Dandruff!
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| Josh,
You could try adding a little bit of oil to his food and seeing if that helps. I know others may be against that - but I've seen it help with dry skin. They also have a massage brush that you can use to massage the skin - releasing some of the natural oils - maybe that would help ??? I found that Presley had alot of dry skin - and realized that it was the result of not being rinsed off well enough at the groomers (and possibly the shampoo they had been using). Kristen |
| Are you washing him too much?
It could be the shampoo is irritating his skin or it could be a food allergy. What kind of shampoo are you using? There are human shampoos that are WAY too harsh on their skin. Dogs have different PH levels than we do and need different things. However, baby shampoos seems to work well because they are more gentle. Also shampoos with no perfume may make a difference. Most people who have dogs with dry skin try the aloe/oatmeal bath or shampoo route. You can also use Aveeno, an oatmeal/aloe bath soak which can be bought at the drugstore. Another possibility is how well you rinse your dog during a bath. Any residue will cause itchy dry skin as well. |
BritPresSyd wrote: Josh,
You could try adding a little bit of oil to his food and seeing if that helps. Yeah. I use flax oil on my babies coat which makes it shiny and smooth. Though the standard for an OES is different (coat texture), so if you wanted to show (i know you have a mixed breed), it may not be good for you. |
| If you are going to switch foods try to avoid known dog allergens corn soy and wheat, Solid Gold has hunden flocken it is lamb and rice and no additives or preservatives you will the supplement too as they don't add vitamins to the food while it is processed they feel the potency of the vitamin is compromised they have puppy food too. While switching check all doggy treats too |
| Merlin had terrible dry skin. We bathed him ourselves, it got rid of the dandruff, but then his coat was all full of static and dry. I had the groomer come over to the house last week, she suggested an oatmeal bath and conditioner. Today was his spa appointment, I just went and picked him up, his coat is so smooth and shiny and his skin looks better too. I also switched his dog food last week to one that is better for his skin. |
| What did you switch him to Kim? Dancer seems to be dry lately too, but I think in her case it is just the cold weather, since the heat is on now we all have dry skin. Mine drives me crazy. LOL
I don't actually know if this is medically sound advice, but my grandmother always used to say an egg and a tablespoon of oil in the dogs food once a week in the winter took care of things. It does seem to work. |
| I was feeding Merlin Performatrim Natural, it is 100% natural food, no preservatives for large breed. Now I have switched him to Performatrim Ultra, there is more good things and it is people quality food. He gets about 1 1/2 cups in the morning and 1 cup plus 1/2 can in the evening. The Ultra has more Omega 3's. The other thing to do is to give your dog salmon skin. I learned this from the groomer today. They even had salmon skin sticks-they were very smelly! Merlin of course will not eat anything when he isnt home so I have no idea if he would like it or not. I figured the next time I make salmon for supper I will give him some of the skin. The groomer also suggested that when I brush him to use an oatmeal coat conditioner spray. I forgot to get some tho, I was in a rush to get the uprights from school. I'll let you know how it works when I get some. |
| Didn't you say that he was having bathroom problems? Where you giving him baths then to help clean him up? If so maybe he is over washed and the skin is dry?? The weather could have alot to do with it also. |
| Don't use baby shampoos or any human shampoo on dogs, they both are too drying for dogs's skin. Why not baby shampoo? It was designed to remove cradle scalp and in many cases is more drying than adult shampoo.......this from my hairdresser (when I went to one.)
Don't use soap on dogs as it leaves a scummy ring (unless your water is soft). Most shampoos contain detergents to eliminate the hard water film, but the detergents remove oil from the dog's skin and coat. Many shampoos have oils such as lanolin added to replace the oils lost in the shampooing. Use shampoos made specifically for dogs and like mentioned earler, the pH is balanced for the dogs's coat and skin. (follow with a slightly acidic rinse such as from diluted lemon juice or vinegar to remove any shampoo residue.) Hair conditioners for dogs add shine and body to the hair and reduce static electricity. They may be somewhat acid to help remove any shampoo residue. Conditioners make the coat lie flat.........hmmm, maybe not for sheepies. Don't bathe your dogs often! Brushing is a far better way to keep them clean.....unless they've been skunked. If your dog has a greasy, stinky coat, then it could be a sign of nutritional or other health problems. |
| No, we weren't bathing him all that often. After his little incident last week, I brushed him out and all was fine. We're switching over to Nutro so by the end of next week he'll be on all Nutro...we'll see what happens. |
Sheepieboss, I think we will have to agree to disagree on the shampoo/conditioner debate. 
