The Two Week Experiment

Gigi, my Lhasa Apso mix was scratching up a storm a few weeks ago. As it turns out, Lhasas which tend to be great dogs for allergy sufferers, also have allergies themselves. To truly understand what is the cause of most allergies, I did some internet research on Lhasas. Many of them are known for having dry skin. Sometimes, it's caused by food, or it could be an environmental allergy such as being allergic to grass.

Since Gigi isn't fond of grass at all, I thought it would be a good idea try extra Omega 3. Originally, I was giving her Vitamin E in the smallest dosage possible. It helped a little but not enough to stop the scratching.

Omega 3 Daily

After reading about the different things that could possibly affect Gigi's system, I decided to try these treats that I saw on Petsmart.com. They had a significant amount of fish oil and since most Lhasas dryness is caused by vitamin deficiencies, I figured I had nothing to lose.

I was hesitant to give her fish oil in pill form, because giving dogs pills can be difficult. I went to my local Petsmart and found them there. There were thirty treats in the bag, so I gave one to each dog.

Week #1

It turned out that both dogs loved the treats. The first day the itchiness was still there, but it then decreased. When Gigi woke up the second morning, she was itching much less. By day 5, any itching was minimal.

Week #2

Well, not too much changed from the first week. She was doing beautifully and her bare spots had new hair growing in. These treats have been an overwhelming success because they are tasty and I don't have to worry about the dogs not eating them. They also don't have any wheat flour which is known as a trigger for many food allergies.

After I finished the bag, I went back to the store and picked up some more today. There I found more of what I had needed. I noticed the bag was smaller and the treats were smoother and smaller. Since they've been reformulated, they may not work the same way. It will be interesting to see if Gigi's allergies are kept at bay. If not, I may try some other product.

Let's Discuss!

Do you have dogs who itch constantly? How do you treat their allergies?

Noteworthy

For all of you who have been wondering about Ike, the expressway dog, there's been a Facebook Fan Page to keep everyone updated.

Related Posts

Interview with Anthony Holloway
Vitamin E and Dogs