Lab with really bad dandruff

[buddyboysmom]

Hi there,
my dog buddy seems to be having a terribly awful time with dandruff! Usually in have past it hasn't been an issue maybe a few flakes here and there but this winter it has been soooo bad. He's losing fur from scratching and nibbling! Wg saw a vet who recommended omega in his food and a bath with a special shampoo. She hoping that once the nicer weather is here and he is outside more and sweating and wimping that the dandruff will go away. By I'm starting to get really worried. I'm also wondering if I should get a second opinion or go back to see this vet and ask for other options. But it's getting really bad. He has bald patches all over and is covered in white flakes!!!!
Has anyone else experienced this with their dog? Any tips and advice would be great.
Thank you

[POPTOP]

Hello and Welcome!

I've found that flakes show up around shed time, spring and fall. What you are explaining seems to be much more. Do you have a dog dermatologist that you can consult?

I do have my dogs on Grizzly salmon oil daily for their coats.

[Macy]

This sounds like more than just dandruff if your pup is biting and chewing himself bald. He may have allergies. I also give my girl Grizzly salmon oil daily.

Did the baths with medicated shampoo give him some relief?

[ronmcq]

My dogs have really bad dandruff but we're fighting yeast infections and food allergies. I'm hoping getting rid of grains and starchy foods will help along with baths twice a week with Malaseb shampoo. I do have them on fish oil and am using the Nzyme skin products. Has your vet done testing for yeast? I didn't see that mentioned.
Good luck, Ron

[Georgia]

Fish oil did nothing for Frank. The vet recommended these chews and his dandruff and flaky skin cleared right up.

[Snowshoe]

Hi there,
my dog buddy seems to be having a terribly awful time with dandruff! Usually in have past it hasn't been an issue maybe a few flakes here and there but this winter it has been soooo bad. He's losing fur from scratching and nibbling! Wg saw a vet who recommended omega in his food and a bath with a special shampoo. She hoping that once the nicer weather is here and he is outside more and sweating and wimping that the dandruff will go away. By I'm starting to get really worried. I'm also wondering if I should get a second opinion or go back to see this vet and ask for other options. But it's getting really bad. He has bald patches all over and is covered in white flakes!!!!
Has anyone else experienced this with their dog? Any tips and advice would be great.
Thank you

It was really cold most places this winter. Maybe your heat was on up higher and for longer than usual? Do you check the humidity in your home? If you are lucky proper humidity might be an easy fix.

Sweating and wimping? Huh? Not sure what this means but it does make me think a second opinion is worth a shot. Maybe a Derm Vet as suggested above.

What is the fat content of the food you feed? My boy does best on about 16% fat and even then I did add EFAs (Essential Fatty Acids) and they did improve his mild dry coat and dandruff. Coconut oil is an option to add as well, I mean instead of the fish oil. Or with, but consult to be sure you don't give too much, especially when you start.

Your boy sounds more severe than mine and your description makes me wonder about allergies. They can just start up out of nowhere.

The special shampoo is probably worth a try. My boy does have allergies and I did find a shampoo that helped his itchy hide. I tried five before I got to one that helped. Some of the medicated special shampoos will sting on open sores.

Good luck, poor boy, hope you can find a fix.

[buddyboysmom]

Should clarify sweating and whimping meant sweating in from being in the sun and running around and I meant swimming not whimping...typo sorry.
i definitely did have the heat higher this winter than any other, could explain the sudden appearance of bad dandruff. I s wondering about allergies I didn't realize they could all of a sudden pop up. He's on Loyall dog food, but I'm thinking of switching him to an Iams brand that's specific on healthy skin/coat. I also wondered about adding coconut oil as I read that could help too....just not sure if I should continue with omega as well if he's getting coconut oil.
The baths seem to be helping? His ear and left jowl cleared right up and we are now using the medicated shampoo twice a week to try and get his thigh area under control.
My pop or sweet guy looks awful, it must be so embarrassing for him lol.
The vet did say that if it hasn't cleared by fall we would test his thyroids but she said he doesn't look or present like a dog with thyroid issues so if that comes back clear which she's assuming it will we would then test for allergies. i just don't know what would have changed in he last five years for him to develop an allergy all of a sudden, unless he's become allergic to his food now, but does that happen when a dog has been on the same food for almost five years?
Thanks for all the replies guys. If possible I'd like to try and take care of this naturally buy upping his oil content, switching foods, etc etc

[Tanya]

welcome from a fellow ontarian

my lab's started blowing his coat a week or two ago and the dandruff is pretty bad (it alwasy is at this point in time).

Iam is an ok food but i would opt for something else and add either coconut oil or fish oil

But if he has other health issues (thus the medicated bath) I would tackle that before the dandruff. Do you have any idea if it's envrionemtnal or food? Maybe try a limited ingredient food and see if there is any improvement. not sure I would wait until fall to do blood test to be honest.

[buddyboysmom]

I have absolutely no clue if it's environmental or food related allergies. The medicated shampoo is to tackle the dandruff. A skin test was done to rule out mites, and other parasites.
What is a good based food that is reasonably priced? In all honesty a natural raw diet is just not affordable.

[Tanya]

medicated shampoo for dandruff? Have never heard of this.

Are the bald spots new? was his fur totally normal and healthy before? when did the bald spots start, did anything in his life/routine change?

do you have photos of the bald spots? how bad are they? Are they getting better?