westiemum Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 (edited) Hi Everyone, Advice please!!! My sweetest honey of a foster westie arrived tonight after being desexed. He's divine!!! He's 23 months and his birthday is Christmas Day. He has been very neglected - doubt he's ever been to the vet or ever had a clip. His coat I'm sure is not just westie wirey - its in shocking condition - he doesn't seem to have ANY undercoat (it looks like it has been completely hand-stripped but I know it hasn't) and its as dry and harsh as a desert. He also has a skin condition which is improving rapidly on antibiotics. I've started him on some Omega 3-6-9 oil and good tucker. Anyone have any other suggestions which will help his coat??? I'd particularly like him to grow a proper undercoat so he his temperature control is better. I'm going to have him clipped by a very good groomer in a week or so. Any advice really appreciated. Thanks tons Westiemum Edited December 16, 2007 by westiemum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 I think you will see some great improvements with what you're doing. I find Advance Turkey and Rice fantastic for coat growth, but some good quality food, with some sardines and raw eggs should do wonders. Also a trip to the groomers should start to improve coat and skin condition. It's amazing what a bad diet and nutrition can cause to skin and coat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted December 14, 2007 Author Share Posted December 14, 2007 Thanks so much BC - do you know if the Advance Turkey and rice is OK for little guys with skin conditions? (Just want to be a bit careful here - don't want to solve one problem and aggravate another!! Sure you know what I mean). Will start him on the sardines tonight - poor little bugger seems to be starving - and not just for attention either!! Cheers Westiemum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sayly Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 Any chance for a pic or two? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 We groom a number of westies that have poor coats due to no undercoat which can be due to its breeding. You say your groomer is good so i will guess they will understand not to clip it too short,westies with no undercoat clipped short end up with the problems occuring over & over. Everyone will suggest a different product.For our dogs the advance range makes them itch(double coated breed) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted December 14, 2007 Author Share Posted December 14, 2007 Hi Lyndsay You bet!!! When I get my camera back from a friend who's rehoming a friends cat at the moment - hopefully Sunday - want to take some before and after photos so I can map his progress... Stay tuned... Cheers, Westiemum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 For our dogs the advance range makes them itch I fed George Advance for two weeks and it made him itch like nothing else.... took him off it and his skin is back to normal. I know vets who say turkey is a low allergen meat, however was reading something the other day saying it was high allergen and can give dogs diarrhea. Although my guess is that the diarrhea is from the skin not being removed prior? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BC Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 Poor little matey I've never had a problem with the food but have never used on a dog with skin conditions as such. I would probably call the vet and just check whether there is any ingredients you should avoid, and then compare it to the ingredients included. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doggrooma Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 To improve the coat and skin I use GROOMERS EVENING PRIMROSE OIL Shampoo. Its got no nasty chemicals and can reverse skin coditions that dogs are on quartersone for, in other words its pretty good stuff!! They also make Royal Jelly Shampoo, for coat growth. Id get your groomer to do a nice 4# or 5# if not too matted all over, no skirt, just untill the skin and coat settle. As for diet I use and reccomend Eagle Pack, Fantastic!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted December 14, 2007 Author Share Posted December 14, 2007 Thanks settrluvr and dru - really appreciated. Yes I know to make sure he isn't clipped too short - that happened to my boy rescue westie by a well-meaning groomer before I got him and he's now the opposite of this new boy - he has an undercoat and no top coat and looks like a bit of a fluff ball at the best of times!!! Interesting that you should mention breeding - I did wonder about that. To be honest I don't think he is a terribly good example of the breed but all the same he's an absolute honey and will make someone a wonderful pet in the new year. Thanks again Westiemum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted December 14, 2007 Author Share Posted December 14, 2007 Thanks BC - that's a very god suggestion - will ring the vet in the morning and ask. Thanks you too dogarooma - will hunt up a good shampoo for him as you suggest. No at least he isn't matted and hasn't got a skirt anyway - so I'm grateful for small mercies!! Thanks again Westiemum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Time Puppy Owner Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 The question is what colour as the paw pad hairs or between his hind legs. I have had advised recently for my GR to add evening primrose oi,l tablets daily to his diet ( perhaps a smaller tablet - mine on 1000mg, I understand dependant upon the poo) as he has skin issues too, plus zinc daily kelp every second day, to boost his immune system apple cidar vinegar in his water or food! