Natural Help For Itchy Skin

It's that time of year...the heat, sun, humidity and bugs of late summer are taking their toll, and many dogs begin to get the 'itchies'.  I know my poor dogs haven't had much real grass to lounge in because it has been so dry, the grass is in a dormant state.

The book I have listed on my 'Suggested Reading' titled 'Raw & Natural Nutrition for Dogs' by Lew Olson, PhD, has a good homemade recipe to help with this.

Mix a three to one solution (i.e., 3 Tablespoons Witch Hazel to 1 Tablespoon aloe vera) of witch hazel and aloe vera gel and apply to the itchy areas as needed.  The witch hazel will temporarily stop the itchiness and kill the bacteria, the aloe vera will cool the skin and aid in healing.

Now, that said....please don't use cheap products for this. Most low cost aloe has artificial synthetic colors added. I like quality products, and organic ones.  Don't worry, these are very reasonably priced, and I'm going to tell you where you can purchase them.  Really, these should be something you always have in your pantry, they come in handy for a lot of things for pets and people.

One of my favorite websites I've ordered from for years is Mountain Rose Herbs.  They're in California, and they have top quality products...the biggest percentage are organic.  You can view their website at: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com.  You can get both of these ingredients for your 'Anti-Itch Doggie Potion' from them.  The aloe vera they carry is an 8 oz. container for $4.25 (see, very reasonable!), and the reason I really recommend their witch hazel is because it is better than commercial witch hazel,  which contains more alcohol than actual witch hazel and is only distilled once.  Mountain Rose Herbs is double distilled and contains only 14% alcohol base, with 86% witch hazel, and it's organic.  A 16 oz. bottle is just $6.25.

You can also purchase the aloe vera from the Vitamin Shoppe, I'm fortunate to have one of these stores on my side of town.  They carry Aubrey Organics Pure Aloe Vera Gel, a 4 oz. is $7.95, and you can many times find it on sale.  Their website is: www.vitaminshoppe.com.

Keep in mind when you purchase products to use externally such as these, that your skin and even that of your dog is your largest organ...whatever you put on it, it is absorbed, so you want to use products with the least amount of ingredients and the best ingredients.  This means less chance for an allergic reaction, especially for your dog.

Note: For dogs with a thick coat/undercoat, mix this up and put it in a spray bottle, and spray as close to skin as possible and massage it in.  Refrigerate unused portions for later use.  This will also add more 'cooling' to your product.

There are many easy recipes that you can make at home that are natural and will work well for your dog.  It just takes a little planning ahead to have the products on hand.