you would be familiar with this. And we also know the many other negative effects of these drugs on both the immune system and the gut health.
So lets how can be help the skin and immune system nutritionally ? let me say firstly that I think sometimes we forget that having a nutrient dense diet can help reduce overall inflammation which is underlying many of these skin conditions. Inflammation generally starts in the gut and then spreads out to other areas so focusing on gut healing will also be essential here.
But let’s jump into our first nutrient deficiency which is Vitamin D3. We know that Skin itching is often triggered by histamine, a chemical in your dogs body associated with immune responses. It causes the itch and redness you see with insect bites, rashes and skin dryness or damage. Histamine is released by the body during allergic reactions by cells known as Mast cells . Vitamin D has been shown to stabilize mast cells, reducing their tendency to release histamine and in this way, vitamin D can help control histamine levels and prevent allergic reactions. Vitamin D his also the main controller of the immune system response making sure that it responds appropriately to without overreacting. So if your dogs vitamin D levels are a bit low this may be contributing to the skin and immune imbalances.
Now while in dogs it is important not to give large doses of straight vitamin D we can focus on foods and supplements such as cod liver oil in small amounts to help boost the vitamin D levels. Remember too that Unlike humans, dogs cannot synthesise the vitamin D they get from the sun so no matter how much they sunbake, it won’t help (and of course too much sun can harm).
Some of the best foods to consider here include egg yolks, fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, organic beef, squash, shitake mushrooms, and small amounts of liver.
What if your dog has known allergies to some of these foods?? Then it might be useful to consider cod liver oil (if no known fish allergy), coconut oil or small amounts of organic better to help boost vitamin D levels, focus on foods that are safe or even consider giving a supplement. If this is the case, always work with your vet or holistic practitioner to ascertain the correct dose and time frame as too much vitamin D can lead to toxicity. I find the best way is to focus on diet and add in small amounts of oils and as mentioned.
Our second nutrient today is Zinc. Around 5% of the total zinc found in the body is located in your dogs skin. When it comes to absorbing this mineral, often your dog will only absorb around 15-40% of the zinc found within food or supplements that they consume and in certain breeds like Malamutes and Huskies, this is even less.
In the skin it is critical for wound healing and immune function so low zinc levels can make your dog more prone to skin infections like yeast or secondary staph infections. Along with this, low zinc levels can lead to a variety of other symptoms including flaking skin or skin shedding, hair loss, skin rashes especially one that has scaly skin, crusty sores and other skin lesions, red or swollen paws and general excessive itching.
Dogs that have a tendency to skin allergies can tend to be more likely to be low in available zinc and unfortunately this is worse for those dogs that have been on a kibble only or predominantly processed diet that is lacking in essential nutrients. Initially you want to focus on a natural preferably raw diet as this can help provide good levels with foods such as beef lamb, chicken, and organ meats such as liver and kidneys along with broccoli, spinach, ground pumpkin seeds and oily fish. If supplementation is required the general dose will vary but generally look at 2.5-4.5mg per kg bodyweight daily of a chelated form but always check this with your practitioner.
Number three today in our top nutritional deficiencies is Vitamin B12- as one of the B group vitamins, too little B12 can make it more likely for your dog to develop skin issues such as dermatitis, coat thinning and hair loss and general skin inflammation and irritation. A deficiency may come from poor or inappropriate diet such as an all processed food diet, or your dog may have trouble absorbing this through the gut and in some cases, there is an hereditary link in certain breeds including Schnauzers and Border collies.
How do low B12 levels lead to skin issues??
Firstly, Vitamin B12 is essential for cellular DNA synthesis, which is essential for cell replication and turnover. As a very rapidly renewing organ the skin requires adequate B12 for the production of all these new skin cells. In addition if levels are low B12 levels can impair the production of new cells, leading to a compromised skin barrier, which can manifest as dry, flaky skin and contribute to dermatitis. B12 is involved in fatty acid metabolism, which affects the production of sebum (the oil produced by sebaceous glands). Sebum helps to keep the skin moisturized and protected. And any disruption of this balance can further lead to dermatitis and inflamed skin along with a tendency to develop secondary infection. And finally B12 deficiency can affect the immune system's function, leading to an inappropriate inflammatory response. This can cause that chronic inflammation in the skin, resulting in redness, swelling, and irritation.
Foods to include here beef and beef liver and kidneys, lamb, chicken, fish like tuna and mackerel, and egg yolks. It can be worth talking to your vet if you have concerns because it may be that your dog is getting sufficient through their diet but are not absorbing it well and in this case, this needs to be addressed and in some cases supplements given and dosage will depend on each specific case.
Our fourth nutrient deficiency is Magnesium: Magnesium is one of those minerals that has just so many benefits and not only when it comes to the health of your dogs skin. If your dog is experiencing skin issues then it is possible that they may need more of this mineral and magnesium helps in a number of ways. Firstly, just like vitamin D that we mentioned earlier, Magnesium helps regulate that histamine release. Low magnesium levels can lead to increased histamine release, which is a trigger for that itchy and inflamed skin. It also plays a crucial role in maintaining balance within your dogs immune system. Low magnesium can lead to an overactive immune system, increasing the likelihood of allergic reactions, including dermatitis. And because magnesium has anti inflammatory properties, if levels are low, then this is more likely to increased inflammation anywhere in the body including the skin area. And finally magnesium helps to maintain that skin barrier so if there is not enough magnesium within your dogs body this can weaken the skin making it more prone to irritants that can then set off allergy reactions.
Foods to include here leafy greens like kale and spinach, broccoli and brussel sprouts, ground pumpkin seeds, salmon and mackerel, and organ meats. If your dog is having raw bones in their diet this can help supply magnesium too. If supplementation is required you can look for magnesium in diglycinate form at a dose of approximately 0.2mg per kg bodyweight daily or even use a transdermal form that an be rubbed into your dogs skin and will absorb this way.
And our last nutrient deficiency today I regards to allergy skin is selenium which is such a powerful antioxidant mineral but one that like magnesium, can sometimes be less than adequate inn our dogs. When it comes to skin, Selenium is a crucial component of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, which helps protect all cells from oxidative damage. Low selenium levels can impair this antioxidant defense, leading to increased oxidative stress which can cause damaged and inflamed in the skin. One of seleniums most well known roles is it ability to support our dogs immune systems. Selenium If levels are low, this can lead to an impaired immune response, making dogs more susceptible to infections and allergic reactions on the skin and in general. And like magnesium it helps to protect your dogs skin barrier so when this are inadequate levels this can make your dog more prone to skin irritations and allergy reactions as the skin becomes weaker. Selenium is also important to keep the coat healthy and strong too.
Food sources here include seafood such as tuna, sardines and salmon, ground brazil nuts (a very high source), turkey and chicken (preferably organic), organ meats, eggs and shitake mushrooms. If supplementation is needed look for selenium in an organic form known as selenomethionine and combining this with a little vitamin e also helps absorption. The dose will vary depending on your dog so be guided by your vet or practitioner.
So there you have my top 5 nutrient deficiencies that can potentially lead to skin allergy dermatitis and other skin conditions and of course you can also consider nutrients like omega 3, vitamins A and E as well as vitamin b3. With all of these nutrients if you are wanting to find out if there is a potential deficiency you can talk to your vet about blood tests or other options include hair testing. And don’t forget the importance of gut health when treating any skin allergy condition as this is an essential part of a natural treatment protocol.
Does your dog need some help with allergies?? Feel free to drop me an email at lyndall.pinchen@gmail.com to find out how I can assist you further.
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