Dog shampoo question

[a1tinkfans]

Hello
My cockapoo seems to have allergies worse this year than last...POOR DOG>....mostly skin, dry and he scratches like crazy ...I so do not want to keep him on pred long term, it is so unhealthy. At same time do not want him to suffer....noticed after he eats he goes a little nuts on his snout....SO I changed foods, an all natural, wheat free, Duck (I know UGH) and potato...so far so good......
BUT,
I bathe him and groom him and I have always used puppy shampoo as it seemed to work better than oatmeal, or others that say good for allergies but are all chemicals. He did worse with those.....

SO heres the Q: is there any Home remedy, natural or otherwise that I can use...he seems to get almost "oily" especially on his underside...where he scratches and the hair is like mostly gone...I really feel for him and just LOVE LOVE LOVE him....
I do not want to have him allergy tested for hundreds of dollars ....doctor already said he could just be allergic seasonally and no real "fix" just some system relief if she can even pin it down...so for now, we use some benadryl or sometimes the pred...but anything topical to use on him????
BUT, I notice he gets almost greasy or oily, like a teen
so anyone have any suggestions?

TIA, he really is the BEST pup (hes 8 actually) EVER....my little white fluff......

 

[ontariomonkey]

Putting some flax seed oil in his food might help with the dry skin.

You could get some homeopathic remedies for seasonal allergies and disolve them in his water to see if it would help.

Don't bathe him too often, it dries the skin.

 

[Chicago526]

My dog's coat always seems healthier after I feed her a fatty fish, like tuna or salmon. That could help (and is a yummy, healthy treat, my vet thinks so too).

I always take my dog to the groomer, I have no idea what they use so I can't help with shampoo. I do remember when I first got her asking for an oatmeal conditioner the first few times I had her groomed as she seemed to have itchy skin (she was always scrathing) but that went away after I got her off that Purina garbage and on to a higher quality food. Maybe after you give the new diet some time your pups skin will clear up some more. Anyway, the oatmeal conditioner seemed to work really well for my dog.

 

[golfgal]

Putting some flax seed oil in his food might help with the dry skin.

You could get some homeopathic remedies for seasonal allergies and disolve them in his water to see if it would help.

Don't bathe him too often, it dries the skin.

Our vet told us the exact opposite for our dog. Since most likely her allergies are environmental-dust mites, pollen, etc. she said to bathe her frequently, every day, every other day. We have a medicated shampoo we use and a lotion/conditioner. It has helped TREMENDOUSLY. Our dog also takes daily allergy medication.

 

[Tamarak]

My dog had what seemed like horrible skin allergies

We changed food, flea medications, where he walked.

The first time he lost his hair down his back- the vet thought it was due to a reaction from the Advantix. So we switched to frontline and that was going well until this summer when his hair fell out again !!

All his fur fell out along his back... and crusty scabs formed..it was just really bad. He was sore and scratchy, we bathed him in oatmeal and skin conditioners. We gave him supplements as well, and his back would get a little better and we would think it was progress, but it would only get somewhat better..and have the cycle repeat. We tried so hard to take care of him and look out for any allergens but it just wasnt getting to the point of healthy.

Went to the vet again after nothing was working - we were under the assumption it was again... bad allergies.

The vet looked at him and said " I am going to say this dog has a thyroid problem" - we did the test ( 40.00) and sure enough..low thyroid.

Vet said in dogs - the thyroid can show in loss of coat - new hair somtimes just pulls right off, the skin looks effected - but there are so many diffrent signs. He prescribe 1 beef flavored thyroid pill 2x a day.

Its now 2 months later - my dog is a diffrent dog !!!

Happy, excited and healthy - He has a BEAUTIFUL thick black shiny coat like when he was a pup - no more itching, scratching or sore spots. The skin on his back looks healthy and his legs look great. All this in 2 months of thyroid treatment!!!

If you dont want to go the allergy testing route - perhaps consider just checking the thyroid - could not be of course.. but what a diffrence it makes when they get treatment if it is !

