Flight Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 I have a 7yo Pom, she is always itchy after a bath and I've tried several different dog shampoos all with the same result. If I dont wash her for a while (several months) she gets quite flakey (thickish) on her back and thighs. She doesn't seem to have fleas and she doesn't scratch or itch particularly much if I dont bath her. A few baths ago I took her to the vets afterwards, she needed prednisone tabs and antibiotics and the vet told me to use Malaseb. I tried Malaseb the next time and that make her start itching almost straight away. It starts directly under her tail, then her belly and thighs become red and irritated. Her back is ok though. I washed her yesterday with yet another shampoo, and rinsed her for ages, dried her thoroughly and she's just starting to look a bit irritated now. Any suggestions? I really dont want a vet bill every bath. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ams Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 Malaseb can cause allergies in some dogs. Try pyohex. If that doesn't work DOLers swear that Calendula tea is amazing for soothing itchies. Maybe wash her in that. It certainly can't hurt at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted April 12, 2011 Share Posted April 12, 2011 (edited) Malaseb can cause allergies in some dogs. Try pyohex. If that doesn't work DOLers swear that Calendula tea is amazing for soothing itchies. Maybe wash her in that. It certainly can't hurt at this point. I tend to go for the "less is more" approach. IOW, I try the most benign before I reach for the chemical based treatments (although I'm not sure what Pyohex is). So I would try the Calendula Tea wash first. You should see an early improvement if it is going to work so it's not as though you are likely to waste weeks trying and it is also not as though it is a very expensive option. Cheap, yet in my experience, very effective for many skin issues. It does not strip the dog's skin of its protective oils and doesn't harm the natural pH levels. Flight, you said you took her to the Vet who prescribed prednisone tabs and antibiotics. Did the Vet say why she thought Prednisone and Antibiotics were necessary for the flakey skin? Anyway, try the Calendula. My boy has had some very dramatic skin issues - the Calendula Tea washes I gave him proved nothing short of miraculous. It was very quick to soothe the itch and I was amazed at the dramatic improvement in even just the space of 24 hours. Calendula also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities. Edited April 12, 2011 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight Posted April 13, 2011 Author Share Posted April 13, 2011 Hi thanks for the replies, can you buy the Calendula from normal petstores? I'm willing to give it a go! She needed the steroids and AB's last time because unfortunately I'd let it go for 2 days (weekend) and she'd scratched herself silly. It's funny, she doesn't get itchy on the flakey areas after the bath, just on those areas with less hair (tum/thighs/tail). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mason_Gibbs Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 U could try QV wash from the pharamacy, it has no fragrances etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ams Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 Buy Calendula tea from a health food shop. Make it like normal tea, cool and then use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 have you looked into her diet? that amount of flaking is not normal. Calendula tea, or just buy a heap of chamomile tea from the supermarket, make a ice cream container full and wash her in it only, no soap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ESCS Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 We use QV wash with our dog who has skin allergies. We tried all sorts of dog shampoos but like your dog, ours would become even itchier after a bath. QV wash doesn't make him itch and neither does Allergroom. Both doesn't contain fragrance. His skin issues are still there but at least, his bath now gives him some relief. Hydrobaths also seem to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clyde Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 Malaseb can cause allergies in some dogs. Try pyohex. If that doesn't work DOLers swear that Calendula tea is amazing for soothing itchies. Maybe wash her in that. It certainly can't hurt at this point. Pyohex is treatment where infections are present, I wouldn't go near it in this instance. I would try a soothing shampoo such as Aloveen or similar. Even if Aloveen didn't work I would still try another soothing shampoo with totally different ingredients. There is also Aloveen Leave In treatment which is very soothing and will help with the flaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight Posted April 14, 2011 Author Share Posted April 14, 2011 LOL I didn't know Calendula was a tea! I think I have some Camomile around (it tastes awful!) Nekhbet, I did change her diet a year or so ago, just keeping her with fresh food like mince and chicken necks, small beef bones (no tinned stuff) and even away from the dry dog food and dog snacks. I dont really think it made a difference to be honest. I've got some QV wash somewhere, that I used on the horse so I'll try that. She's still a bit itchy from the last wash (about 4 days ago) and red under her tail but I'm putting hydrocortisone cream on that and so far I'm holding off from the vets. And if those dont work, I'll add Aloveen next. Thanks!