Allergy Update

This is a boring list and available on the web in many variations. I write it down here mainly as a quick reference for myself.

1. Wash Pup using the mildest of baby shampoos that you can get. Do it in sections, start on the back, was a
    small area and rinse. The shorter the time the skin is exposed to the shampoo, the better. Use a
    conditioner for sensitive skins. This will make the hair shaft smooth and it will be less likely to trap dust like
    a rough hair shaft would.
2.  Keep Pup calm. Nervousness aggravates the situation.
    We used half a capsule of a herbal sedative in the morning and evening.
3. Bedding.
    Replace half of the detergent with Bicarb if you want to, double rinse using vinegar in the place
   of softener, final rinse, add about 1/4 cup of salt to the water.
4. I applied a topical mite-killer just in case and the normal flea stuff. Some people cringe at this and yes, next
    time I'll try to avoid the strong chemicals and try a gentler herbal routine even though herbs can also be
    damn dangerous in itself. Most of it has not been though FDA like trials and tests.
5. We also replaced a part of the food with home cooked food which they seem to survive well although in
   this case I do not think it was the food. We always use a essential fatty acids as a food supplement so it
   was not necessary to add it, but it is important when you're not doing it already. What I did do though was
   to double up on their other vitamins (some of it containing Zink) to boost their immunity and added greens
   and fruit to their food for added vitamin C.
6. Mix strong Rooibos tea with aqueous cream. I used a big jar of Zambuck cream as a base with two drops
    of lavender essential oil, about two thirds of a cup of rooibos tea, well mixed. I have no idea if the
    Zambuck actually does anything, but a colleague said you could fix anything but a car engine with it.
7. Rinse problem areas with strong, lukewarm Rooibos two three times a day. Don't towel dry, rather take a
   comb and comb through to get the tea onto the skin if the undercoat is thick.

Noting really seemed to work until I added Rooibos to the list of possible solutions.
Seems that tannie Annetjie Tron knows a lot after all.
I'd still do all on the list prior to the Rooibos discovery since it is best the try and root out the cause of the problem.
Go Google the benefits of Rooibos if you want to know more. It seems to be wonderful and I am going to try and slip some into the drinking water once or twice a week. It contains lots of good stuff.

There are recipes out there for creams with rooibos and camomile and all sorts of additional ingredients. I'd avoid those that add grapeseed oil or garlic to the mixture since it is on the list of things not to feed dogs. Whenever any brand transgresses that list I lose interest. What I want to do is plant some lemon verbena. It grows easily and also has a very calming effect on the skin and is also a good moisturizer. First though, lots of research.

Someone also once gave me a recipe with a spoon of honey added but the Basset who needed it hates the taste of sugar. It was also impossible to find honey produced in our area. The idea is to expose the system to a mild form of the pollen in the region, almost like an inoculation. Something else to consider is the effect of sugar on  teeth.

Anyway, there it is. Lots of info and effort that is available on the web. Use common sense. And throw some info this way if you know of something that works.

 Soon we'll have a smiling Nougat again.