DIY Natural, Herbal Treatments for Dogs with Environmental Allergies - Honey, Mullien, Nettle, Rooibos

In this article:

Reduce and remedy your dog’s environmental allergies with DIY natural, herbal treatments:

• Local Wild Flower Honey, Mullein, Nettle, Rooibos Tea and by;
• Supporting your dog’s immune system with a good diet to enable the body’s natural ability to offset/fight allergies.

Part 1 – Healthful attributes, benefits of honey, mullein, nettle, rooibos tea in treating allergies;

Part 2 – DIY treatments for allergies using honey, mullein and nettle;

Part 3 – Boosting your dog’s immune system in tandem with the DIY allergy treatments.

Part 1 – Attributes, Benefits of Honey, Mullein and Nettle

Honey

If your dog suffers from allergies caused by pollen in the environment you can use locally produced, unpasteurized natural honey to inoculate your dog against locally occurring pollen.

• Honey contains minute amounts of pollen;
• The amount of pollen contained in honey is negligible enough that when consumed in a proper dosage will not cause an allergic reaction;
• Honey, when ingested in the proper amount acts as an antibody or vaccine, inoculating the system against pollen that cause allergies.
• When your dog ingests a small amount of the honey over a period of time your dog’s system builds up a tolerance for the pollen that arrive in allergy season.

The honey must be:

• Locally produced by bees within a 50 mile/80 km radius of where you live;
• A wild-flower blend;

Do not use:

• Processed, pasteurized, mass produced commercial honey as it does not have the health benefits of locally produced natural honey.

When to start: 

• It is best to start a regime of daily dosage at least one month prior to the start of allergy season. 
• This allows time for the development of the natural inoculation provided by the honey. 
• Honey, unlike sugar - does have health benefits for your dog, but it should always be used within a safe dosage as provided further below.

Cautions:

• Make sure that you read section 10.0 of this article - it will provide you with cautions for the use of honey.

Make sure you read this article as it provides complete information on honey, including...

• History of Honey - As a Food and Medicine
• Health Promoting Properties of Honey
• Health Benefits of Honey - Prevent, Treat, Remedy Illness
• Defining and Understanding the Different Types of Honey
• How to Select a Quality Honey
• How to Store Honey - Retaining Quality
• How to Add Honey to Your Dog’s, Cat’s Diet
• Daily Dietary Dosage for Honey
• Cautions and Interactions

Mullein

Mullein inhibits some specific body processes which cause inflammation and can sooth inflamed mucous membranes thereby helping to provide relief from respiratory discomfort associated with environmental allergies – runny nose and eyes, difficulty breathing, etc.

• Mullein is useful in reducing the symptoms of allergies due to its qualities as an:
• Anti-inflammatory;
• Demulcent (soothes inflamed skin or mucous membranes);
• Expectorant.

Cautions

• Mullein leaves - no side effects or interactions;
• If you are harvesting the mullein leaves yourself:
• Be aware that the little hairs on the leaves and stem of the plant can cause temporary stinging and irritation via dermatitis (inflammation of the skin);
• You may want to wear gloves while harvesting.
• Mullein seeds are the only part of the plant that are toxic (the seeds contain rotenone – a natural pesticide) – do not allow any of the seeds to be mixed in with the leaves you are harvesting.

Nettle (Stinging Nettle)

Nettle is nutrient dense and a great immune system booster; nettle is also a powerful anti-inflammatory.

Commonly used as a relief for pollen related allergies...

• Nettle inhibits the release of histamine.
• Nettle root increases production of T cells – which is vital to controlling allergic reactions;
• Nettle mimics the action of anti-histamine allergy medications (such as Benydryl);
• Nettle provides respiratory relief without the side effects of conventional chemical based anti-histamines;
• Skin conditions such as eczema and hives;
• Nettle is also used to relieve the inflammation of arthritis and aid digestion.

If you are harvesting your own nettle leaves:

• Make sure to pick the leaves in the spring before the plant flowers;
• After flowering the content of silica in the leaves rises, making the leaves difficult to digest. Nettle root can be harvested in the fall;
• Wear gloves when harvesting the leaves as touching the spine (stem) of the Nettle plant causes temporary stinging via dermatitis (inflammation of the skin – hence the name ‘stinging nettle’).

Nettle is an:

• Anti-inflammatory;
• Astringent;
• Diuretic;
• Nutritive (Nettle is high in calcium, chlorophyll, iron, and vitamin C which increase the body's red blood cell count).

Cautions

• Bacteria needs iron to spread;
• Nettle is high in iron:
• So do not give your dog nettle when your dog has a bacterial infection;
• Nettle may interfere with prescription medications for: diabetes, high-blood pressure and NSAIDs.

Part 2 – DIY Allergy Treatments/Remedies - Honey,
              Mullein and Nettle

Honey

You can simply add a little local wild flower honey to your dog’s food once a day or you can prepare an infusion using honey, mullein and nettle. 

 To Use the Honey Straight-Up

You can:

• Add the honey directly to your dog’s food once a day, or;
• Mix the honey with some plain yogurt or cottage cheese, etc.;
• Add the resulting mixture to your dog's food once a day.