 

[elgerber]

Our vet told us the exact opposite for our dog. Since most likely her allergies are environmental-dust mites, pollen, etc. she said to bathe her frequently, every day, every other day. We have a medicated shampoo we use and a lotion/conditioner. It has helped TREMENDOUSLY. Our dog also takes daily allergy medication.

Do you have a rat terrier? Wht brand shampoo/conditioner do you use?

 

[DVC Sadie]

Our vet recommended using Oatmeal shampoo and Conditioner for our Labs which works nicely. I even bring it to the groomers when she goes in for furminating.

 

[dawson5]

we've seen a few different things. My sister in law, her dog has the environmental allergies, there isn't anything they can do and he is on the steroids. She's tried everything from different shampoos, med's, foods, supplements, etc. No help. She does take him to a groomer about every 6 weeks.

Our dog is allergic to whatever my brother in law's neighbor puts on his lawn. I thought the poor dog got fleas from his house, went through him with a fine tooth comb, nothing. Find out that they had to give up a dog because of this (gave to her parents, out of state). Ours also gets hot spots at this time of the year. We found that changing his food helped. When I took our foster in for rabies shot, the lady there also recommended tea tree oil. I can't say anything about this, they were out. He wasn't that bad that I had to go searching for it.

Also a good friend of my son's, their dog was constantly itching all year long. They found out it was a food allergy. She switched her and it's like a new dog.

Good luck. It's rough when they can't tell you what's going on.

 

[clutter]

I have a cockapoo that I got because of my allergies. The dog is even more allergic than me!!!!

They were so bad when she was young that I had to take her to a doggie allergist. Yes, I give her shots (and thank you for reminding me that I had to order more serum!). But I also give her something for her dermatitis that crops up with the allergies. Where exactly is he itching? With my dog, she licks her feet and her bum when her dermatitis acts up. Because she's black, the constant licking turns her hair a brownish color, which her vet said is a sure sign of allergies, as is the places she's licking. The allergist said that the dermatitis is from the allergies and that's why she licks. I think it's an anti-fungal I give her, but I can't remember. It's fairly expensive, but the allergist ships it to me because it's cheaper than getting it at my local vet's.

Also, I did switch her to AvoDerm food. That's made a big difference in her general itchiness. Except for November, that's just always a bad month for her.

 

[Jockaroo]

Hello
My cockapoo seems to have allergies worse this year than last...POOR DOG>....mostly skin, dry and he scratches like crazy ...I so do not want to keep him on pred long term, it is so unhealthy. At same time do not want him to suffer....noticed after he eats he goes a little nuts on his snout....SO I changed foods, an all natural, wheat free, Duck (I know UGH) and potato...so far so good......
BUT,
I bathe him and groom him and I have always used puppy shampoo as it seemed to work better than oatmeal, or others that say good for allergies but are all chemicals. He did worse with those.....

SO heres the Q: is there any Home remedy, natural or otherwise that I can use...he seems to get almost "oily" especially on his underside...where he scratches and the hair is like mostly gone...I really feel for him and just LOVE LOVE LOVE him....
I do not want to have him allergy tested for hundreds of dollars ....doctor already said he could just be allergic seasonally and no real "fix" just some system relief if she can even pin it down...so for now, we use some benadryl or sometimes the pred...but anything topical to use on him????
BUT, I notice he gets almost greasy or oily, like a teen
so anyone have any suggestions?

TIA, he really is the BEST pup (hes 8 actually) EVER....my little white fluff......

Allergies in dogs are typically food related or environmental. I have a very itchy breed (Scottish Terrier) and two of the three I've shared my life with have been itchy. Here are things that have helped me; maybe some of these ideas can help you. Both have/had flea bite dermatitis (severe flea allergy). I am finding that the flea treatments (Advantix) for my current dog are not working effectively this year. I've had to retreat at 3-weeks rather than 4 (with vet approval). Even if you are using flea preventative, it may not be working well for your dog. My dog ended up with a staph infection from her scratching. This was a reddish rash on her stomach.

