The dog has flakey skin...

forensic

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What would help her? I can't change her diet, since her 'mother' buys the food. I can buy some now and then, but not always.

Would rubbing her in with olive oil help? Or putting more oil in her food?

Any ideas?
 

sharky

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what is the dog eating??? age of dog ?? breed of dog??
 

2dogmom

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It depends on what is causing it. It may not have anything to do with what she is eating.
Is she getting bathed frequently, maybe too frequently?
Has anyone put flea meds on her?
Is the air dry indoors where she lives?

Those things can cause dry flaky skin.

It may or may not have something to do with the food. If it does, fish oil can help.
I wouldn't rub olive oil into her fur, as she may start to lick it off and possibly make things worse.
 
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forensic

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Er, let's see...

She's a year old, half-poodle, half-min. pin. (ie... mutt).

She eats whatever wet food her mother buys her... mighty dog, or whatever's cheap probably... and some dry if she's still hungry, but mostly wet stuff.

She gets flea/etc meds on the 9th, so not recently...

We have very dry air indoors, where she is 80% of the time.

She gets bathed if she gets nasty (or her mother gets the whim), but biweekly at most, she keeps pretty clean.

She just got trimmed and it's noticeable (well, to me,) so I was curious.
 

2dogmom

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Well I don't see how a dog could get enough nutrients eating only canned food. It's mostly water so the dog fills up without getting much nutritional value.
Usually you're supposed to feed kibble only and then maybe add some canned to it to make it tastier.

But it sounds like the real problem is the dry air. Dry indoor air isn't good for humans or dogs. Even their claws can get brittle. And bathing twice a week is way too often IMO. That dries out the skin too, especially if her owner is as cheap about the shampoo as she is about the food.
http://www.dogpro.com/dog-dry-skin.html

I think getting the indoor humidity up to a level that is healthy should help.
But as long as the doggy is only getting low quality canned that is not going to help very much. Any chance her "mommy" might be willing to switch to a better grade of kibble? A healthy kibble would be cheaper than a low quality canned.
 

faith's_mom

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Sounds like a combination of issues here...

Poor quality food probably being on top of that list...

Dry air, while not ideal, shouldn't cause dry skin IF the dog is drinking enough water...that is key there, and has really nothing to do with food intake. The wet food would be a 'plus' in this situation.

Bathing a dog twice a week (or did you mean every other week?), is not ideal either, unless you have a shampoo that is listed as safe for daily use: Therapet's line of shampoos and conditioners are some of these which are. I bath my pets every week, and do not have dry skin or itchiness. However, my pets are also on a premium diet, drink plenty (we live in a dry basement...icck!), and I use a high quality shampoo on them. The combination keeps their skin and coats healthy.
 

sharky

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FYI ... Just like a cat a dog can GET ALL nutrition from canned... DOGS Should NOT be feed ALL DRY diets ...

Dog s are a carvivore and the moisture does them good also ...

Does MOM have a humidifier???

I would suggest fish oil supplements but they are FAR FAR $$$ for the good ones than a UPGRADE in food.... Fresh veggies and meat brasied in oil would also help...
 

2dogmom

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Originally Posted by sharky

Dog s are a carvivore and the moisture does them good also ...
Cats are obligate carnivores.
Dogs are non-obligate carnivores.
Those are not the same things.

As far as cats or dogs needing moisture, this is why they also get water to drink.

Feeding canned food exclusively is NOT recommended for dogs. Canned dog food contains 68-78% water and 22-32% dry matter. So you are paying a lot of money for something you could be getting out of the faucet. It may be possible to get the required nutrients from the remaining 22-32%, but the amount you would have to feed would be ghastly.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by 2dogmom

Cats are obligate carnivores.
Dogs are non-obligate carnivores.
Those are not the same things.

As far as cats or dogs needing moisture, this is why they also get water to drink.

Feeding canned food exclusively is NOT recommended for dogs. It may be possible to get the required nutrients, but the amount you would have to feed would be ghastly.
I DID NOT say dogs were obligate just that THEY ARE
... Just like a cat yes the canned only amount s are HIGH...

Ie
15lb dog 10-13 oz of wet vs 1/2 cup to 1 cup dry

From experience I know canned is better as the main diet or 50/50 minimum.. raw bones , cooked things like rawhide can be used for teeth care
 
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forensic

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I have a humidifier, but lately all the windows have been open, so we haven't been running it. The air's starting to get a bit more humid with spring's arrival.

I did mean bathing every other week, max, so hopefully that's not the issue?

She's fed a can a day, overall (the 5.5 oz size, I think?) and she has dry out, she just rarely touches it.

She always has water too...

Sigh, I can talk to Mom about the food, but she usually just says 'well, at least it's not kibbles and bits'.
 

