dogs and dry skin problems

[radfringe]

I've had dogs in the past that have had a problem with dry skin.
went through the additives in their food, medicated shampoo and conditioners etc etc nothing seemed to work

except this...

1. use baby shampoo -- easier on their skin/fur
2. after lathering up the dog, and before you do a rinse with water -- rinse the dog with a combination of Skin-So-Soft and water

-- add 3 "squirts" of skin-so-soft to a quart of water for small dogs, 6 "squirts" to 1/2 gallon of water for medium dogs, 9-12 squirts to gallon of water for large dogs (depending on how thick of a coat the dog has -- you may have to "adjust" the proportions for your dog)

carefull of the eyes -- pour the mix over the dog and massage it in -- then rinse and continue with the rest of your doggy bath routine

this isn't a "forever" cure for dry skin and you will need to do it everytime you give your dog a bath

[livetohike]

1. Vegetable oil in their food

Has always worked for me. Even when living in MN during winter months. Depending on the size of the dog, I use one Tablespoon for mine (they are over 50 lbs.). Supplement their food once in a while with some scrambled eggs.

[RobertSeattle]

2. Agreed

I supplement our dog's dry dogfood with tunafish - the kind that comes in veggie oil.

[tridim]

5. Wouldn't olive oil be better?

Non-extra virgin of course. Is there something in vegetable oil that specifically helps with the dry skin?

[livetohike]

8. Canola oil, olive oil, peanut oil

walnut oil. I mix it up with the belief that the dogs like variety. Honestly, I don't know which is better, but using the oil every day just seems to work for us.

[radfringe]

3. been there tried that

didn't help...

bath rinse with skin-so-soft worked the best

a client of my mother has a dog with very dry skin, dog itches to the point of bleeding

corn oil, vegetable oil, fish oil in food didn't work... special 'vet approved' food supplements didn't work, special medication shampoos/conditioners didn't work, dog checked out from tail to nose for allergies - nada

my mom told her to give the dog a bath with a rinse of skin-so-soft

the following week my mom received a huge bouquet of flowers from the client as a thank-you for the "rinse tip" -- for the first time since getting the dog, the dog wasn't itching up a storm

if food supplements worked for your dog - great! but sometimes you have to go a bit further to tackle the problem

we've had our greyhound on corn oil in his food for close to two months, his dry skin is not getting any better. I just ordered a bottle of skin-so-soft -- as soon as it arrives he's getting a bath

[BostonTeaParty04]

6. Add Cod Liver Oil

Seriously. I don't know what this is about veggie oil. Cod Liver oil (or other fish oil) has efa's galore... that's what does it.

But boy is it fishy!

[livetohike]

9. Sorry the veg oil doesn't work

I think my sister-in-law used to use Skin So Soft on her Samoyed. I hope that will relieve your doggie's problem.

[histohoney]

10. skin-so-soft

works best for my short haired dachshund. P.S. here in skeeter county USA it helps cut down on bites as well.

[The empressof all]

4. tablets

I give my dogs several brewers yeast tablets, tablespoon and a hard boiled egg every week I would never use baby shampoo I think it is very harsh. I use a non soap cleaner I get at the vets. The skin so soft is great though I use it in the summer as an adjunct to Program for fleas. My Lamation/Dalbador has very sensitive skin and is prone to hot spots-but this regimen seems to do the trick.

[OneBlueSky]

7. there's a product called Bio-Coat . . .

that I've been using with my dogs for years . . . it keeps their coats nice and shiney and prevents dried out skin and "hot spots" . . . you can get it here . . .

http://www.jefferspet.com/ssc/product.asp?CID=0&mscssid=E10JQ9SNGBR89JN60C4VMDUS3LCM99F5