Loki says: Please help with my itchy skin!!!

[jill]

Please help with any suggestions that you may have for Loki's dry skin!!!
She itches and itches, looks kinda like ezxema(sp)...
Have tried selsun blue baths, have tried tar based shampoo, nothing is new in the food. Have tried Zyrtec at the suggestion of my vet...trying to avoid Prednisone..she gets so hyper on it. Thanks in advance for any help you may suggest. Oh yeah..seems like Gold Bond Powder does help some at night....

 

[2ndchance]

Do you give omega fatty acids like fish oil gel tabs or other types of fatty acids. If not I would try that as it strengthens the skin and coat but it will be about two weeks before you see a difference if given daily. I usually get my fish oil from puritans pride as they are always running specials.
derm caps are good but more expensive http://www.petplace.com/drug-library/fatty-acids-omega-derm-caps/page1.aspx
3 6 9 is the best but you can go with regular fish oil
puritans pride http://www.puritan.com/fish-oils-056/maximum-strength-triple-omega-3-6-9-010157
flaxseed oil is also good

 

[Lori]

I would definately do the fish oil too. From reading on here, salmon oil seems to be the best. Do a search on NN and you can find a lot of info. What helped my boy a lot was Prozyme. It's a digestive enzyme powder that's tasteless and you sprinkle it on their food. Worked wonders for Chance.

 

[Leonard and his bud Snuffles]

Could it be food allergy related?

 

[heather pluciennik]

A lot of pups have been itching lately! Some say its just because of the furnaces running but I think it more? Just funny how all mt friends dogs and mine have been itching for no known reason?

 

[R Taft]

I was thinking allergies too.........Annabelle did not start her wheat allergy until she was about 12 month old. She was shocking and still has the occasional flare-up due to mishaps. Annabelle is also severely allergic to any preservatives. It has made it very difficult.

We have also just been in touch with someone who has suggested coconut oil to help her

It has made a difference to all their coats
Virgin Cold Pressed Coconut Oil


www.coconutresearchcenter.org/ar5cle10612.htm
www.cocotherapy.com/products_coconutoil.htm

 

[marylouz]

Couple of thoughts- with late fall coat blow and new coat coming in many dogs are itchy this time of year- adding fatty acids to the diet helps but this takes a couple of weeks. Bathing can dry the skin even more so you want to wash with a very mild shampoo with a moisturizer- leave the shampoo on for AT LEAST 20 minutes other wise is doesn't have a chance to penetrate the hair shafts and skin and do any good. If she has any skin eruptions/redness you may need to get a skin culture- she could have a diffuse staph or other infection- these require a longer than normal course of antibiotics- often 6-8 weeks because systemic meds take a long time to reach the skin. You may also be seeing a yeast overgrowth from initial dry skin/itching - unfortunately once you have itching from dry skin the trauma to the skin can introduce bacteria and yeast and you need to treat those before they will go away.

 

[Clifford the big dog]

Please help with any suggestions that you may have for Loki's dry skin!!!
She itches and itches, looks kinda like ezxema(sp)...
Have tried selsun blue baths, have tried tar based shampoo, nothing is new in the food. Have tried Zyrtec at the suggestion of my vet...trying to avoid Prednisone..she gets so hyper on it. Thanks in advance for any help you may suggest. Oh yeah..seems like Gold Bond Powder does help some at night....

Benadryl helps my dogs when they are especially itchy. I know Clifford gets more itchy when I don't get the shampoo rinsed out completely when I bath him. Too much bathing also can dry out his skin. Salmon oil added to his food and switching him to grain free food helped a lot.

 

[R Taft]

I agree....benadryl is a great stop-gap when you are trying to find the source...we use it all the time

 

[new_2_newf]

cold-pressed sockeye salmon oil. Sulley had REALLY dry skin, and that has helped so, so much. I go with the liquid right on his food, but you can get it in caps as well. that's what we travel with. He's a dork and likes the taste of the oil, so his grandma cut's the caps open for him and mixes it in his food....also an option if you need a different way to administer the caps.

 

[chumleysma]

Not sure if this helps. Just throwing it out there. I would love to hear if anyone tried this?
http://www.newf.net/Forums/showthread.php?t=99690&highlight=allergy+test+kit

 

[NewfieMama]

Benadryl helps Cooper but makes Zu snippy so give with caution the first time!

Has the vet checked for staph or any other bacteria that might be causing it?

 

[Jeannie]

Have you had your heat on? Do you have a humidifier? Dogs get dry skin in the winter just like we do. We put on lotion but the dogs need moisture in the air, a humdifier plus some sort of oil in their food. You can get fish oil or even olive oil.