So, our pug has F.A.D. (Flea Allergy Dermatitis).  If she gets a few fleas, she goes insane scratching.  She also has another undiagnosed skin allergy that gets really stinky and turns her skin dark.  She will scratch and lick herself until she has sores.  It used to only last two months a year (give or take) but this year has been different.  She’s been bad since spring and has numerous constant sores.  Yes we take her to the vet, we get pills that kill fleas instantly, (in addition to her regular monthly Advantage doses)we have medicated shampoos, we have steroid sprays, we’ve changed her diet to a grass-fed beef and veggie diet, we’ve tried organic type dog foods, we’ve tried antihistamines and I used vinegar, oatmeal rinses, plain oatmeal watered down and oatmeal shampoos.(Now I know…VERY BAD for her condition)  So far nothing has really worked.  I no longer use the steroid spray.  I used it very sparingly (still have the bottle from last year) but once I saw that the hand I used to rub it in started getting these itchy, red, sometimes painful bumps on my fingertips and palm I decided to no longer use it.  I also use the antihistamines as little as possible in order to not let the chemical build-up in her system become to great.

Lately no one’s sleeping.  She goes through fits throughout the night first keeping me awake, and now my husband whom sleeps like a log.  I’ve started making a homemade essential oil skin spray that seems to help her hot spots for a while.  (I think she’s at her worst when she gets hot-like laying in one spot for too long) This weekend I found this article and we immediately went out and bought the provadine and found a great Herbal shampoo.  I’m also making up the apple-cider vinegar rinse suggested in the article.

Do you have a dog that’s driving you insane with skin allergies?  (Remember it’s not their fault-keep that frustration in check)  Read the article from Mercola Healthy Pets below and give the natural approach a try.  Come back and tell us how it went.  It’s not a sales pitch to buy anything.  It is honest information for an alternative way in treating your itchy pet.  We’re only on day three, too soon to tell how it’s going, but she’s been resting much more peacefully these past two days.  The nights are better, not as they should be, but better.  [OH, be sure to read through all of the pages of comments, even more information there]

Healthy cats and dogs are not itchy, smelly, flaky or constantly trying to scratch or bite at their fur. If your pet is displaying any of these tell-tale signals, it’s a major sign that something is out of balance in their system.

When all systems in your pet’s body are humming along in balance, their skin, eyes, ears, and digestive system are protected by their immune substances (IgA). In other words, your dog and cat feel good.

In a healthy animal (dog, cat, or human) normal inhabitants of the skin coexist in harmony, each doing their jobs and living their lives in a symbiotic relationship.

If an animal’s immune system is under more stress than it can manage, this symbiotic relationship can fall out of balance and skin problems — hot spots, rashes, yeast overgrowth and bacterial infections — can result.

Conventional medical intervention includes antihistamines, antibiotics, and steroids. All of these medications modify and suppress the immune system, and although sometimes required, your goal should be to help your pet’s immune system work properly, not to suppress it.

With species-appropriate nutrition, appropriate bathing and proper exercise, many animals regain their health and thrive without drugs.

Finish reading the article here.