Several complementary therapies used simultaneously can maximize the chance of a successful outcome and decrease the need for harsher conventional treatments.

Frequent bathing and using the right shampoo and conditioner may be the most important part of the treatment of your itchy dog.

If your pet is in the initial stages or the allergies are not severe, then we suggest a holistic approach initially before consulting a vet.

TOPICAL TREATMENTS

Avoiding allergens and maintaining a clean allergen free living environment is extremely important when caring for the allergic pet.

While you can’t protect your dog from every allergen in the environment, remove as many allergens your pet has contact with as quickly as possible.

Frequent bathing and conditioning is considered the most important part of the treatment of the allergic dog. Dogs absorb most allergens through their skin. By removing these allergens, you decrease the exposure to the allergens that may be creating the allergic reaction.

By reducing the itch, the dog scratches less. Even pets on high doses of corticosteroids need frequent bathing and conditioning to reduce itching.

A medicated shampoo is best. Here are some hypoallergenic dog shampoos that we recommend as well as mild medicated dog shampoos that are worth considering.

Bathing Frequency
Shampoo and condition your dog every other day or 2 or 3 times a week if your dog is suffering from allergies. Once the scratching subsides, decrease the bathing and conditioning to once a week.

For a severely allergic dog, consider daily bathing until he is comfortable, then weaning to 1 to 2 times per week to maintain a “comfortably itchy”.

It is an outdated notion that bathing too often is bad for dogs and dries out their skin. While frequent bathing with harsh shampoos can dry out and irritate skin, gentle shampoos and conditioners rarely lead to dry, itchy skin. Many natural shampoos have pure natural ingredients that are healthy for the dog's skin and coat.

In fact, most allergic dogs improve considerably with frequent use of a hypoallergenic shampoo and conditioner.

List of hypoallergenic dog shampoos

Use Hypoallergenic  Shampoos and Conditioners
Many commercial shampoos and conditioners can irritate a pet’s skin. Hypoallergenic shampoos remove allergens from your dog’s skin and coat, condition and rehydrate the skin, reduce flakiness and decrease itching.

Hypoallergenic shampoos and conditioner should be easy to use, rinse off easily, contain ingredients to reduce itchiness such as colloidal oatmeal, aloe vera, jojoba etc which are well known for improving the condition of the skin and reduce inflammation.

Medicated Shampoos and Conditioners
Vets usually tend to recommend medicated shampoos for your dog. For an allergic pet that does not respond to the mild hypoallergenic shampoos, a medicated shampoo and leave in conditioner can be alternative to decrease itching.

Medicated shampoos contain topical anesthetics, antihistamines, or corticosteroids. Using a topical product that contains these is preferable to administering them orally or by injection. Any approach that decreases the need for ongoing oral or injected steroidal drugs should be your first preference.