Our doggies, Coconut and Kayla, frequently suffer from dry, itchy skin. They sometimes bite and scratch themselves so much that they get bald spots and abrasions.
Here are the natural substances we use to relieve the itching:
1. First we bathe the dogs with a natural oatmeal shampoo and conditioner from the pet store.
2. After shampooing, conditioning and rinsing, we add a few inches of clean warm water to the tub and throw in two cups of raw oatmeal. We pack the wet oatmeal onto their skin and leave it on for about 10 minutes. The pups wonder what it’s all about, but they tolerate it. And if they taste a little of the oatmeal, it won’t hurt them! We rinse the oatmeal off, being careful not to let any of it go down the drain. This really soothes their skin and we have happy little dogs.
3. We also give them a dropperful of virgin coconut oil by mouth. Taken internally, coconut oil from the health food store helps their skin from the inside out. They love the taste and it’s good for their teeth and breath, too!
4. As a natural topical lotion for especially itchy, dry or damaged skin, we use virgin coconut oil mixed with pure lavender essential oil. We rub this mixture right onto their “hot spots” and it provides our dogs with immediate relief. The lavender also has a calming effect.
Directions for mixing the coconut oil and lavender oil based upon the size of your dog:
Extra Small Dogs up to 10 lbs:
1 drop of Lavender oil in 4 Tbsp Coconut oil
Small Dogs up to 25 lbs:
2 drops Lavender oil in 5 Tbsp Coconut oil
Medium Dogs up to 40 lbs:
3 drops Lavender oil in 6 Tbsp Coconut oil
Large Dogs up to 70 lbs:
4 drops Lavender oil in 7 Tbsp Coconut oil
Extra Large Dogs up to 90 lbs or more:
5 drops Lavender oil in 8 Tbsp Coconut oil
NOTE: We use only high quality Lavender oil. Pure essential oils are highly concentrated, powerful in small doses (only one drop!) and economical, too. The Lavender oil is only about 11 cents per drop–a small price to pay for such amazing relief for our little dogs.
Let me know if you have any healthy pet questions! And please feel free to comment below.
Dr. Julie C. Reyes, DC, MAOM, LAc
Acupuncture / Medicinal Herbs & Oils / Chiropractic
Waters Family Chiropractic
23101 Lake Forest Drive, Suite 110
Call for an appointment or Text to send a message to Dr. Julie: 949-899-5809
Email: DrJulie@DrJulieWellness.com
