Dry coat - Page 1

Bob,
Yes, it's probably the weather, but to help her, you can add Fish Oil capsules (human grade) to her food.  I give Dugan 1000mg with Omega-3 two times a day.  I also bought a humidifier which helps the dogs as well as me.=)  I also delute 50/50 Mane & Tail and squart all over him, making sure it gets on his skin.  These three options have worked very well with Dugan and his dry skin and coat.

Brandi 

Edited to add:  Once you spray on the Mane and Tail, leave it in don't rinse it out.  I hope this helps. 

 Yes, fish oil. Also, I feed raw, and increasing the amounts of fat in the diet helps, though I know there are a lot of people who are anti-fat of any kind, and lots of dogs who cannot handle much fat.

My GSD was very itchy this year. I got some Beef fat and added a few chunks to his meals, and he is so much better. Took about a month for the improvement to be noticeable. I also supplement with fish oil and Vit. E.  The fish oil depletes Vit E, so good precaution to add some back in. 

We use fish oil caps as training treats - a couple 2 or 3 times a day along with other treats. The dogs love them!

My dogs tend to itch and have dry skin when the're blowing coat, and extra brushing them seems to help. Could this also be a factor? 

Flea drops can sometimes cause dry and flaky skin...... have you dosed her lately?

I use Jojoba Oil after baths when they get dry skin. It's easy, give the coat a nice shine, and moisturizes the skin. Cheap too at a beauty supply store ($4.99). Cheaper than the vet and a lot cheaper than sustained internal medication. I sort of figured it's probably climate induced anyway. Hope it works for you Bob

I give one cap of fish oil every day but I also think the dry inside air contributes to itching!I alos use missing link . a powdered supplement purchased at any pet store

I have used a product called Linatone for the skin issues you describe.  It is formulated especially for skin and coat.  It is a daily food supplement  with essential oils and vitamins to help reduce shedding, scratching, dull coat and flaky skin.   It is made by Lambert-Kay.  You can put it into a dish and let her lap it up or put it on her food.  You'll know how much to feed based on her body weight.

You do not say how old this female is, but if she is around 3 or older, having a thyroid check is not a bad idea. Also, just because you think a dog is parasite free does not always mean it is true. I routinely treat dogs for parasites, at least once, if not twice a year, even though I am fastidous about the conditions in which they live.

Fish oil capsules, one a day perhaps, added can be beneficial, but some dogs do not tolerate them well and end up with diarrhea or loose stool. Also, depending on where the fish product/oil comes from, remember that there is often mercury contamination in fish and fish products. So feeding fish regularly, including giving larger amounts of other products could be adding mercury to her diet. Nothing is without risk....so just do your homework. Remember too that in the US, as hard as it is to believe, there is no oversight as to purity or quality control in supplements. Sometimes we forget that beside questioning the efficacy of the supplement in general (and for many, there is little or no evidence that they do what they are said to do and provide any benefit), there is always the issue of whether the product really is what it is touted to be. For that reason, good advice is to stay away from cheaper brands that may have less money or interest in maintaining quality control and product purity.

        These I have used on my male with very good results....the Conditioner and Shampoo works great..and also the spray Shine....Of course we use it on our horses too....The shampoo and conditioner are cool and soothing ....the shine and condition are out of this world.....I buy these at Tractor Supply, Town and Country , Rural King  and PBS Animal Supply....


an example of the products....
http://www.farnamhorse.com/aqha/vetrolin_email.htm


             Deanna...: )