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted December 14, 2007 Author Share Posted December 14, 2007 (edited) The question is what colour as the paw pad hairs or between his hind legs.I have had advised recently for my GR to add evening primrose oi,l tablets daily to his diet ( perhaps a smaller tablet - mine on 1000mg, I understand dependant upon the poo) as he has skin issues too, plus zinc daily kelp every second day, to boost his immune system apple cidar vinegar in his water or food! Thanks FTPO - yes thanks for good advice - he had his first experience of Apple Cider Vinegar tonight!! (Not sure he liked it much!! Aah well he'll get used to it!!). BTW his paw pad hair is quite red...??? Cheers Westeimum Edited December 14, 2007 by westiemum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheree_e4 Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 (edited) HILLS Z/D is very good for skin conditions, especially dogs with dermodex, I have seen the results first hand otherwise I would not reccommend it. ETA - Dogs with itchy skin usually have a Food allergy and intolerance can be mild to severe and may include painful problems with the skin, ears and digestive tract. These responses, also known as adverse reactions to food, are usually a response to protein in the food. If you want more info PM me. Edited December 14, 2007 by sheree_e4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted December 14, 2007 Author Share Posted December 14, 2007 HILLS Z/D is very good for skin conditions, especially dogs with dermodex, I have seen the results first hand otherwise I would not reccommend it.ETA - Dogs with itchy skin usually have a Food allergy and intolerance can be mild to severe and may include painful problems with the skin, ears and digestive tract. These responses, also known as adverse reactions to food, are usually a response to protein in the food. If you want more info PM me. Thanks Sheree - have pm'd. Cheers, Westiemum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 What are you feeding now. Personally i would use hills in a pink fit ieven there z/d diet has certain ingredients known to be skin issue food. What are you feeding now & do you feel there is improvement??If you feel the dog is doing well on your diet then i would stick to it. For our double coated dogs we simply bath in either selsum blue or heads & shoulders & especially any dogs with skin issues via grooming we also use this & found it to be way better than the dog range . His coat could be wirey as hes started to self strip.If the dog hasnt been groomed whilst not being big shedders the coat will eventually die & could also have had fleas.. Most vets will say the hills range which i think is far to expensive & doesnt work that well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
First Time Puppy Owner Posted December 14, 2007 Share Posted December 14, 2007 I'm sure you know this already WM but that pink orange tinge means they have allergies - sorry so new to this and this trying to figure out how to help my boy stop itching! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted December 15, 2007 Author Share Posted December 15, 2007 Morning Everyone, Thanks so much for your help. I've just rung the vet as BC suggested and discussed it with them - they know my other two westies very well and are familiar with how I feed them as they helped me devise the routine in the first place!. As they believe that the fosters skin probs are infected (hence the antibiotics) they suggested to feed the new foster (who arrived last night) the same as my other two westies - just give him a bit more to put some condition on him. (Suggested we could try a commercial skin allergy food later if he needs it to put on condition but not necessary at the moment - would rather see how he goes). My other two westies are both desexed (of course!) and put on weight at the drop of a hat, while my new foster boy needs to put some condition on. My two Westies are fed a barf diet and seem to do pretty well on that - no colours, preservatives, flavours or carbohydrates - and I use chicken necks, veggies, fresh meat a couple of times a week, cans of sardines and mackeral, bones (marrow and beef) and the commercial barf patties, the ingredients of the beef variety are: Beef (or kangaroo depending on variety) , finely ground chicken bone, beef liver, whole egg, fresh yogurt, veggies, dried alfalfa leaf powder, ground flax seed meal, beef kidney, beef heart, beef tripe, fruit, dried kelp powder and garlic. They have plenty of moisture in them and no carbohydrate, crude protein 11%, crude fat 11%. They also 'snack' on fallen apricots from the tree in the back yard at this time of year He's back at the vet in two weeks to have his desexing stiches out so I can weigh him again then to see how he's doing. So any further comments, suggestrons?? Thanks tons. Cheers, Westiemum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 we dont use beef as that is a major cause of skin issues We use mutton or roo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westielover Posted December 15, 2007 Share Posted December 15, 2007 Hi Westiemum - he'll come good with the BARF diet - don't go anywhere near commercial food for him. BARF is doing wonders for your westies (and mine) - so I am pretty certain it will do wonders for your foster boy. Sounds like his immune system needs a boost and the BARF diet is a excellent start to strengthening his immune system. One other thing to keep in mind - DO NOT vaccinate him while he is in this condition. It will only weaken his immune system. I'll give you a call later today to have a chat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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