dog's dry skin... treatment?

medic112

Hi, all

quick question our Barney Butterball is a 10yr old choc lab. He had developed a good bit of dry skin along his back it was really bad sores & scratchy i cleaned it every day with hibyscrub medicated wash which clearedit up nicely, but now he has only dry flakey skin. I'm finding it hard to treat.

Any suggestions etc, very much appreciated.

janmaree

I use coconut oil on our dog's dry skin patches, she's 13 now and has a few skin problems. The coconut oil seems to work very well and even if she licks it off, it's still doing her good!!! I think it's worth a try, Dunnes carry it with their cooking oils, it's very pure and doesn't break the bank. Good luck!

Cherry Blossom

Have you taken the dog to the vet to rule out medical causes - mites/mange/allergies etc?

You have treated the symptoms but not the cause, you need to find out what the cause is before it can be treated properly.

Also, what are you feeding the dog?

Kash

Our youngest had very dry skin a year back, but we managed to clear it up between using Sebocalm shampoo ( and not washing her too often). And olive oil for the worst patches (much to her delight)

I'm sure the previous posters suggestion of coconut oil would be just as good too.

tk123

He could have an allergy - what do you feed him?

lorebringer

A vet check over may be in order to rule out anything like an infection, allergy etc. If all comes back clear and it's just a case of irritated skin, using an emolient cream will clear it up (the only real issue is keeping the dog away from the patch while the cream soaks in - don't want a sick stomach on top of sore skin!) - something like E45 or Silcocks Base will work well, or oils (as already pointed out) or vitamin E tablets. Other things you can do is increase brushing, which stimulates blood flow to the skin and removes dead skin and hair, and look at what you are feeding the dog. As dogs get older, just like humans, their nutritional needs can change and it may be a good idea to either change food or add something (like fish oils) to the food to help with the skin.

medic112

thank you all, for the replies

was at the vet twice for checks & bloods, All was clear. The vet was unsure of the cause?
we were given a yellow capsule for him to take 2-3 times a day but after hiding them in food & busting them over food stuff they would always turn up untouched. We did change his food to a senior mix (+ boiled chicken pieces) back in feb with no problem. Barney also gets a brush 3 times a week & a wipe down with doggy wipes (woof!) nice.

we will certinly try the oils etc mentioned & let ya's all know.

woof,woof.

andreac

what brand are you feeding?

SillyMangoX

I find hibiscrub really dries out my skin, any chance that may be the cause? Canyou get a doggy moisturiser?

medic112

hi, sorry. have barney on 'Beta senior'.

Did try him with sudocrem, but was messy & didnt make any difference. I stopped using the hibyscrub once it had cleared up. but now is just real flakey.

Am gonna try the coconut oil tomorrow.
(this will really push the missus over the edge! rubbing coco-oil into that bloody dog! ):D:Dhehe.

see spoils him when i'm not there tho.

Cherry Blossom

medic112 wrote: »

hi, sorry. have barney on 'Beta senior'.

To be honest that contains a whole host ingredients that could be contributing to the problem, you'd be best to avoid anything that gives unnamed cereals or derivatives as ingredients. If you can give us an idea of your budget for dog food, someone could probably recommend a much better alternative.

ABajaninCork

Don't forget to warm the oil slightly before you apply it!

muckety

Interesting thread as we have a similar issue with our dog (springer). Vet has ruled out mange/mites and bloods didn't give us anything conclusive.
She has always had a slightly flakey skin but now it is quite raw looking, vet reckons its a combination of allergies.
We are using the recommended prescription dogfood - just started so not enough time for results yet, we'll give it a couple of months. But is very expensive! So I' m interested in hearing about others' experiences, and what worked...

medic112

Not really sure of a budget, suppose approx €50 per mth? But would try any food once it was right for the old boy.

Kash

Mine are thriving on Burns chicken and rice - it seems like a really good food, and as the youngest does have sensitive skin prone to dryness, it was something I was looking out for!

