Heavy Shedding And Flaky Skin

[Guest jvandover]

Lovie has been shedding a lot recently and the skin on her tummy and legs is very flaky (sometimes dead skin can be pulled off in nickel size pieces). She does have hookworms, I don't know if that has an effect. Would putting some olive oil on her food help? Any other suggestions? Anyone seen skin that flaky?

[Guest greysmitten]

I've had good results with daily rub downs with the rubber hound glove and dropping a couple of fish oil capsules in my girl's food. She takes them like treats now, though!

It's a change in the season though, so bear with it the best you can

[Guest itsagreytlife]

Yes, my girl Selah tends toward very dry skin. Initially I was able to control it just fine by mixing some salmon oil in her dinner. But she has a lot of allergies (has been skin-tested and is now on allergy shots, even!). But the skin allergy tests do not test for food. So now she is on special hypoallergenic vet food (Z/D) and no more salmon oil. She has the same extreme flakyness you described, but between her legs mostly. Looks like peeling from a bad sunburn, right? The vet dermatologist told me hers was an actual symptom of her infections (staph, resulting from open sores from her biting/scratching/licking skin). But she has finished her course of antibiotics and the rest of her sores are all healed--except the peeling. So, I do think this is a result of just really dry skin.

 

Try some salmon oil in her food and maybe a bath every two weeks with a moisturizing, anti-puretic (sp?) shampoo (rinse VERY well), and then apply a really moisturing lotion. That may help a lot. I use "Epi-smooth" shampoo (very moisturing & gentle enough for 1x a week, even for a grey) and Resicort, which is a very nice leave-in moisturing lotion. You can even use the Resicort a bit inbetween baths. Also try brushing her coat at least 2x a week with a rubber curry type brush (I use a "Zoom-Groom"). Gets a lot of that extra fur off and stimulates oil production. Selah gets even more "dandruffy" after I groom her, but it cleans right up when you wipe her down with some damp paper towels.

 

Good luck!

[Guest FastDogsOwnMe]

The worms could definitely make it worse!!! Once they clear up, you may see a big improvement.

[JohnF]

I cured Peggy from this problem with Sebocalm Shampoo and 1/2 tsp per day of Wheatgerm Oil for the Vitamin E.

If you can't get Sebocalm over there, look at the make-up and get something as close to it as you can.

[greyhead]

Spencer's flakiness pretty much disappeared after his case of hookworm was as cleared up as it's ever going to be. (It took too long to diagnose it for it to ever been entirely gone.) Didn't have to do anything extra by way of supplements or add-ons to his food.

[tbhounds]

Huge believer in topical therapy --ie shampooing!

[luvsmylilfruitloop]

I'm so glad I found this topic. Bloomers shedding and flaking skin has been awful this spring. I was going to post my own topic, but thought i had better look through first......