Itchy, dry skin in dogs

[happybratpack]

Hello

Two of my fur-angels have been itching a lot lately, I gave them showers w/ a moisturizing shampoo a few days ago. Their skin still seems to be pretty dry and they're still scratching a lot. (they don't have fleas or anything like that) I gave them Benadry last night to see if it helped, it just made them sleepy. I was thinking about an Aveeno Oatmeal bath...any ideas or suggestions?

ETA - my skin is pretty dry too, I'm wondering if it's just from the heat in the house and it being dry. Wondering if having a humidifier would help?

 

[luvwinnie]

Our vet gave us a shampoo called EpiSoothe that is great. Youmight want to ask about that.

 

[PlutoPony]

Bathing them again will probably just dry their skin out more, no matter what shampoo you use. Do you have a humidifier you can use to get more moisture in the air for you and the dogs? You might call the vet and see if there's anything you can give them to help with dry skin - at one time I remember adding a small amount of oil to their food to help this kind of thing.

 

[LindaR]

Don't know where you live! I live in the desert and we always have to deal with dry air. Our humidity averages less than 15%. A humidifier may work for you and your doggies. Sometimes their food can be a factor (I adopted a 2 yo german shepherd who was on science diet-her coat was not a shiny black and i switched her to purina proplan puppy for more nutrients, her coat became soft and glossy, and then i switched her to adult formula) and there are also "home remedies" that may help (raw egg or bacon drippings) in their food will work from the inside out.

You might want to check with your vet first to rule out allergies or any other problems and ask his advice.

 

[Chicago526]

My dog used to scratch alot. I had the groomer give her an oatmeal conditioner. Hardly has scratched since!

Since it's winter it could also be caused by the air in your home being too dry. If you have one, plug in your humidifier, or see if you can pick up an inexpensive one if you don't. That will not only help the dogs but the people in the house with dry skin!

 

[Meriweather]

My dog scratched all the time....to the point of raw sores
Dermcaps (an oil) is what out vet recommended and no baths unless necessary. That just dries out the skin.

 

[hiwaygal]

I would agree that it's probably "weather" related (dry air everywhere).

You might consider adding a vitamin supplement to their food (something with Omega-3 fatty acids) to help keep their coats in good condition. I've also started adding a little olive oil to my furbabies' kibble.

Have you already talked to your vet? There are medical conditions that could cause problems too, and you might want to have it checked, just to be sure!