Dry, itchy, flakey, smelly skin - Help!

[RileysMom]

Aaron: I have actually tried those vita caps and they worked great for her coat! I'm using something similar that you sprinkle over the food that has a lot of the same ingredients!

Denise G.: I really do think the nzymes are working. If you would like to give it a try, the site is www.nzymes.com. The full kit is around $100, but it has lasted us 3 months. When we started the program, Gibson had the exact symptoms of a lot of the testimonials. She had started developing blackening of the skin, the flaking, biting, everything. If you read through their material, they talk about how dogs can go most of their lives on one type of food and be fine and then all the sudden they develop these symptoms which is how it happened with us. I guess the dogs digestive system kind of gets clogged up with yeast from all the wheat products in dog food which most vet usually don't diagnose.

The smell didn't start until a few weeks ago. According to the nzymes info, once the product starts working and cleaning out the dogs system, the yeast buildup is pushed out like toxins and that is what is producing the smell. Also, the flakes have now changed from white to yellowish brown so I can definitely tell it is working. It said it can take 6 - 8 months to see full results, so we are going to stick with it and after that time, if she is still having problems, I will take karlins advice and find a specialist.

In the meantime, i'm just looking for something that may aleviate so much dandruff (which I just may not be able to do since she is detoxing), or something good to soothe her itchy back. I can imagine that all that skin coming off is not very pleasant!!!

Karlin: Thank you for the advice on seeing a specialist, I think that is a wonderful idea. I think most vets tend to try and band-aid sometimes if they don't know what the exact cause is. I'm sure they see so many pets with allergies and it is so hard to diagnose each one individually, even with allergy tests!

We only started shaving her when the flakes started to get so bad. I would come home and her back from neck to tail would be solid white (she is all black). Her hair is very thick and would hold the flakes and brushing just made it worse. And this itchy problem started way before the trims did!

Also, we would only bathe her every 2 weeks and with the best medicated, oatmeal shampoos I could buy, but then when the smell came, well, I go as long as I can without bathing her, but when it gets bad, I just have to.

Last night my husband and I put her in the jaccuzi (sp?) and filled the tub with epsom salts and made a mixture of aveno colloidal oatmeal, baking soda and a touch or tea tree oil for an antiseptic and covered her back in it. Poor thing just looked pitiful!!! I actually climbed in with her while we let it sit on her skin. Then I gave her an apple cider rinse that I read is really great for dandruff. She smelled really bad with the vinegar (and Riley and Fletcher didn't want much to do with her) , but this morning she looked much better! My dog thinks I am nuts, but I just want to help her not be so itchy! Oh the never ending quest to take care of our little angels!!!!

Thanks to everyone for their advice! We really appreciate it!

[Kingofthehouse86]

I would mayb try Dr. Foster/Smith either ItchStop or Soothing shampoos, or other shampoos good for dry, itchy skin but I would consult a specialist as Karlin stated

[Maxxs_Mummy]

As you might or might not know, my Charlie has terrible allergies & has been allergy tested. at the minute he's on 'Atopica' from the Vets (immune suppressant) and will then go on to immuno therapy.

I am also using a wonderful shampoo called Quistel. I'm sure they'd send you some over www.actigeneruk.co.uk it's absolutely fantastic and the longer you leave it on their coats the better it works.

Nicki recommended it to me and it really is the best shampoo I have ever used. It seems expensive but it's really not as you don't use a lot - you dilute it in water and it produces a rich lather.

If you want to try it and they won't send it then PM me and I'll see what I can do to help you get some

[Denise G.]

Heather-

I ordered the Nzymes products yesterday. Wrigley's problem doesn't seem quite as severe, but I can tell it will probably get worse with age. I'm also switching him over to NV kibble and raw food and see how/if it helps. Thanks for reminding me about Nzymes--we'll see what happens.

I hope your sweet girl gets better! It's so hard to see them uncomfortable.

[joanna]

I've used Quistel on Twinkle also as she was very itchy all over. It was nothing as bad as this but one wash and one application of the ear cleaner and she is much much better. The spray lotion can be used as required in between washes too. I would definitely recommend it.

Joanna

[MishathePooh]

Just out of curiosity, have you ever tried raw food? Also, dry kibble needs grain (potato of any type is a starch just like grains!) to hold the kibble together which can contribute to yeast problems. Usually a low allergy food should work but if it doesn't, I'd be willing to try raw (after you see if the nzymes work) to see if it clears up her skin.

If you do decide to do raw, make sure you do excessive research before taking the plunge. If you're in the US you could buy an AAFCO approved ground raw food (mostly or totally grain free) and use good meat handling practices (keep frozen, thaw in fridge, feed within 2 days of thawing, use clean bowl for each feeding) and never feed kibble and raw together.

I have horrible skin problems too so I feel for your por gal! Hopefully you can come up with a solution soon.

[RileysMom]

Denise - I hope the nzymes are successful for you. I went back and read through all the info they send (it's a little overwhelming when you first get the kit). It does say that the dog may get a little worse before it gets better as the toxins (yeast) is coming to the surface, so i think we are in the "worse" part!

The concoction that I made has worked wonders!!! I drew a bath with epsom salt which is for soaking any infection from scratching. I mixed 1 packet of aveeno oatmeal bath with 1/2 cup baking soda and a touch of tea tree oil. We put the mix on her back and let it sit for 10 - 15 min. Not a very happy pup during that time. Then I spritz a little apple cider vinegar on (kinda stinky). We did this 2 nights in a row and she has hardly and flakes and very little itching so far. And she smells much better!

I'll keep trying this method for a while and hopefully in a few more months, she'll be good as new! It's also getting cooler now and I know heat aggrivates skin probelms, so that should help as well.

We'll look for a raw food. I'm not sure if we have tried one or not, my husband is in charge of the food. But we do have her on a food that is not supposed to have any of those yeast or allergy causing ingredients!

[Denise G.]

Hi Heather--

Thanks for the bath tips! Do you rinse with the apple cider vinegar or just plain water? Does the water get the tea tree oil out o.k.?

I'm going to try Nature's Variety raw food to see how it works out for Wrigley. I've heard geat things about what it does for the skin and coat. I think once things cool off for the fall, he'll be much better. Next week is supposed to stay in the 80's which will be wonderful!! Not quite fall temps, but we're getting there!

Thanks again and let me know how the Nzymes work out for you.

[selina]

My old border collie was allergic to fleas and if just one got on her that would be it, she would scratch and chew herself raw. This was also the same for my Aussie shepherd, but he also had allergies to high protein foods. I found the best thing to do was use Frontline for the fleas, keep them on a low protein diet, so no red meat, food colourings and preservatives. I used sunflower oil in their food recommended by the vet because it is lower in protein. A teaspoon every night in their dinner does the trick. And I bathed them every week with either Hexasil or pyohex, and if I couldnt get these then Quititch, but didnt like using Quititch so much because the iodine would dry the skin out. Mine also had preiods where they would be worse, so I would bathe them everyday for 3 or 4 days in a row and then to every second and then to once a week. This seemed to work for my dogs.
Good luck with it all.

[Denise G.]

Heather--

Do you add water to make a paste of the Aveeno oatmeal, baking soda and tea tree oil? I'm thinking of giving it a try on Wrigley. We got our Nzymes on Wednesday and we've just started the program. Crossed fingers! Also, do you shampoo her first or after the oatmeal treatment?

Thanks!