It's possible to get it from zoo plus for about 40~50 euro for 15kg. Of course, you need to find a food that suits your dog.

Cherry Blossom

medic112 wrote: »

Not really sure of a budget, suppose approx €50 per mth? But would try any food once it was right for the old boy.

Tbh, you can probably afford most of the top end foods for €50 a month. Avoid unnamed cereals, wheat, maize and additives.

Some of the best brands are Arden Grange, Barking Heads, Burns, James Wellbeloved, Fish for Dogs.

If you order two large bags at once on a lot of on-line sites you generally get additional discount, the higher quality the food the less you need of it. A lot of senior foods are reduced fat so may have less oil content so senior may not be what you want really. Fish based foods are generally great for skin/coat problems (but sometimes a bit more expensive)

Sigma Force

I swear by Seven Seas dog vitapet coat conditioner (most pet shops and vets sell it), I know you can feed fish oils and rub oils on but this stuff works just as well and you just pour a little over his food. Rubbing some olive oil on his skin could help as well, even if you change his diet some dogs just have dry skin. Maybe ensuring he's getting enough water as well maybe soaking his dry food a little.

The seven seas stuff takes the hassle out of rubbing stuff and squeezing stuff out of capsules etc. and they like the taste too. Takes a week or two to start seeing a difference.

I fed Burns for years and my collie still had dry skin so the coat conditioner helped but I also found Burns tends to effect their anal glands (yuk) they always were in need of emptying anytime they went to the groomer. They're on a cheaper brand of food now (due to wage cuts) and are doing just as fine on it. With the occasional tin of fish and other treats.

Cú Giobach

One of my dogs had a similar problem and it too was difficult to treat. After a few visits to the vet and changes in diet all to no effect a neighbour gave me an Aloe Vera plant and told me to just cut a leaf and rub the innards on the affected area, the problem was gone within a week.
I understand it might not have been the Aloe Vera but it won't do any harm and it's quite easy to get your hands on a plant so maybe worth a try.
Good luck.

Kash

Cú Giobach wrote: »

One of my dogs had a similar problem and it too was difficult to treat. After a few visits to the vet and changes in diet all to no effect a neighbour gave me an Aloe Vera plant and told me to just cut a leaf and rub the innards on the affected area, the problem was gone within a week.
I understand it might not have been the Aloe Vera but it won't do any harm and it's quite easy to get your hands on a plant so maybe worth a try.
Good luck.

Do be careful with Aloe Vera, it is poisonous to dogs and cats if ingested. You can still use it as a topical gel, but keep a close eye on your pooch!

getz

medic112 wrote: »

Hi, all

quick question our Barney Butterball is a 10yr old choc lab. He had developed a good bit of dry skin along his back it was really bad sores & scratchy i cleaned it every day with hibyscrub medicated wash which clearedit up nicely, but now he has only dry flakey skin. I'm finding it hard to treat.

Any suggestions etc, very much appreciated.

i had that problem a few years ago with a staffy i had,i found the answer with a shampoo called canac tea tree shampoo,it helps sooth and moisturise dry flaky skin,tea tree oil is renowned for its natural antisepic properties.suitable for all breeds the unique non-irritant formulation deeply penetrates,moisturises and soothes skin irritated by dryness and fleas, as well as strengthening fur from root to tip,leaving your dogs coat healthy glossy and smelling fresh, and its non-irritant.

Cú Giobach

Kash wrote: »

Do be careful with Aloe Vera, it is poisonous to dogs and cats if ingested. You can still use it as a topical gel, but keep a close eye on your pooch!

Indeed if ingested in large amounts, and the poisonous part is the latex not the pure gel, the majority of vets will also recommend it as a topical treatment.

Just so no-one gets worried: Licking pure Aloe Vera gel applied externally is not dangerous to dogs.

stevoman

Is it a touch of pyoderma, one of my spaniels suffered from it a while. I used fuciderm, found it great but it is a drug so be careful. I'd ask a veterinary before you apply it. I always keep a spare tube in my dog first aid kit just incase it see it again on any of mine.