dog w/allergies

Question
I have a dog with severe allergies, this includes his hair, dust, fleas, and dander.  I am a breeder and take exceptional care of my pets.  He is obviously not a breeding stud.  My question, is there a homemade solution you can bathe your dog in that will help relieve his skin, stop the scratching, chewing and self mutilation.  He has been on alot of different kinds of medicine including steroids and I want a natural cure for this.  He is such sweet dog and I hate to see him going through all this.  He gets small bald spots and chews sometimes until he has raw sore spots(hot spots).  Please help me if you can.  He is a cocker spaniel and I keep him shaved real short, so that is some relief, but not enough.  Thank you, Pam

Answer
Hi Pam
My best advice is to use aveeno in his bathwater.  I would absolutely soak him in it. And if you're not already looking at his food for exacerbating his allergies you might want to check it. No BHA, BHT, corn, soy,. wheat or by products. Dogs with allergies are usually particularly sensitive to those. Also add some cod liver oil to his diet. Just a teaspoon or so twice per day will help alot , as will vit C. Tea tree oil is a great thing to rub baby down with in between baths. It's soothing, natural won't hurt him at all, and smells good. You can also try some benadryl spray on the severe spots. It'll relieve the itching and won't hurt him if he ingests a bit of it. I much prefer antihistamines like Benadryl, Chlortrimeton, Atarax, and Tavist  or their generic counterparts to steroids. Aloe vera is another wonderful on the skin treatment.All pets benefit from a basic health maintenance supplement that contains vitamins, minerals, and nutrients designed to modulate the immune system (colostrums, coenzyme Q-10, enzyme, Siberian ginseng, etc.) Other therapies are used with this basic supplement (and natural diet) to achieve additive results in controlling allergies. I am a FIRM believer in omega fish oil in controlling allergies. With diet change and the addition of supplements i have seen VERY severe cases become completely normal and off steroid use within just a few months. Consider cooking for your dog and remember that beef is very often also a culprit.
Best wishes
Cindi