You mention dry skin on your dog. I found that running a humidifier in the room where my dog sleeps helps so much. If the itching is getting worse suddenly, have you turned the heat on in your house? If so, the heat tends to dry out the air and in turn the skin. Adding moisture to the environment is an easy thing to try. You don't want to over bathe your dog. I've heard it recommended not to bathe more than 1 time per month. I do use oatmeal shampoo (I'll put some links at the end of this post). I have to suds my dog and let her sit in the tub with the shampoo on for 10 minutes. I also have an oatmeal conditioner that my vet recommended I thin with water and then spritz her coat periodically between baths. I spritz and brush to get the conditioner down to the skin. You may need to hunt a medicated wipe to use on the oily stomach in between baths.

I add a fish oil capsule to my dog's food each day. This helps her coat. The Drs. Foster and Smith catalog this month had a wonderful article about the differences in Omega 3 and Omega 6 supplements. I couldn't find a copy online, but if you get the catalog look for this. Omega 3s help the skin; omega 6 helps the actual hair. So with a skin problem, you need omega 3.

Foods are a prime culprit of skin conditions in a dog. I was told to use no corn. Most grocery store kibble is primarily corn. It sounds like you've changed to a lower allergen food. I don't know what brand, but I know that Natural Balance (Dick Van Patten) has a duck and potato that is good for allergies. This brand has an L.I.D. (limited ingredient diet) formula that can further help with allergies. Trying to find a food trigger is hit and miss and can be very frustrating and challenging. Also, consider the treats you are feeding. Make sure these are low allergen as well. My male Scottie littleangel had severe allergies to artificial dyes, so many treats caused him problems. Good luck.

Shampoo:
http://www.calvetsupply.com/product/HyLyt_Moisturizing_Shampoo_12oz/Dog_Cat_Allergy_Shampoos
Conditioner:
http://www.amazon.com/Vet-Solutions-Aloe-Oatmeal-Conditioner/dp/B000O5FMFO
Natural Balance LID food:
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dogformulas/allergy.html

 

[Pakey]

I have 2 hairless Cresteds and my very hairless has skin allergy problems. Once my hairy hairless Crested was diagnosed with pancreatic problems and I was forced to put him on a plain diet (roasted chicken or turkey with white rice), the allergies on my other Crested completely went away.

Is it a pain roasting chickens and cutting it up and making rice all of the time? Yes. But it killed two problems at once for me.

Also, my Cresteds get bathed every 3 days with a shampoo I buy online from someone who developed a shampoo specifically for this breed as they are known to have skin issues.

 

[james'mommy]

You might want to start feeding him a food that is human grade. We feed Blue Buffalo which techinally a human can eat (although I wouldn't). It contains no fillers or animal by products.

For the itchiness you can give the dog benedryl. I had a rottie that had food allergies that we couldn't control completely with just eliminating foods. The vet said to give him benadryl for the chewing on his paws. He was 120lbs and he took 100mg a day.

 

[familyS]

We had a short bout with skin allergies with a mixed breed dog.

What worked for us was using Head and Shoulders dandruff shampoo for sensitive scalp, followed by a long rinse, then using Oatmeal shampoo for sensitive skin, followed by a long rinse.

Now, if the problem seems to start coming back, it is time for another double bath"

 

[mamamary]

We use a special shampoo that we buy from the vet. As a pp mentioned our vet also wants us to bathe our dog regularly - usually once a week.

 

[golfgal]

Do you have a rat terrier? Wht brand shampoo/conditioner do you use?

Yes, we have a bRat Terrier . We use Pyoben shampoo and ResiCourt leave on lotion/conditioner. It has helped a lot!!!

 

[elgerber]

Yes, we have a bRat Terrier . We use Pyoben shampoo and ResiCourt leave on lotion/conditioner. It has helped a lot!!!

Thanks! Where do you buy it? My littlest rat is soooooooooooo itchy!

 

[golfgal]

Thanks! Where do you buy it? My littlest rat is soooooooooooo itchy!

We got it at our vet office. The brand name is Virbac.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Allergies in dogs are typically food related or environmental. I have a very itchy breed (Scottish Terrier) and two of the three I've shared my life with have been itchy. Here are things that have helped me; maybe some of these ideas can help you. Both have/had flea bite dermatitis (severe flea allergy). I am finding that the flea treatments (Advantix) for my current dog are not working effectively this year. I've had to retreat at 3-weeks rather than 4 (with vet approval). Even if you are using flea preventative, it may not be working well for your dog. My dog ended up with a staph infection from her scratching. This was a reddish rash on her stomach.

