Dog

[tatom]

I have a 12 year old german shephard that Ive always kept clean and healthy. In the past couple of months he has developed a skin problem. On his back, from neck to tail, it looks like a bad case of dandruff. The flakes are large and light brown.

He also smells very bad. I shampoo him with human shampoo and the smell returns in a day. It doesnt seem to bother him.

Also, the skin is a bit red and raw in a few spots.

Anyone familiar with this condition or have any remedys?

[gotlost]

I love dogs only suggestion is to take him to a vet and get a shampoo that is for dogs not human.

[lioness]

It could be caused by a variety of things, one of my dogs has all types of skin problems from time to time.

A quick trip to the vet, the vet will give the appropriate injection, in my area I pay 50 Baht for this and maybe some follow up medicine.

It doesn't cost a lot so please help your dog, if the skin is red and a bit raw it will be most uncomfortable for the dog who will want to scratch it and make it even worse.

[bobo42]

I would not recommend using human shampoo on your dog. It may not the cause of his current problem, but it is a possibility. Dog shampoos should have a lower ph than a human shampoo, so the higher ph may be causing some skin irritation for your dog. It is possible that long term shampooing with human shampoo has left your dog's skin irritated enough to flake - and that may lead to other problems like skin infections or parasites, which may be a source of bad odors.

I would certainly do a trip to the vet to check for infections, allergies, or critters - and then go buy a dog shampoo to use in the future. See if you can find an oatmeal-based dog shampoo or something for dry or sensative skin. Just my advice, not a vet, just a dog lover.

[bina]

12 yrs old is a senior citizen for german shepherds; dietary changes/hormonal problems/etc... i would take him for skin scraping, blood work for liver/kidney blablabla

btw, in my own opinion and experience,(grooming in the past, vet stuff this past year) we recommeneded that people could use people shampoo... use basic mild shampoos meant for babies (like kamil blue, etc) . the suggestion of shampoo with oatomeal or aloe vero or tea plant is also good-- any of the shampoos for people with skin problems can be used, just make sure to rinse the fur out very very well with luke warm , not hot, water. (the ingredients are teh same, for dogs, as for people, there are neutral and low ph shampoos and thailand is blessed with rain water for showering...

but really no need to shampoo. the smell is from either infection/yeast/fungus on his skin (check his ears, the other source of foul odours in dogs/and /or mouth teeth decay which is commong at that age and can be taken care of)... and the red and raw spots are most likely yes, from the itching which is causeing him to scratch which in turn is irritating his skin, leaving it open to bacterial infections which itch and hurt. after his check up, he may be given a cocktail of cortisones and antibiotics with follow up in form of pills or creams, thsi should be done after blood work adn scrapings.

it could be something as stupid simple as a bad case of flea drmatitis... also, changes in his diet. i know that some folks here will strongly recommend a raw food diet which seems to be quite successful if kept to...u could pm nienke she has experience with dogs and skin problems, senior dogs, etc.

bina

israel

[dabest]

my dogs have prefect coats of hair

only raw food....

go to the butcher who sells cow meat (beef)

the one who sells a whole cow cut up

when cut it up there is a lot of healthy waste thats fine for your dog

they have very cheap to free beef parts

only feed your dog this

for 12 months and see the amazing difference

dogs are not meant to eat normal store bought "dog food" or any other normal human food for that matter

but neither are humans but thats a dif story

[Cuban]

How often are you washing your dog? Mine are out in the fields and local forest twice a day and have been shampooed once in the last three months, but they get brushed every day and smell fine.

Is there anything they are picking up from the bedding?

As for the raw food diet, yes this is the best option - but include some raw oily fish like mackrel if possible - I use tinned sardines now as we live away from the fresh fish markets of the coast.

Many Thai vets will sell you Fermeg3 capsules for skin problems, at about 10 Baht per tablet the main active ingrediant is fish oil - compare that with 11-12 Baht for a tin of fish. It can take 2-3 months for the skin and coat to really shine with the better quaility food.

Link to Thai supplier online - Website English Translation.

[macb]

I will go with Bina on this one:

Get a skin scrapping, but I would lean towards Fleas or ticks and when the skin is itchy or irritated its natural for your dog to nit the area then this makes things worse.

[loganberry]

Yes, the skin scraping could reveal any miscroscopic conspirators. Could also have a type of flea bite allergy... but chances are not that high. If it were my dog, I would have rushed him to the vet first sign of the problem.. but I am going to assume that you haven't done it yet because are posting questions on this forum instead of with your vet.

Consider a medicated shampoo (strong) called MALASEB. It works well with fungi, parasites, etc. on a dog's skin. But it is strong and shouldn't be used for anything other than treatment or maybe an occassional cleansing if he/she contracts skin problems easily outdoors. Other than that, non-medicated and gentle shampoos are better. I used an oatmeal shampoo (at least that's the name of it) made my Hartz.

Take you dog to the vet. Any vet. Would you want to sleep a night with that kind of crud all over your skin?