2dogmom

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Dogs like canned better than dry so if they are offered both, they'll eat the canned first. And if they think they can "hold out" and be fussy to get more canned food, they will. They are amazingly good at manipulating people.
Whether a 5.5 oz can is the "right amount" is very hard to say. Most dog people feed kibble either exclusively or with a little canned to jazz it up. Unless of course they're feeding raw or homemade.


The way to get them to eat what they're supposed to be eating is with "tough love." Set the correct amount down and give them 15-20 minutes max to eat. If they don't eat, the food disappears until the next time. A good feeding schedule for an adult dog is twice a day, mornings and evenings. After a day or two they come around.

Every other week isn't all that often, so unless the doggy is getting bathed with a shampoo that irritates the skin, I wouldn't think that would be the cause. I think faith's mom is right, there are probably multiple factors here.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by 2dogmom

Dogs like canned better than dry so if they are offered both, they'll eat the canned first. And if they think they can "hold out" and be fussy to get more canned food, they will. They are amazingly good at manipulating people.
Whether a 5.5 oz can is the "right amount" is very hard to say. Most dog people feed kibble either exclusively or with a little canned to jazz it up. Unless of course they're feeding raw or homemade.


The way to get them to eat what they're supposed to be eating is with "tough love." Set the correct amount down and give them 15-20 minutes max to eat. If they don't eat, the food disappears until the next time. A good feeding schedule for an adult dog is twice a day, mornings and evenings. After a day or two they come around.

Every other week isn't all that often, so unless the doggy is getting bathed with a shampoo that irritates the skin, I wouldn't think that would be the cause. I think faith's mom is right, there are probably multiple factors here.
Technically a dog should only be bathed monthly,.... but technical and reality are different... what shampoo is being used?? if it is a typical sulfate containing one a natural with oatmeal may help


I think tough love is well off


I feed based on the animal and YES my dogs now are 50% to 90% homemade feed now ....

5.5oz can = about right for a 5lb dog .. but I am guessing this one is 10-12lbs??
 

faith's_mom

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Originally Posted by sharky

FYI ... Just like a cat a dog can GET ALL nutrition from canned... DOGS Should NOT be feed ALL DRY diets ...

Dog s are a carvivore and the moisture does them good also ...

Does MOM have a humidifier???

I would suggest fish oil supplements but they are FAR FAR $$$ for the good ones than a UPGRADE in food.... Fresh veggies and meat brasied in oil would also help...
Adding water to a dog's dry diet can accomplish the same as a canned food will for a dog...all you are doing is adding moisture to their intestinal tract to aid in digestion. I have fed dry premium foods to my dogs for 18 years...not one has been unhealthy, or has had digestion issues. I add water to one meal, and they get one meal dry each day. If I have one that doesn't seem to drink enough water beside, both meals get water added.

Also, with a premium diet, you may only feed a small dog 1\\4-1\\3 cup per day...so I don't think there is 'too' much difference there in canned and premium dry kibble. My Border collie, who is about 54 lbs, gets between 2 1\\2- 3 cups per day (because she is active)...and often she won't eat it all, I just offer that much, due to her activity!

Course, I also will add the occasional raw bone, chicken, beef bits, or veggies to their diets too...just to keep things interesting, and these things are good for them too.
 

sharky

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Originally Posted by faith's_mom

Adding water to a dog's dry diet can accomplish the same as a canned food will for a dog...all you are doing is adding moisture to their intestinal tract to aid in digestion. I have fed dry premium foods to my dogs for 18 years...not one has been unhealthy, or has had digestion issues. I add water to one meal, and they get one meal dry each day. If I have one that doesn't seem to drink enough water beside, both meals get water added.

Course, I also will add the occasional raw bone, chicken, beef bits, or veggies to their diets too...just to keep things interesting, and these things are good for them too.
mine never fell for the add water
 

faith's_mom

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Originally Posted by sharky

mine never fell for the add water
Mine have always enjoyed it...it also can slow a 'gorging' dog down!!Lol!

Sometimes to get a dog used to it, I have had to totally 'mush the food', and then feed it; eventually they eat it just after I put warmish water in it...the water helps them digest better.

I do have a bowl of water right in front of them when they eat dry though, so no one gets thirsty around here!Lol!
 
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forensic

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Originally Posted by sharky

Technically a dog should only be bathed monthly,.... but technical and reality are different... what shampoo is being used?? if it is a typical sulfate containing one a natural with oatmeal may help


I think tough love is well off


I feed based on the animal and YES my dogs now are 50% to 90% homemade feed now ....

5.5oz can = about right for a 5lb dog .. but I am guessing this one is 10-12lbs??
She's just under/around 10 lbs.

She won't eat more than a can a day... maybe a can plus a sniff/lick...
 

sharky

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if she is at a proper wt then she is eating enough... wish you could get mom to upgrade the food
 

sharky

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does she need less$$ or more convience .... ie grocery or will she hit a pet store???
 
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