You mention dry skin on your dog. I found that running a humidifier in the room where my dog sleeps helps so much. If the itching is getting worse suddenly, have you turned the heat on in your house? If so, the heat tends to dry out the air and in turn the skin. Adding moisture to the environment is an easy thing to try. You don't want to over bathe your dog. I've heard it recommended not to bathe more than 1 time per month. I do use oatmeal shampoo (I'll put some links at the end of this post). I have to suds my dog and let her sit in the tub with the shampoo on for 10 minutes. I also have an oatmeal conditioner that my vet recommended I thin with water and then spritz her coat periodically between baths. I spritz and brush to get the conditioner down to the skin. You may need to hunt a medicated wipe to use on the oily stomach in between baths.

I add a fish oil capsule to my dog's food each day. This helps her coat. The Drs. Foster and Smith catalog this month had a wonderful article about the differences in Omega 3 and Omega 6 supplements. I couldn't find a copy online, but if you get the catalog look for this. Omega 3s help the skin; omega 6 helps the actual hair. So with a skin problem, you need omega 3.

Foods are a prime culprit of skin conditions in a dog. I was told to use no corn. Most grocery store kibble is primarily corn. It sounds like you've changed to a lower allergen food. I don't know what brand, but I know that Natural Balance (Dick Van Patten) has a duck and potato that is good for allergies. This brand has an L.I.D. (limited ingredient diet) formula that can further help with allergies. Trying to find a food trigger is hit and miss and can be very frustrating and challenging. Also, consider the treats you are feeding. Make sure these are low allergen as well. My male Scottie littleangel had severe allergies to artificial dyes, so many treats caused him problems. Good luck.

Shampoo:
http://www.calvetsupply.com/product/HyLyt_Moisturizing_Shampoo_12oz/Dog_Cat_Allergy_Shampoos
Conditioner:
http://www.amazon.com/Vet-Solutions-Aloe-Oatmeal-Conditioner/dp/B000O5FMFO
Natural Balance LID food:
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dogformulas/allergy.html

OP here!
First off, THANKS everyone, some very helpful things here.

I cannot tell you how much I LOVE this dog, it is insane...thus I feel so stressed to not be able to help him.
I am feeding him the NATURAL BALANCE duck and potato AND also the snacks ONLY. NO table food, no junk, NOTHING else at ALL, so far, its been I think 2 weeks about and I see no more rubbing on his snout on the ground, couches....
It is his underside that is so raw....My DH went to an animal place and they gave him a script medicine bath (without seeing my dog?!?!) anyhow, he insisted I try it...I did and I could have CRIED The dog did not like it at all...he was trying to get it OFF (now let me also say that he is SUCH a good dog and he has no issues with baths or even ear cleaning or anything, so I knew right away NO WAY was this gonna work. ) I washed it right off (F3/s Medically formulated shampoo, $40.) he got so RED from IT...I rinsed him TWICE and gave him a light bath...

Some one asked/mentioned WHERE he licks......He licks his paws and sometimes near his butt and YES, he is white so it has literally turned a beige color in these areas. He also uses his hind legs to scratch his underbelly I swear sometimes it seems like he cannot take a step without stopping to scratch

Re: allergies ......I have ONE area rug in my entire home, really trying to figure this all out......it is driving me crazy...he likes to come into the bedrooms at night , but the scratching sound UGH, a NIGHTMARE for sure I feel so bad for him..........

Well, am thinking I may add the oil to his diet next week....but feel like maybe I should wait another week on this new food (which he also seems to like)
THANKS everyone....will keep ya'll posted!!!

I knew you guys would have some ideas/info

 

[dawson5]

he hasn't been on antibiotics at all lately has he? My mom has a friend whose beagle was on antibiotics for two years (all started because of an itch). Anyways, my mother swears its a systemic yeast infection because of the antibiotics for so long. The owners will not try anything except changing of the antibiotics, which isn't helping and actually making it worse. Might be something to look into.