Dandruff?

[Ralbert]

My dog Finn seems to have dandruff. When I take him for long walks or he's pulling a lot on his leash, he usually gets white flakes around the back of his neck. So after our long walk this Saturday I decided that it was time for a bath (which to Finn means run for your life!). Immediately after the bath he was all soft and smelled fresh and clean. But starting Sunday, the dandruff was back, but this time over most of his back! I am positive I got all the shampoo out. Is it possible that he has really dry skin, and I need to be using a moisturizing shampoo?

If anyone has any information on dry skin and/or dandruff I would really appreciate it.

 

[harley03]

What is he eating? Food can sometimes lead to a poor coat and dandruff.

Just a thought .

 

[Krikkit]

Dandruff is a tough one - it's hard to work out if the problem is internal (diet etc), or external (shampoo etc).

Adding some of the good omega oils to his food might help. Or even looking at what you are feeding if this is an ongoing problem.

As far as the shampoo goes, then yes, sometimes if not properly rinsed or too strong it will cause dandruff. You could try a final rinse with a bit of white vinegar added to the water (about a tablespoon of vinegar mixed with 2 litres of water).

Or, if he is not 'smelly', just wash him with water and skip the shampoo. One of my girls, Amy, is 5.5 and I've only ever used shampoo on her once, yet she is clean, smells nice and has a lovely coat. I think over the past three years the others have only been shampooed twice, the rest of the time I just use water.

It is worth mentioning to your vet if it persists. All the best with this

Sharon

 

[Krikkit]

Just had another thought - it may even be your water? A friend of mine had a Dobie who had persistant dandruff when they were on mains water. They moved to a property where they had to supply their own water (rain water), and the dandruff cleared up. She thinks it was the water all along....

Sharon

 

[Ralbert]

Thanks for your feedback. Changing his diet would be a mess. It took me months to find the right food for Finn (in term of normal bowel movement) since I moved to New York City. I might ask my vet what she thinks. On the back of his hindquarters, the skin looks flaky and dry, so maybe its just dry skin all over.

I will keep you posted