Question for Dog Lovers and Vets Alike--Homemade Dandruff Cure?

[JerseyJanice]

Our lab mix puppy has black fur (except for a pretty star on his chest). He also gets dandruff that really shows up and looks ugly.

His vet has sold us something called Derm Caps to cure it. It works well, provided we use it every day. Three squirts into his food daily is what it takes.

But man, it's expensive! Costs $21 for a bottle that lasts about 2 months.

Does anyone know of a "home" cure for dog dandruff? Frankly, I don't spend $21 every other month on my own hair care.

 

[Princess Michelle]

You could dye his fur white, then you wouldn't be able to see it.



I know, I am very helpful, there will be no charge for this session.

 

[chell]

Originally posted by Princess Michelle
You could dye his fur white, then you wouldn't be able to see it.



I know, I am very helpful, there will be no charge for this session.

You are such a nut!

Sorry, but I don't have any tips either. But I'd be interested in the answer.

 

[phillybeth]

Try fish oil. What you are looking for are the essential fatty acids, omega-6 and omega-9 I think. Flaxseed would work too. You can get either at a health-food store.
Human dandruff shampoo can be used on dogs.

 

[christineann]

Have you checked him for allergies? Labs are very prone to allergies, and we found that switching our black lab Jake to a lamb and rice dog food helped a lot.

 

[siouxsieQ]

Our dog gets dandruff too. We have some doggy shampoo that is for dry skin/dandruff. It seems to work well. You might want to try that.

 

[phamton]

Originally posted by christineann
Have you checked him for allergies? Labs are very prone to allergies, and we found that switching our black lab Jake to a lamb and rice dog food helped a lot.

What brand did you switch to? Our black lab has a nice shiny coat and no dandruff but does get little bumps that look like fireant bites. (they aren't because he is a house dog.) Our vet said it was allergies and we give him antihistimines. I wondered about switching dogfood and would certainly like to give it a try.

 

[Cindy B]

Our Lab (and poodle for that matter) eat the IAMS Lamb and Rice dog food.

I've never seen dandruff on either dog. (They are both black, so it would be pretty noticeable)

Yes, the dog food is a little more expensive. But we priced it out at BJ's and buy it there, instead of other stores. We are still using the same "stash" we bought in November. (2 44 pound bags)


I know what you mean about the cost. The poodle needs to get groomed at the tune of about $50 per grooming. I don't spend that much on a haircut for me either.

 

[christineann]

We alternate between the Harris Teeter store brand lamb and rice dry food and the Purina (both ok'd by the vet). We also give him Moist & Meaty lamb and rice soft food. He hasn't had any skin problems since we switched him. The vet gave us some cortisone cream to put on the dry spots when we switched. Good luck - I hope this gives your pup some relief.

 

[DocRafiki]

There are cheaper brands of fatty acids. Derm Caps are well-respected, and the cheaper brands will not have been scientifically formulated or studied, but you might get lucky with one of them.

Eukanuba foods have fatty acids (at the right ratios) added to their foods, so switching to that would take care of skin via 2 separate routes... the EFAs (fatty acids) AND the higher quality/less allergenic food components.

Iams is the "downgraded" product put out by Eukanuba. While it's the best thing you can buy at the grocery store, it is still "grocery store" quality and contains ingredients of a lesser quality than your premium brands (Eukanuba, Sci Diet, Waltham). I believe they're now including EFAs in most of their products, so you still might be able to stop the Derm Caps if you go on these foods. It should be noted that the concentration of EFAs in these foods will never meet what you can give in capsule/pour-on form.

I believe Hill's Science Diet Sensitive Skin formula also has the fatty acids, but I'm a big fan of Eukanuba due to having a combination of additives for multiple problems.

You can also get shampoos that contain EFAs and ones that are keratolytic (stop dandruff). You shouldn't use human dandruff shampoos repeatedly, though a few times won't hurt. However, from my personal experience w/them, I wouldn't use them on my pet due to the discomfort they can create.

DVM HyLyt is a great EFA shampoo and is sold OTC at Petsmart. Any other shampoo of that quality will probably only be found at a vet clinic. (It's not keratolytic, so for severe problems, you'll need something better from your vet.)

 

[phillybeth]

DocRafiki, I am wondering about the discomfort you are talking about with dandruff shampoos. I have used them for years and never had any problems. My vet is the one who recommended human dandruff shampoos, and I have used them many times on dogs with skin conditions with no apparant discomfort. I foster for a rescue group and we get many many dogs with untreated allergies and other skin conditions- in fact I am fostering one right now who has allergies so bad the vet originally suspected Cushing's.

 

[DocRafiki]

Originally posted by phillybeth
DocRafiki, I am wondering about the discomfort you are talking about with dandruff shampoos. I have used them for years and never had any problems.

I use Denorex for psoriasis, and it burns even the healthy part of my scalp if I leave it on too long. It's not a burn that would make one cry or whimper, but I still wouldn't want to cause any undue comfort to my pets when there are other alternatives.

 

[Kallison]

So Jen - do you not recommend the grocery store brands for dogs even without skin problems?

Would EFA's help with shedding? My yellow lab just sheds gobs and gobs of hair all year long. We tried a bottle of Shed-Stop but it didn't seem to help and also very expensive. I think a $15 bottle was gone in 2 weeks. He has more of a fluffy coat than a typical lab oily slicked down coat. When he gets a bath it is very wavy and falls out in clumps. Thanks for the advice!

 

[DocRafiki]

Originally posted by Kallison
So Jen - do you not recommend the grocery store brands for dogs even without skin problems?

Food or shampoos? Either are ok if your pet is healthy. As for foods, I would only feed Iams or Purina from the grocery store, maybe Pedigree. I still wouldn't feel comfortable giving a large breed puppy anything but premium food, and I usually tell people to switch to premium at around age 6. There's no study to support that; it's just what I feel comfortable doing. Most older dogs are going to need cartilage protectants, all pets can benefit from antioxidants, most older cats will benefit from decreased proteins, and of course all pets can benefit from tartar control from puppy/kitten-hood. You're only going to find those in the better brands (I know Iams is planning on eventually including these things in their cheaper foods; I'm not sure if they've done it yet; but, their newest and best research & technology always goes into the premium foods).

 

[DocRafiki]

Originally posted by Kallison
Would EFA's help with shedding?

Some EFAs advertise that they decrease shedding, and there have been anecdotal reports of it helping (which means it might just be somebody's wishful thinking). But, the last I read, there's been no documented proof of it working.

If your dog doesn't have bald spots or thinned hair, then its shedding is normal. Get a good brush and a good vacuum cleaner.

 

[msdis]

To the op-vegtable oil or olive oil on their food works real good.