Scurfy Coat And Thin Coat

[Karen]

Lily has had a really thin patchy coat all winter (no undercoat there at all), the vet has run thyroid tests which are negative. After having her tummy shaved for an ultrasound during her recent stay in hospital and having two legs shaved too, there is a major turnaround and her fur has started to grow again.

 

However she has an awful lot of white scurf which looks dreadful on a dog with a black coat! I've bathed her which helped short term, but long term I'm worried that too many baths might dry her skin out more.

 

She has an evening primrose capsule each day - what else might help?

[Wendbert]

I give my two sardines or pilchards in their dinner each evening and find the oily fish helps them to maintain a good coat.

 

 

Hope Lily is feeling well and waggy again

[Karen]

I'm positive that Lily wouldn't say no to pilchards or sardines, so good idea! Do you use the little tins of fish in oil or something else?

 

Out of interest, I got a bit of an ear bashing from the Royal Veterinary Hospital when Lily was admitted because I had previously let her eat fish. In the case of major digestive problems they like to feed the dogs from a source of protein they haven't previously eaten, which is usually fish. Any way, too late to worry about that.

 

Lily is very happy and waggy , but can't walk very far at all because she's not allowed any more NSAIDs in case they trigger bleeding again.

[supafrisk]

I'd try asking the squirrel family on here, I know when Granny Squiggs was fostering Willow he was bald and she used to bath him and then oil him (she made him a special coat to wear round the house when he'd been oiled) but I don't know what oil it was (probably olive oil or tea tree oil) and she swears by sardines and pilchards too. Other than that, you could try buying a bottle of Seleen from your vet as this lifts the scurf out, you shampoo first with your normal stuff and then use the seleen afterwards.

[Wendbert]

I'm positive that Lily wouldn't say no to pilchards or sardines, so good idea! Do you use the little tins of fish in oil or something else?

 

I usually buy the small tins of sardines in sunflower oil or pilchards in tomato sauce. Bumpy and Poppy take it in turns each day choosing which fish they have

[Karen]

Thanks Supafrisk, I have asked if Grandma Squirrel would be willing to share her dog bathing secrets! Does Seleen still contain nasty heavy metals? I have memories of using this on my first Battersea dog and I had to wear gloves.

 

Wendy, your dogs are very civilised. I can't imagine my two taking turns for anything. I have found a single tin of sardines in sunflower oil in the cupboard, so if I can get the hang of the ring pull, we'll give it a go tonight.

[Happylittlegreensquirrel]

we used extra virgin olive oil on Willow at least once a day ( I also used this on Gertie cat and it really works )

 

Willow was shampooed every other day in a shampoo that Edith ( Halfpenny ) sent him called Scottie Dog Shampoo and Scottie dog pet soap both manufactured by www.highlandheart.com it was very mild and PH balanced and did not dry his skin out

 

 

 

and he also had neem oil sent by a lovely lady on Greyhound Gap , this works very well on dry patchs and sore bits, http://www.blackthornsoaps.com/blackthorn_...nimal_range.htm

 

lastly we used Keepers mix for Dorwest Herbs mixed in with his food, http://www.dorwest.com/shopping_cart/UK/page6.htm

 

 

Fish/fish oil is very good , we also feed chicken stew to baldy ones ( both Gertie and Willow approve of that )

[Wendbert]

Wendy, your dogs are very civilised. I can't imagine my two taking turns for anything.

 

 

 

Ah, well, you see what happens is, I get tin of sardines and can of pilchards and one day I hold them in front of Poppy, and which every she touches with her nose, they get and the next day, Bumpy gets to choose I have to admit though, it's not the most scientific approach

[Karen]

HLGS, does the olive oil go on the coat or in the food? I've just told OH that sardines in oil will help Lily's coat and he looked at me in a horrified way - he thought I meant the fish and oil had to go straight on her coat!

 

The Keepers Mix looks interesting - similar to the kelp and alfalfa powder Lily was having before she became ill. I will run the contents past the vet first because they are still thinking along the lines of food allergy or absorbtion problem and we are reintroducing her supplements one at a time to watch for ill effects.

 

I ought to add that Lily isn't in the least bit itchy and doesn't scratch - whatever stops her coat from growing and makes her skin dry is something on the inside.

[Muriel]

You've already had great advice, I'd look at her diet and if possible feed her real food - meat, veg etc, raw or cooked. Also think about talking to a Homeopathic/Holistic Vet as they usually have more success with skin problems.

 

http://www.bahvs.com/

 

http://www.trusthomeopathy.org/trust/tru_over.html

 

All the best, sending Reiki if she wants it.

[Karen]

Thanks Muriel. I'm sorry to say that I am really very squeamish about raw meat . I understand what you mean though and Lily does eat a colouring, additive and wheat free complete lamb and rice food with added fresh veg and now fish too, which is the closest I can get to a pure diet.

 

I've just been looking at your links for homeopathic vets and found one only half an hour away and in the same road that my best friend lives in when she visits from Spain during the summer. The vet's name looks spanish too - must be fate. I assume she would need to be referred by her own vet?

 

Lily would appreciate the Reiki too, thank you.

[Happylittlegreensquirrel]

the olive oil goes on the skin , however it can and does smell a bit after 24 hours

 

 

we have used olive oil direct on Gertie cat and Willow whupput ( along with the food etc ) both Gertie and Willow had very little fur and very poor condition skin

 

Gertie before

 

 

Gertie after

 

 

Willow before

 

 

Willow after

 

 

I really really think that the fish helps a lot and if for some reason an animal does not like fish you can try cod liver oil mixed into there food

[Karen]

I really really think that the fish helps a lot and if for some reason an animal does not like fish you can try cod liver oil mixed into there food

 

Labradors eat anything! We've had to compromise and buy tuna in sunflower oil as our local Tesco is having a refit and they seem to have stopped selling all sorts of things.

 

Thanks for the advice about the olive oil, I'd forgotten what Gertie looked like in the beginning . I wonder if the downside would be Rosie rather liking the smell of it when it starts to get a bit stinky? Might try it in a few weeks when the weather warms up and we can have the door open more.