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 I would spend the money on a dermatologist if you can. She could have problems with some meats too causing her skin to inflame or something you use around her environment could be causing it. It's a step towards a solution then just more trial and error bandaids. If you're near a Myer try Billy Goat unscented goats milk soap Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowanbree Posted April 14, 2011 Share Posted April 14, 2011 My boy is the same and after a lot of trials have found the best thing to use is goats milk soap and completely dry him. By completely dry I mean bone dry far beyond anything I would normally dry them. Haven't had any issues since doing this and I had some really nasty sores. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight Posted April 18, 2011 Author Share Posted April 18, 2011 As an update, I washed her last night in camomile tea and dried her thoroughly. She went crazy with itching about 10 mins later. I tried re-rinsing in cool water, in the end I had to dose her up with phenergan. She was crying and shaking! So off to the vet today. There's no mites or fungal problems. She's to have phenergan for 7 days, and I clipped her right back and I've washed her in sorbolene wash (the chemist said it's the equivalent of QV wash). So far so good tonight, she curled up sleeping with no sign of the frenzy last night. I have found she's less itchy and flakey with her hair clipped right off (but tend not to clip in winter). Does anyone else find this makes any difference? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Fox 001 Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Just to add to the huge array of choices you've already been given I would wash her in a vet grade evening primrose oil shampoo :p I have tried it on quite a few clients dogs with skin problems and find it works well. I know you said you rinse well but that is often a contributing factor to the itching in the first instance, my rule is once I think I'm definitely done I rinse one more time :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 Calendula is not the same as camomile as far as I know. Not sure why you would go and use camomile when no-one confirmed that was worth trying. :D Your dog needs a moisturising shampoo, Aloveen, EPO, Goats milk, whatever. But most importantly thick coated dogs should be blow dried. You need to get all the water away from her skin. Towel drying will not have the same effect. Be careful the water is warm but not hot. You need to check also about whether the diet you are feeding has enough vitamins and minerals to support the skin. You may need to supplement with a balanced omega 6/3 oil- balanced for dogs not people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowanbree Posted April 18, 2011 Share Posted April 18, 2011 As I have said above I spent 3yrs trying everything with my Dash and the only thing that has worked is goats milk soap and comletey dry him. He used to tear chunks out of himself and to took him about 6 weeks to recover Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight Posted April 19, 2011 Author Share Posted April 19, 2011 I'm sure I read Chamomile tea on here ... oh well. Trouble with living in a small country town, you can't easily get your hands on some of this stuff. However she seemed not too bad with the sorbolene wash, and yes I do blow dry her with the hairdryer. I've given her a bit of a clip now so she's easier to dry off. I've gotten some food for sensitive skin and will change her diet over, and will get hold of some goat's milk soap or calendulah tea for the next try (when I'm game!) and I'll keep this thread for all it's suggestions. Thankyou! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherlot Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 i'm assuming you've tried an oatmeal based bath shampoo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 Yep oatmeal ones made her itch as well. I'm now armed with calendulah tea, and goats milk soap... so I'm organised for the next 2 bath trials Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 (edited) Don't forget that what you are doing by using these things is trying to sooth the skin and ease the itch. For example, the Calendula can assist in many cases but it doesn't "cure" the problem. If your dog keeps developing thickish flaky skin then I'd suggest that's coming from within and not necessarily from without. So whilst you are finding a wash that will assist in soothing and not irritating, you need to be looking for the actual cause of the problem. Washing too frequently (ETA : with chemical/soap based washes) can also exacerbate the problem as, although it might remove the flaky skin build up, can send the skin into a pH spin and this can cause the body to over-compensate when trying to restore balance. Also think of your environment (did I already mention this?). Heaters and air-conditioners can upset the natural pH balance as well, especially when there is too much of it (ie the heating/cooling) Perhaps this has been said before. I've followed your thread but may have missed or forgotten some posts. But I'd possibly look at getting a full body blood work-up done. Also look at diet. Edited April 20, 2011 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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