Edited October 31, 2009 by loganberry

[Jay jones]

Check out "Dog

HOME <../../index.html> Back to Client Info Index <../ClientInfo.html> *Seborrhea* /General Information/ Sebum is a normal product of certain skin glands. In seborrhea, excessive sebum is produced and appears as dry, light-colored flakes in the hair coat or as greasy, waxy scales on the skin and hair. Because sebum is a fatty material, it becomes rancid and causes a strong coat odor. Seborrhea may occur as a disease by itself (primary seborrhea) or result from an underlying disease (secondary seborrhea). While secondary seborrhea often clears up when the underlying disease is cured, primary seborrhea is a chronic disease that may be controlled but not cured. The cause of primary seborrhea is unknown. /Important Points in Treatment/ 1. Anti-seborrheic shampoos must be used on a regular basis to remove accumulated sebum, prevent skin irritation and control odor. Anti-seborrheic shampoos contain substances like /salicylic acid, tar, sulfur/ and /propylene glycol/. Many times owners are disappointed in the effect of anti-seborrheic shampoos because they may not provide any immediate releif. These product work by altering the rate a which skin cell secrete and move from the deepest layers of the skin to the surface. This process take a long time. It may take a month or more for the effect of an anti-seborrheic shampoo to take effect and when their use is stopped it may take a month for seborrhea to return. Sometimes owners stop using the antiseborrheic shampoo and don't recognize that the return of the problem a month later was associated with failure to continue preventative treatment. Examples of potent antiseborrheic shampoos that we maintain in our inventory includes *Allerseb-T* and *NuSal-T* (tar based products) and examples of maintanance products would include *Sebolux* and *Sebalyt* (salicylic acid based products). Over the counter human dandruff shampoos are not usually useful but *Neutorgena T-gel* is not a bad choice for many dogs.(though is is probably more expensive than the dog products). 2. Treatment must be tailored to the individual patient. There may be times when other problems are occuring simultaneously that may require other types of medication. If, for example, a folliculitis occuring simultaneously we may recommend that a shampoo be used simultaneously to open the follicle. Each "medicated" needs to have about 10 minutes of contact with the skin before being washed off to be effective. Please call the doctor if you cannot give any medicine prescribed. 3. Diet: Follow the instructions checked. ____Feed the normal diet. ____A special diet is required. Feed as follows: Seborrhea If your pet has flaky, dry, or greasy skin and haircoat, he may have a condition called seborrhea. Seborrhea, in humans or animals, is caused by an abnormal "gearing up" of certain cells in the skin, including cells of the sebaceous (oil) glands and the basic skin cells. In seborrhea, the sebaceous glands (found in or near hair follicles, whose normal function is to enrich the skin with oil secretions) increase the amount and quantity of their secretions. An abnormal turnover of the skin cells (keratinocytes) into dead scale (keratin) also occurs. Normally the cells in the skin are constantly dying and being worn off; new cells to replace them from deeper in the skin. So there is a constant migration of deeper cells moving to the surface, undergoing keratinization (making keratin and dying), and being sloughed off. This migration usually takes 3 weeks. This cycle is changed in animals with seborrhea. The migration is greatly accelerated and only takes several days. Thus there is a buildup of this keratin on the surface of the skin. This is why seborrhea is commonly termed a "keratinization disorder". Seborrhea can be broken down into two groups, based upon the cause. Primary seborrhea can be either genetic-based or caused by a keratinization disorder. Secondary seborrhea is a result of other disease processes such as allergies, parasites, nutritional disorders, and endocrine (hormonal) disorders such as hypothyroidism. To determine the best treatment, it is important to differentiate whether a dog has primary or secondary seborrhea. Dogs with secondary seborrhea must be treated for its cause, such as allergies or zinc deficiency. Seborrhea is characterized by skin that is excessively flaky, and can be divided into several types depending upon the signs and symptoms. The two most commonly referred to are: Seborrhea sicca, or dry seborrhea which shows dry scaliness only. This type is common among Irish Setters and Doberman Pinschers. Seborrhea oleosa, or oily seborrhea, in which the scales are accompanied by an oily coat. This type is common among Cocker Spaniels and West Highland White Terriers. In addition to flakiness, dogs with seborrhea often have an increased odor and may tend to scratch and lick various parts of their body. Symptomatic treatments may include clipping or shaving the haircoat which will make shampooing much more effective since we need to get the shampoo down to the skin. Frequent shampooing with special medicated shampoos selected according to the type of seborrhea present (sicca or oleosa) are very important. In some cases, special rinses or ointments to flush out the hair follicles may be used. Essential fatty acid supplements are often given. This may seem counterintuitive since the coat may already be "greasy", however the fatty acids are essential for normal skin cell function and will help the condition, not exacerbate it. In cases of secondary seborrhea, the underlying cause should be diagnosed and appropriate treatment given as directed by your veterinarian. /The majority of the information in this page is has been taken from VetMedCenter.com. For further information about this useful source of informtion follow the link or look, on the internet, at www.vetmedcenter.com./