Comparative Study of Classical and Alternative Therapy in Dogs with Allergies

Simple Summary Acupuncture, phytotherapy, and nutrition are part of traditional Chinese medicine, which has been used for literally hundreds to a few thousand years. These traditional therapeutic methods can effectively diagnose and treat acute and chronic diseases and can be used as a primary or complementary therapy. Used properly, these alternatives are safe and without side effects. Allergy is currently a very common diagnosis affecting dogs. Conventional Western medicine can treat symptoms but often does not identify and resolve the underlying problem. This comparative study was focused on the application of alternative and conventional medicine in allergic conditions in dogs, which were divided into two groups, where the effectiveness of both types of treatment was compared. Allergy is a malfunction of the immune system that causes an inappropriate reaction to normally harmless substances known as allergens, such as food components, pollen, parasites, mites, medication, etc. It is very important to make a correct diagnosis, to identify and to eliminate the offending allergen from the body, and provide control and long-term management to achieve a comfortable life for the animal. In the case of highly intensive pruritus, drugs such as glucocorticoids, antihistamines, and Janus kinase inhibitors are generally administered. Unfortunately, common drugs are not always able to resolve the problem. This comparative clinical-outcomes study focused on the application of alternatives, where a combination of acupuncture with phytotherapy and nutrition was applied. These traditional methods do not affect the body only symptomatologically; instead, they treat the patient as a whole. In this clinical study, the therapeutic effects and partial or complete stabilization of the allergic condition of fourteen dogs divided into two groups were observed, compared, and evaluated.