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Dry, Flaky Skin


Guest Sonya_Thomas

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Guest Sonya_Thomas

We have had Rosie going on 4 months. Since she arrived, she has had dry flaky skin all over, but particularly on her front "underarms" and around where her back lags attach to her torso. I brush her really good weekly, and she has been on fish oil pills since we got her. 1 fish oil pill a day did not seem to be helping, so on the recommendation of a person from our adoption group, we upped her to 2 pills. Still no improvement, so 2 weeks ago, we upped her to 4 pills. They are the Kirkland brand Omega 3 fish oil pills from Costco, and contain 410 mg of EPA and 274 mg of DHA each. That's a total of 1600+ mg of EPA and 1000 mg of DHA. Is that too much, or too little? Have I just not given it enough time to solve the problem? She is also on the Salmon and Sweet Potato dog food from Costco, and she tolerates it well. It really firmed up her poops, and since she has had the dry skin problem since day 1, I don't think it is related to her food (she has been on 3 different kinds since arriving, and the Salmon and Sweet Potato seems well tolerated and she scarfs it down). Other things I have tried:

 

1. Bathing her with a prescription shampoo to remove the scale, which it did initially, but then the scale returned.

2. Coconut Oil, but it gave her runny poop.

3. Running a humidified at night when the heat has been on.

 

Her brindle coat is silky soft and beautiful, and she does not seem to itch, so maybe it is no big deal . . . but I really wish we could figure out how to clear it up. Any suggestions?

 

Sonya in Nashville

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4 fish oil pills each day along with salmon dog food might be a bit much fish oil because this oil also has some aspirin like properties in that it can stop blood clotting and with greyhounds and their "funny platelets" you just might not want to go there. You might just want to give two a day (I dropped my hounds down to 1 per day).

 

For the dry skin try giving some cooked oatmeal in the food with just a touch of molasses or honey. Give a few tablespoons each day and see if it helps. This also helps the poops because of the extra fiber ....

 

In addition, get one of the gloves that has suede on one side and little nobs on the other - it is used for grooming dogs and use that on the areas where the dandruff is more noticeable. It might improve the oil circulation in the skin.

 

If the area is bare skin, you might try putting just a drop of baby oil on and rubbing it in and see if that helps.

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Sometimes it takes awhile for them to adjust and you really haven't had her very long. Hopefully with a little time it will moisten up. I think 4 pills a day sounds like a lot. Is it giving her any diarrhea? It would turn my boys into faucets.

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I use Equyss (sp) coat and skin conditioner. Spray on and wipe down. My black boy came to me with a horrible coat and this got him back in shape in no time. I also give 4 fish oil gels a day. I have started using Honest Kitchen Sparkle and it has made a huge difference in all of my dogs.

Edited by Nichole

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Give it time.

Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in Illinois
We miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10.

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Guest Sonya_Thomas

Thanks all. i will cut back to 2 fish oil pills a day, and step up the brushing. I will also look into some of the other products that were suggested. I'm also hoping that with more moisture in the air bc spring is on the way that her skin will be less dry. I know mine is dryer in the winter and less so in the summer.

 

Sonya

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