Topical Allergy Treatment
Topical treatment for allergies is underused in veterinary medicine- in general it is far safer to be applying something topical vs ingesting it orally.
Here are some topicals to consider
1. Licorice Gel
Glycyrrhiza glabra L. has been used in herbal medicine for skin eruptions, including dermatitis, eczema, pruritus and cysts. ... Two percent licorice topical gel was more effective than 1% in reducing the scores for erythema, oedema and itching over two weeks (p<0.05).
You can make you own licorice topical
2 tablespoons of coconut oil 2mls of licorice tincture
Mix well in a jar, ensuring tincture is evenly mixed, apply to affected area 3 times daily for 5-7 days - you should see a response in 1-2 days if helping
2. Topical Nettle ( ie Nettle Tea)
Cooled nettle leaf tea can be used as a coat or even eye rinse for itchy skin or itchy eyes. Dogs will often eat the fresh, young plants as well. ... In the popular text Herbs for Pets, Gregory Tilford and Mary Wulff explain that nettles' effectiveness against allergies may be due to their histamine content
3. Arnica
Arnica is derived from the dried flowers of Arnica montana or other arnica species. Although oral administration can cause severe health hazards even in small amounts, preparations for external use are very safe and effective. Arnica has been used for centuries as an anti-inflammatory drug to rub into sore muscles and joints, bruises, insect bites, boils, inflamed gums, acne eruptions, and hemorrhoids. It is also an ingredient found in many seborrheic dermatitis and psoriasis preparations. It is approved by Commission E for topical treatment of skin inflammation (Blumenthal et al. 1998). When used as a compress, 1 tablespoon (tbsp; 15 mL) of tincture is mixed with 0.5 L of water; if used as an infusion, 2 g of dried arnica is mixed with 100 mL of water. Cream or ointment preparations should contain a maximum of 15% arnica oil or 20–25% tincture (Bisset and Wichtl 2001; Peirce, Fargis, and Scordato 1999).
4. Burdock Root
Burdock root has long been used to treat skin conditions like acne, psoriasis, and eczema. The anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of the root can help resolve skin issues when it's applied topically to the skin. One study from 2014 even found evidence that burdock root may help treat topical burns.
5. Chamomile
German chamomile (Matricaria recutita), a member of the daisy family, has been used for centuries, both internally and externally, for treating many conditions, especially gastrointestinal tract symptoms, oral or skin inflammation, as well as dermatitis. A tea is made by using 2–3 teaspoons (tsp; 10–15 mL) of dried flowers per cup of water and is taken internally or used as a compress. Topical preparations with cream or ointment bases are also used and researched in Germany (Bisset and Wichtl 2001). Studies have demonstrated that topical chamomile is comparable with 0.25% hydrocortisone and shows improvement in sodium lauryl sulfate–induced contact dermatitis (Brown and Dattner 1998). |