May 05, 2011
How much alfalfa should I give my 90 pound dog? He's got allergy issues and I'm hoping this will help him.
Full Question:
Hi,I just received my shipment of alfalfa and kelp powders. The dosage is for small, medium and large breeds. What is considered medium and what is considered large? I have an American Bulldog that weighs approximately 90 lbs. and want to make sure he is getting the correct amount.
He scratches a lot (to the point of making himself bleed) and breaks out in red bumps every now and then. We think he may be allergic to grass, plants, etc. (we live in Arizona). We currently give him benedryl a couple of times a day, but would like to go the more natural route, if possible. I'm excited to see if the alfalfa powder will help that.
I notice you also sell an allergy supplement, which I may also try if I do not see a difference with the alfalfa.
Thank you for any help/input.
Christine
Cindy's Answer:
I would consider your dog a large breed and would dose accordingly.
I would mention that if you had contacted me before you ordered I don't think I would have advised kelp and alfalfa for a dog with this type of issue. At least not as a first try to solve the issue. Alfalfa is known for causing some dogs to scratch, so I would not try it with a dog that is already having skin issues.
I would have asked what you feed the dog first, and tried to manage with diet. I would have also suggested Clear Allergies.
If you send me a list of what you are feeding the dog, including types of treats I may be able to offer some constructive input.
Cindy
I would mention that if you had contacted me before you ordered I don't think I would have advised kelp and alfalfa for a dog with this type of issue. At least not as a first try to solve the issue. Alfalfa is known for causing some dogs to scratch, so I would not try it with a dog that is already having skin issues.
I would have asked what you feed the dog first, and tried to manage with diet. I would have also suggested Clear Allergies.
If you send me a list of what you are feeding the dog, including types of treats I may be able to offer some constructive input.
Cindy
User Response:
Hi Cindy:Thanks for your reply. I currently feed my dog Natural Balance Fish and Sweet Potato - treats are the same, along with baby carrots. I currently add fish oil to his food in the morning and flax seed oil to his food in the afternoon.. I do this hoping to cut down on shedding as well as for joint health. As for the alfalfa, I purchased that because I was under the impression that alfalfa was good for itchy skin (my mother sells Shakley supplements and thought taking alfalfa would help).
I wish that I had further researched your website, as I would have tried the Clear Allergy.
Thank you again.
Christine
Cindy's Answer:
A few things jump out at me. The first thing is the food. I don't like the ingredient list of the food, lots of carbs and stuff the dog doesn't need. For any dog with skin issues I don't give any below ground veggies at all (like carrots and sweet potatoes) the sugar can feed yeast, which can cause skin problems. Sweet potatoes are first on the ingredient list, not a protein source. This is another red flag for me.
For an allergy type dog I would stay away from flax (actually I don't use flax on any dog, dogs do better on salmon oil) Flax oil and flaxseed are known problems for many dogs, and can cause itching. There is flax in the food and you are adding more flax...not a good combo.
I'd recommend a different method of feeding, or at least a different food with no grains and no below ground veggies. Natural Balance was also involved in some of the pet food recalls a couple years ago, so I don't give that company a lot of credit. I used to use their meat rolls for training but after that, I stopped using their products.
You can find a ton of info on our site, we have a great section on feeding dogs.
If this dog was under my care, I'd switch him to a raw diet. After working in a vet's office for close to 15 years and seeing the issues so many kibble fed dogs have I switched my dogs over back in 1994 and I've never gone back to commercially processed foods. It's not good for us and it's not good for our animals. Here is a Q&A section on raw feeding.
I hope this helps. :) good luck with your dog.
For an allergy type dog I would stay away from flax (actually I don't use flax on any dog, dogs do better on salmon oil) Flax oil and flaxseed are known problems for many dogs, and can cause itching. There is flax in the food and you are adding more flax...not a good combo.
I'd recommend a different method of feeding, or at least a different food with no grains and no below ground veggies. Natural Balance was also involved in some of the pet food recalls a couple years ago, so I don't give that company a lot of credit. I used to use their meat rolls for training but after that, I stopped using their products.
You can find a ton of info on our site, we have a great section on feeding dogs.
If this dog was under my care, I'd switch him to a raw diet. After working in a vet's office for close to 15 years and seeing the issues so many kibble fed dogs have I switched my dogs over back in 1994 and I've never gone back to commercially processed foods. It's not good for us and it's not good for our animals. Here is a Q&A section on raw feeding.
I hope this helps. :) good luck with your dog.
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