I used to be HUGE on the whole "due to different PH levels and needs for human and dogs --- only use this kind" .....but after going to several shows, I was blown away by the number of TOP dog owners that contribute their dog's coat to some high-end salon conditioner. I definitely can't argue what we already mentioned (ph levels), but I also can't argue the results from owners who have used it. I've always had show dog owners and vets always say johnson&johnson no tears shampoo was great for dogs b/c of how mild it was. It showed no benefit to coat shine, but completed the job of getting out the dirt (it's basically diluted down very well). Many of the same shampoos that are too harsh for our own hair according to hair stylists (pantene being the most mentioned one -- too many cleaning agents that are unneeded), are also too strong for our dogs. |
| I always give my dogs a can of sardines/pilchards twice a week including all the oil in the can. they alos get evening primrose oil which is meant to be good for the skin, it may help
Huggles B-eye |
| There are also fish oil supplements you can buy for dogs at the pet store and you can just put them in their food. I've gotten them for both cats & dogs and the dander seems to go away. This time of year too, don't forget, the heater comes on which dries out the skin pretty easily too. |
| I go to Walmart and buy the Omega 3, Vitamin E and Brewers Yeast and put them in with their food every morning. Tyler has been on this combo for nearly 8 years and the Vet said it was a good combination of supplements. They will aid in the use of some medications when they have to take them, like antibiotics. This is directly from my Vet. Tyler is now 11 1/2 years of age and other than a slight cataract and some stiffness from arthritis, he looks like a much younger pup and seems to be doing pretty well. He has never had dandruff or flaky skin issues. He did get hot spots in the late summer early fall. But since we changed to a high quality food it is now a thing of the past. Also, anytime I have tuna or canned fish of any kind, I save the oil or even water from the water packed and put it on the dogs kibble. They love it.
Oh yeah, I started this post to say that you can get less expensive supplements at Walmart or by buying human grade supplements. If you can’t find the brewers yeast try a feed store or GNC, granules or tablets. I use the tablets, I put two in their food every morning. Also good, when I have to give a med to Tyler, Kiera thinks she has to have a med too, so I give her another brewers yeast and she just eats it right down. If he gets ear drops, she thinks she has to have them too. Just like a little sister. I tell you they are just like having kids. Good luck with the flaky skin, remember it will take awhile for you to notice a difference and it may only be because we are now heating our homes. That will cause dry skin for us as well, so you can imagine what it is for them. |
| It is better to use only dog products, but sometimes for a quick clean up I give Pisco a bath with baby shampoo and it workes very well....I know for sure that you must NEVER use Head & shoulders shampoo on a dog since it has some ingredient that are poisonous to dogs!!!!...that was my vet`s advise.....so I passs it on to you guys.... |
| I didn't know that, and I am glad you mentioned it, since that's the only shampoo we have left in the house right now and I was planning on bathing the girls today... guess I'll go get somethign else.... |
I was told by a groomer that he uses Dawn regular dish liquid on his own puppers...has less chemicals than some baby shampoo...stingy on the eyes though...I've never tried it...I like a better smell  I thought he was kidding...but have heard it again  |
| I don't think I would use hat, unless the dog was skunked or something, dish soap is actually harsher than we think. And it would dry and strip the coat pretty badly I would think... |
| I have never heard of Dawn on dogs, but I know when there is oil spills they clean up the animals with Dawn.
Show cat groomers also use Dawn a few days before the show, as it takes the oil out of the coat and makes it more fluffy. I would assume that it would do fine on dogs, but don't know. 
Stormi and co. |
| Yeah, that's true... maybe it would be better for a showdog coat since it would make the coat feel harsher not softer like some shampoos? |
| never tried Dawn...but I know of a groomer that bathes the dogs with a soap that is for clothes but is not laundry detergent it`s much softer and it works better on white dogs.....not sure why......it`s like woolite but I know it`s not that one exactly...he told me his own vet told him he could use that on dogs with no problem. |
| Like Merlin's "parents", I too started on the holistic food Performatrim Ultra a couple of bags ago, and people do comment on Mickey's (Bernese Mtn./Shepherd X) shiny coat. This product has a salmon base. I hadn't observed other foods with such a base, and I already knew that salmon was a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids. Apparently too, there are inherent joint formulae contained in this premium chow. I have been supplementing his diet with "Natural Choice" Senior joint biscuits with joint formula, but believe it is one thing that I may back off its use, both because he is now getting lots of top quality joint formulation in his new meal, but also as I was told by the vet that the ol' boy (of nearly 10, this spring), could stand to lose a few. (as could his daddy btw, lol). I don't believe that I mentioned that this food was also calorie restricted. So from this point forward, 83 lb Mickey (not a Sheepdog maybe, but similar frame and certainly about the same amount of hair) gets his two daily feedings of this chow + 1 "Senior" Milk Bone (low-cal) after his initial feeding, and one "Dentastix" following his evening meal for teeth. On the subject of shampoo, I was told by the experts that you most definately need to use a "dog" shampoo that has Ph balance, and I had heard that conditioner is not necessary. Baths to be given no more than 3-4 times a year. Lots and lots of brushing to remove mattes and undercoat, and stimulate natural oils is an excellent idea (Daily recommended for the long hairs, and yes, there are brushes which are better at this than others). I had understood too, that the oatmeal shampoos are most excellent for a healthy hide, as was mentioned in other posts, and there are any number of commercial spritzers available in our pet shops to supplement the oils lacking in our animals coats if necessary, but I find an appropriate diet the first line in providing out pet with a healthy coat and life too for that matter. While typing, I am struck wondering if a humidifier in the home would be of any particular use to a dog's dry skin through the dry winters? Yes, my Mickey's no "Sheepy", but I hope you won't otherwise object to my post. Thanks. |
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