My two Boston Terrier’s were suffering from allergies and yeast infections.
Their symptoms were:
I went to three different vets (two conventional one holistic) who helped me get rid of their allergies and yeast.
But I was also on a mission for their fur to grow back and these are the steps that worked for me.
Please keep in mind I’m not a vet, I’m dog mom to two Boston Terriers Maggie and Orbit and I’m sharing my story so that it can help you too.
I found out that their symptoms got worse at the start of spring. My holistic vet suspected that they had an allergic reaction to flea bites.
We’re an active family and go on hikes and to the park often. One year the fleas were so bad we literally could seem them jumping around on the grass at the local park.
That year my vet put them on Simparica but since then I’ve eliminated chemicals from their system and use Wondercide to spray them down, as well as diatomaceous earth sprinkled in the yard. Once a year I treat the yard with Nemotodes and knock on wood we’ve been able to keep them free of fleas.
Protein builds protein. Dogs need to eat enough protein to replace the protein they lose during the natural turnover of skin, nails, hair and other body tissues.
Did you know that 30% of the protein your dog consumes goes towards maintaining their their skin and coat each?
Most commercial dog food is formulated at the MINIMUM level of protein that AAFCO sets.
Protein deficiency can lead to weight loss in adult dogs and poor growth in puppies, and to muscle wastage. Other signs include a depressed appetite, rough and dull hair coat, increased susceptibility to disease and, in some cases, edema (retention of fluid).
In the short term, the effects of insufficient protein are not that noticeable but in the long term, you start to see the effects of not getting enough (quality) protein.
If you’re feeding kibble, you can reduce the amount of kibble you feed by 20% each day and add in meat.
I home cook my dog’s food so the recommendations I provide are ones that you can easily follow. If you want to get into raw feeding send me a message or visit Keep the Tail Wagging to get started on your raw feeding journey.
Any meat you find at your grocery is fine and you can also look to alternative cuts of meat like heart, off cuts, cheek, gizzards, tail, brisket, etc.
Keep fat content low (4 parts lean to 1 part fat).
You can lightly cook it (no seasoning) or feed it raw.
Eggs are one of my favorite items to add to my dog’s bowl.
They are a complete source of nutrition and perfectly safe to add 2 to 3 times a week:
You can lightly scramble or serve it hardboiled
Start off with half and egg for small dogs under 20 pounds and work your way up.
If you are going to feed raw eggs, choose eggs from the farmers market over grocery store eggs.
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Your dog will benefit from a variety of proteins being added into their diet. Some proteins are harder to source (like lamb, duck or elk)
That’s where Real Dog Box comes in. I get a monthly box of treats and chews so even their treats are healthy for them.
Most commercial dog food and even home prepared fresh food will be high in Omega 6. Your dog needs Omega 3 to help lower inflammation, decrease shedding and stimulate better fur/coat health.
When feeding fish, aim for small, cold water fish as they will be higher in Omega 3 and less in mercury.
Fish I love to feed:
I always get my oily fish from the Asian market but I do like to have a can of sardines in the pantry for back up.
Dogs that have coat and skin issues can benefit from a higher percentage of fish in their diets. But sometimes you can’t feed enough fish to get the daily amount you need.
That’s where supplements come in.
I’m a fan of feeding Omega 3 in a capsule (powder) form.
Fish oil can quickly oxidize and go rancid and feeding rancid fish oil is worse than not feeding any at all.
I love the capsules from Pawsomely Healthy. I noticed less shedding and fur growth once I started my dogs on it. I saw a change after about 45 days in feeding it to them.
Also Orbit used to have a tiny bald spot on her tail which I think happened from the way she sits. The fur has started to grow back in since I started her on the Omega 3 supplements from Pawsomely Healthy.
You can use the code maggielovesorbit to get 15% off your order.
Medicinal mushrooms like Turkey Tail and Reishi supports immune function and modulates normal cel growth.
It also helps to decrease any inflammation that your dog is growing through.
I’ve been adding Doctor Harvey’s Solaris to Maggie and Orbit’s meals for the past two years and their coats are shiny and they hardly have any allergy break outs.
Since we’re talking about food … if you’re open to switching to a fresh food diet then you can do so very easily using a base mix.
A base mix takes the guess work out of balancing your dog’s meals.
I have a foundation recipe that you can read about here.
Maggie and Orbit already had a great coat but I feel like their coats got an added boost when I started to use Doctor Harvey’s Raw Vibrance.
Their meals are basically Protein (meat, organs and fish) + Raw Vibrance Base Mix + Omega 3 supplements.
One of my dogs Orbit had yeast problems when she was younger.
I learned that yeast is fungal and I needed ketoconazole in the ingredient list to kill the yeast on my dog. It also was more effective if the product had chlorohexidine in it.
Two products that helped get rid of yeast on my dog was the DUOXO calm shampoo and Antiseptic and Antifungal Spray.
If your dog is suffering from yeast you can shampoo your dog with the DUOXO shampoo once a week and treat your dog’s paws and other yeast parts every other day. Read this article to learn the exact methodology that helped me.
Now that your dog is free from fleas, yeast, and eating well you want to use only natural shampoos that don’t strip your dog’s skin.
I like TropiClean’s smooth coat as well as True Blue Shampoo. Both are made from naturally derived products.
You can bath your dog every two to three weeks and if needed a water rinse in-between.
In severe cases your derma-vet may prescribe you Melatonin to induce hair growth.
I would recommend you do this under the guidance of your vet.
Grooming your Boston Terrier will control their hair loss. You can brush them lightly once a week to get rid of loose fur and dander.
Always use a gentle brush and approach the grooming session as a time where you brush to stimulate blood circulation and inspect them for any other bumps or rashes.
I am of the age where menopause has affected my social circle. I’m still a few years away but one of the things that I learned is that estrogen cream can cause your dog to lose their fur.
A dear friend of mine with a Boston Terrier / Pugg (Bugg) started to experience hair loss to the point where almost 50% of his fur was gone and his skin turned leathery and black.
After countless tests, and visits to the derma vet they discovered that the owner was using estrogen cream for her menopause.
When she stopped it, his fur grew back within six months.
Your Boston Terrier’s fur grows in seasonal cycles. The fur grows from follicles and they cycle through every 3 to 4 weeks.
The key to getting their fur to grow back can be summarized in three areas:
If you follow these guidelines and don’t have any deep health issues causing fur loss then your Boston Terrier’s coat should come back within 3 months.
Resources:
Can Dogs Eat Eggs? Yes! In Fact Your Dog Needs Them! | Dogs Naturally
Can Dogs Eat Eggs? Are Raw Eggs Good for Dogs? | PetMD
Alopecia in Dogs and its Management
Yeast Dermatitis in Dogs – Northeast Veterinary Dermatology Specialists
Dog Food for a Healthy and Shiny Coat
Hello my name is Hannah and I dance with my dogs. A self proclaimed Boston Terrier addict, (aka breed advocate) I started this blog because there isn’t enough space to write on our Instagram.
I also want to help Boston Terriers parents to learn as much as they can about this breed so they can raise their dogs responsibly.
I spent twenty years in the resort hospitality business. At the peak of my sales & marketing career I had twenty six resorts under me. I got tired of traveling and decided to work for myself.
I now run a social media agency handling social media for succesful pet brands.
I have two dogs. Maggie is my socially awkward one; which I find highly relatable because I am completely out of place in large groups myself. And Orbit is my sensitive flower. Blow on her skin wrong (ok I might be exaggerating) and she breaks out in a rash.
You won’t read about cats here… but you will get a fairly large dosage of articles dedicated to the Boston Terrier. Read more about us.
