New Owner - Dry Flaky Skin, Now Rash

[ArrowOwner]

Hi All:

 

Our Arrow (had her four months now, going great, freezing is gradually improving) started having a lot of dandruff and dry skin during the normal shedding season. Today I noticed that one side of her upper belly is all red and seems to have several little red dots - looks like some kind of rash.

 

We were giving her sardines once a week with food and rubbing some coconut oil on her topically. I tend to think it's not that cause most areas are fine. Any insights? Before noticing this spot today, her skin and dandruff seemed to be improving.

 

By the way, I can't figure out how to upload a pic or I'd include one. I go to MyMedia, but it seems to never give me an options to actually upload. It asks for a category and when I select it just takes me to a viewing page for the category. I'd love to upload an image if possible.

 

Thanks as always!

[greysmom]

Could be several things - fleas, food allergies, topical allergies,various bacterial rashes. If her skin is generally dry, I think most of us feel a food additive like salmon oil is more useful than topical applications. Any good quality oil high in omega 3s and 5s will do - salmon, Pollack, krill, flax, even olive oil will do.

 

Just be careful adding a big bunch of fat to her diet as it can trigger a stomach upset or pancreatitis. If the rash doesn't resolve soon go in to your vet.

 

Re: pictures: I think you have to me a GT member to use the gallery here. Basically, you need to have your photos on a site that allows third party hosting (GT, Facebook, Photobucket, Instagram, Flickr, etc). Then copy the img code supplied by the site (you may need to choose a display size - choose a smaller one). Paste the code either directly into the reply box and hit "post," or paste the code into the "special" BBC code or media box from the editing buttons in the reply box. I can only do the second way from my laptop as the tablet/mobile gt site does not offer the editing reply functions.

Edited March 26, 2019 by greysmom

[BatterseaBrindl]

If you are on FB you can load the photo there ... just use the 'only me' option if you don't want the entire world to see it!.

Open photo in FB, right click on it and choose 'copy'.

Then come here and Ctrl V to paste it into your post

[ArrowOwner]

Thanks!

 

Anyone else have thoughts on coconut oil? Any bad reactions or experiences? We initially thought it was a god send, cause it really helped the dryness and flaking, plus she smelled great! But maybe it's not so good ???? .... Thanks again! John

[Newgreymom]

Could be staph infection???? Grace has red spots on her tummy and we thought rash and turned out to be bacterial infection. Needed antibiotics.

[JackieDog]

Very topical (Hah! See what I did there!) as I was just coming here to read up on dandruff. New Susie (arrived in January) is coming out of winter full of shedding and dandruff. She's mostly white so it's hard to notice until getting brushed or I look at my hand. Then I realize the girl is super flakey.

 

I remember Homer was like that too extra shedding and flakey--probably a combination of coming out of a kennel situation, losing their first coat, and dietary changes. I was trying to remember what we used and was looking here for it. Salmon oil, that was it. He improved whether it was the supplement, the time of year, or finally finishing redoing his skin/furs. He's never been that flakey since even though we stopped the supplement so long a go I'd forgotten what it was.

 

Not sure what to say of her tummy rash without a photo.

 

Hope you can get a photo up and hopefully it's just the new coat/transition to a home thing (which I'm hoping for Susie as well). But do try and get a photo and it may be worth a trip to the vet. Of course, I am spoiled by having a most awesome vet.

Edited March 27, 2019 by JackieDog

[cleptogrey]

yes, let your vet look at it, staph can be a possibility. grizzly salmon or pollock oil(most affordable of the omega oils) will help with coats but it takes a minimum of 6 weeks for a supplement to kick in. sardines once a week just ain't gonna cut it. but your vet should look- there are topical sprays that do help the coat- forgot the name of what we used, something by vetriscience. it was given to us by the vet. don't go crazy thinking allergies. tis the season- but don't rely of Dr. Google, work with a professional. Best of luck.

 

oh, with FB, just click on your picture and enlarge it. then drag it into your post. but make sure your settings are public. when i had my settings on private nothing appeared. that is the way i share images on GT.

[LaFlaca]

I went through something similar with Lola. She had dandruff, her skin turned as red as a strawberry and she became violently itchy. Lastly, she developed hives all over her body. Her anus was extremely itchy, too. Vet recommended I start with food elimination so she put Lola on a hydrolized food. shot her up with cortisone and antihistamine and sent us home with script for same. No improvement.

 

When it became obvious that food was not the issue, the vet prescribed Apoquel. Worked like a charm.

[ArrowOwner]

Update: Vet said it was a staph infection. Antibiotics prescribed. It seems to be going away.

 

Salmon oil helping with the dandruff. Thank you all so much!

[Newgreymom]

Update: Vet said it was a staph infection. Antibiotics prescribed. It seems to be going away.

 

Salmon oil helping with the dandruff. Thank you all so much!

 

We used diluted Providine Iodine(few drops Iodine and 1/2 c water) and water mixed and put on the area with cotton balls. Works tremendously....