Recent retired greyhound super itchy everywhere

[katt]

Hi!

My new grey, Ollie, is ~4 days off of the track. She is superrr itchy and has flakes of dry skin everywhere. She's already gotten her flea medication, is on a grain-free good quality kibble (we give her a mix of kibble and raw meat), and is taking fish oils to help her coat. She has been roaching + playing with toys so we think all is well regarding her comfort level (as good as it can be on day 4). I'm just worried about how much she scratches herself, sometimes she'll whimper because she's so itchy. Is this dry of skin common after the track? Any ways to give her any sort of immediate relief? 

[1Moregrey]

congratulations and welcome.  You could give her a Benadryl for the itching.  Where did she come from wondering if it could be a change in weather if she came from a different clement and or allergies if you are somewhere warm.  Or if just being in a home in the dry winter air?

You could give her a bath in an aloe shampoo too.

 

 

[ramonaghan]

Not at all uncommon right off the track. Keep up the fish oils and brush her regularly, and it should improve. An oatmeal-based shampoo could also help.

And not to scare you, but you might want to rethink the grain-free kibble, as it's been associated with heart issues in some dogs: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/outbreaks-and-advisories/fda-investigation-potential-link-between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy. 

[katt]

Thank you! She is coming from Caliente track in Tijuana, we live in SoCal - so relatively similar climates. I'll try to give her a Benadryl and see if that helps, will keep brushing her - she loves it! 

I'll look into the grain-free food article, she's eating Open Farms which we've heard is a really good one - but I guess we can never be too careful. Thanks for sharing

[MP_the4pack]

You might want to get her thyroid tested. Low thyroid causes dry itchy skin.

[Greysfriend]

Mine was very itchy when we adopted him but he had he huge kennel coat, it passed when he started to shed heavily. Not sure if he has kennel coat as well?

[Nadine]

The skin is our biggest organ. It reacts to all kind of stress, positive as well as negative. Your girl has left everything she knew behind and started a life in a strange new world. It is pretty normal for her body react to the stress. Give her time to adjust to her surroundings. If you want to bath her, you can use a shampoo based on oatmeal.

I use brewer's yeast or oatmeal as supplement for my greyhounds' skinn and coat. 

[FiveRoooooers]

10 hours ago, ramonaghan said:

Not at all uncommon right off the track. Keep up the fish oils and brush her regularly, and it should improve. An oatmeal-based shampoo could also help.

And not to scare you, but you might want to rethink the grain-free kibble, as it's been associated with heart issues in some dogs: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/outbreaks-and-advisories/fda-investigation-potential-link-between-certain-diets-and-canine-dilated-cardiomyopathy. 

 This.

We have "Sardine Saturday" and the campers share a tin of water-packed sardines on top of their kibble (IAMS Green or Purple bag). Congratulations on your new family member! Welcome home Ollie! 

[macoduck]

Please reconsider changing to a grain-inclusive kibble.  Grain-free is a hot topic. Food producers we had long thought were quality companies jumped on the grain-free bandwagon.

Here's a partial list from an FDA warning: Acana, Zignature, Taste of the Wild 4Health, Earthborn Holistic, Blue Buffalo, Natures Domain, Fromm, Merrick, California Natural, Natural Balance, Orijen, Nature's Valley, NutriSource, Nutro, Rachel Ray's Nutrish.

Although the brand you use, Open Farms, has a good rating on Dog Food Advisor that is in the production and quality of the ingredients in it, totally side-stepping the dangers of grain-free kibble. FWIW, Open Farms and Dog Food Advisor poo-poo the issue of cardiomyopathy.

My italian greyhound suffered had cardiomyopathy, from old age and was never fed grain-free. The medication to treat it is very expensive and very hard to find, even through a specialty vet due to the growing numbers of damage they saw due to grain-free kibble. It was critical that Charlie have this medicine. A wonderful Canadian person I'd never met so my post pleading for a source when all online pharmacies were out of it. She had a friend whose greyhound had passed from cardiomyopathy and had 2 months supply of the medicine left. She graciously sent it to me for Charlie.

You didn't ask about grain-free kibble but I had to speak up, as the other posters have. Cardiomyopathy is not reversible. I have no experience with raw feeding but if you post over in the Food and Dietary forum you should get responses of reputable educational sites to free raw with the proper supplements.

I agree with the others in that daily brushing and sardines will help with his flaky coat. I wouldn't give fish oil right now until his system has adjusted to his new life.

[racindog]

d  DON'T FEED GRAIN-FREE.....

Edited March 10, 2023 by racindog

[oldrunners]

I also encourage you to re-think grain free food, having had a grey with DCM after eating grain free for years  Not only were the meds expensive, the regular echocardiograms every 3-6 months were also!  Furthermore, I recommend Snip Tips fish oil.  I found it to be much more easily digested and absorbed than Grizzly salmon oil, and therefore more effective.