Cammie, Allergies & What I’m Doing About It

So, Cammie has allergies.
Sadly, that doesn’t come as a huge surprise as many Dalmatians seem to struggle with allergies these days — however, she is my first dog who has suffered with them.

After listening to so many of my customers over the years, who also have dogs with allergies across many different breeds (some more than others), it gave me the opportunity — and the motivation — to research this more deeply and to truly put the advice that both myself and my team give into practice.

Cammie did have her puppy vaccinations, including Lepto, before I brought her home. I don’t have full information on whether she had any worming or flea treatments before that. I could find out, but realistically it doesn’t change where we are now — I simply have to work with the dog in front of me.  She has since had a Wormcount done via Feclab and is worm free.

The first signs I noticed were around her ears. She kept itching one ear in particular — the one with the patch on it. Coincidence or not, for my menopausal brain it at least made it easier to remember which ear needed treating!

Ideally, I wanted to manage this naturally, but I was also due to take her to the vet for a general introduction and health check. As expected, the vet prescribed ear drops. This is where my familiar internal debate began — do I continue with a natural approach, or do I follow the veterinary route?

Despite all the training, reading and research I constantly do, I chose to use the vet-prescribed treatment. After speaking with several colleagues in the natural dog world, I came to the conclusion that once chemical treatment is used, the microbiome is likely to be affected, so the real question then becomes: how do I support the body afterwards to rebalance and help prevent recurrence?

I’ll go into that in more detail shortly.

At the moment, she is still a little pink and has a scratch under her armpit which bothers her, mainly at night when she gets warm. I’ll explain how I’m addressing this as part of her ongoing support.

The First Big Focus: Her Diet

The first thing I needed to consider was her diet.

I know for certain that she cannot tolerate chicken. She has been raw fed since the day I brought her home, and being a Dalmatian she also requires a diet that is predominantly offal-free, as the breed is predisposed to urate crystals and therefore needs a low-purine menu.

That immediately ruled out the Dog Butchers Chicken & Tripe I had originally bought for her.

She is currently fed on turkey and beef, which she seems to tolerate well. I am using a mix of Southcliffe Raw and Albion Raw (Buddy’s Choice).

Supporting Her Body After Medication

I am currently supporting her with Dorwest Milk Thistle to help support her liver following medication. Alongside this, I am using Dorwest Garlic & Fenugreek to support skin health and renewal. Garlic does have mild natural antifungal and antimicrobial properties, which may offer gentle support, but it is not being relied on as a primary treatment for yeast.

From a dietary point of view, I am currently avoiding sweeter vegetables such as sweet potato and carrots — not because they directly cause yeast, but because reducing the overall sugar load can help prevent yeast from being unnecessarily “fuelled” while the body rebalances.

She also needs a little more Omega 3 in her diet. In many dog diets, the balance can tip too far towards Omega 6, which may contribute to inflammation. As traditional oily fish and salmon are higher in purines, I use Aniforte Algae Oil as a low-purine, plant-based source of Omega 3.

For her supper she is getting goats’ milk and kefir, which support the microbiome through natural probiotics and fermentation. In her main meals she has some green vegetables, which provide gentle fibre and can act as a natural prebiotic to support gut health.

This is how I have adjusted Cammie’s diet for now, but there are also other products that can support skin and coat health which I will be writing about in a separate follow-up post.

Disclaimer:
Although I continually study dog nutrition and natural health, I am not a qualified veterinary surgeon or nutritionist. The advice shared here is based on my own personal experience, ongoing education, and what I have learned through my work. Every dog is different, and if you have any concerns about your own dog’s health, please seek advice from your vet or a qualified canine professional.