Daily Dosage of Honey:

• ¼ tsp for every 20 pounds of body weight

Add Some Cinnamon
You can also sprinkle some cinnamon on top of the honey, or;

Add some cinnamon to the infusions listed below;

Among its many attributes, cinnamon helps to boost the immune system and is good for dental care.

Daily Dosage of Cinnamon

• ½ to 1 tsp/day

 

Use the Honey in Combination with Mullein and/or Nettle

While local wild flower honey builds-up your dog’s resistance to  pollen, mullein and/or nettle can be effectively used to reduce the symptoms of environmental allergies…

Infusion of Mullein 

You can use pure mullein tea bags or prepare an infusion using dried or fresh mullein leaves and flowers. This infusion can be made with or without honey.

To prepare the infusion using fresh or dried Mullein

• Take a handful of dried or fresh mullein leaves and flowers;
• In a pot, simmer the mullein in one quart of water;
• Cover the pot and heat the mixture for about 35 minutes;
• After 35 minutes filter the solution twice:
• First through a sieve and, then:
• Through a piece of clean cloth;
• While the infusion is still warm, (optional) add two tablespoons of the local honey;
• Allow the infusion to cool;
• Add the cooled infusion to your dog’s food once a day in accordance with the dosage provided below;
• You can mix the tea with some plain natural yogurt, cottage cheese, olive oil, etc.

To prepare the infusion using pure Mullein tea bags

• Boil water and then steep the tea in a teapot as you would normally prepare tea;
• While the tea is still warm, add two tablespoons of local honey;
• Allow the tea to cool;
• Add the cooled tea to your dog’s food once a day in accordance with the dosage provided below;
• You can mix the tea with some plain natural yogurt, cottage cheese, olive oil, etc.

Daily Dosage for Infusion/Tea

• Small dog 1/8 cup
• Medium dog 1/4 cup
• Large dog 1/2 cup

If you Prefer to Add the Infusion to your Dog’s Water Bowl;

• Simply mix 1 part of the infusion to 8 parts of water;
• Provide a fresh bowl on a daily basis.

Infusion of Nettle

This infusion can be made with or without honey.

 

To prepare the infusion using fresh or dried Nettle leaves…

• Take a handful of dried or fresh Nettle leaves;
• In a pot, simmer the nettle in one quart of water;
• Cover the pot and heat the mixture for about 35 minutes;
• After 35 minutes filter the solution twice:
• First through a sieve and, then:
• Through a piece of clean cloth;
• While the infusion is still warm, (optional) add two tablespoons of the local honey;
• Allow the infusion to cool;
• Add the cooled infusion to your dog’s food once a day in accordance with the dosage provided below;
• You can mix the tea with some plain natural yogurt, cottage cheese, olive oil, etc.

Daily Dosage for Infusion/Tea

• Small dog 1/8 cup
• Medium dog 1/4 cup
• Large dog 1/2 cup

Infusion of Nettle and Rooibos Tea

Rooibos Tea contains anti-allergy properties and can be real aid in treating allergies and related skin problems, asthma, etc. To understand more about the many benefits of Rooibos Tea here. 

• Take a handful of dried or fresh Nettle leaves;
• In a pot, simmer the mullein in one quart of water;
• Cover the pot and heat the mixture for about 35 minutes;
• After 35 mintutes, add two Rooibos Tea Bags to the heated mixture; 
• Then filter the solution twice:
• First through a sieve and, then:
• Through a piece of clean cloth;
• While the infusion is still warm, (optional) add two tablespoons of the local honey;
• Allow the infusion to cool;
• Add the cooled infusion to your dog’s food once a day in accordance with the dosage provided below;
• You can mix the tea with some plain natural yogurt, cottage cheese, olive oil, etc.

Daily Dosage for Infusion/Tea

• Small dog 1/8 cup
• Medium dog 1/4 cup
• Large dog 1/2 cup

If you Prefer to Add the Infusion to your Dog’s Water Bowl;

• Simply mix 1 part of the infusion to 8 parts of water;
• Provide a fresh bowl on a daily basis.

You can also add a few dried nettle leaves directly to your dog’s food once a day.

Part 3 – Boosting your Dog’s Immune System in Tandem
              with DIY Allergy Treatments

Your dog’s allergies will be more acute if:

• His/her immune system is compromised because of:
• Poor diet, i.e. your dog is on a diet of commercially prepared dry dog food containing grains, toxins and carcinogens such as ethoxyquin found in fish meal, etc.);
• Over inoculation;
• Chemical-based parasite preventatives such as heart worm preventatives and flea and tick preventatives, etc.
• Chemicals in household cleaners;
• Over-exposure to antibiotics – use natural, herbal, homeopathic remedies whenever possible for ear infections, diarrhea, etc.
• Toxins and carcinogens in dog toothpaste, dental chews and shampoos 

Choose wisely for your dog as he/she cannot choose for themselves!

Get your dog on a species appropriate diet and consider adding immune system boosting and allergy fighting items to your dog’s daily diet, for example:

• Turmeric;
• Garlic;
• Lemon;
• Omega-3 fatty acids;
• Probiotics;
• Fresh Whole Foods

 If you would like to add any of the above food stuffs make sure you read the articles in order to understand the benefits, preparation and correct dosages.

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