Evil Mystery Dandruff! >:(

[Chequeredblackdog]

I'm sure this topic has been done to death, but Reggie has dandruff! ARGH!

I've only noticed it over the last couple of days, and one of the 'vet-check' ladies at dog training today mentioned it.

Reggie is a Black and Tan Kelpie, and has a beautiful soft, shiney coat normally. His coat is still shiney and looks good.... apart from all the dandruff!

I can't think of anything that could have caused this.

Diet

-Combo of raw and Holistic select, though the bag I'm using is a different flavour- chicken (I usually use the fish one). I've been using it for more than a few weeks though.

-Fish (tuna, salmon, sardines or a combo of the three) or an egg at least two times a week.

-Fish oil almost daily.

I haven't seen any fleas and a couple of days ago I "Advantaged" all of them. He does scratch a little bit, but not overly so. Though I have noticed he licks himself a bit.

He hasn't been bathed recently (not for months), the last time he went swimming was Thursday.

I can't figure it out! The dandruff looks horrible, so I would like to get rid of that, are there any recommendable shampoos etc? I also know that the dandruff more of a symptom, so need to find out the underlying cause.

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Shampoo in Alloveen and add half a teaspoon of Olive Oil to his dinner each night and that should work.

Maybe you do need to bath more often, in colder months I bath mine every couple of months but in summer it is every couple of weeks.

Depending on where he's swimming, that may not help either. He shouldn't be bathed or allowed to swim 48 hrs either side of flea treatments.

Edited May 6, 2012 by dogmad

[BC Crazy]

My male BC had dandruff about 1 month ago. His coat still looked good but he had dandruff on his rump mainly & he also had a 'funny' smell about him. Smelt like sweaty gym clothes for want of a better

discription. He was licking his feet a bit too. Turns out he is allergic to grain. I switched his dry food to grain free. With in 24 hours, no more smell/ dandruff was also gone in 48 hours & has never returned. His coated now had

never looked better.

[Chequeredblackdog]

Shampoo in Alloveen and add half a teaspoon of Olive Oil to his dinner each night and that should work.

Maybe you do need to bath more often, in colder months I bath mine every couple of months but in summer it is every couple of weeks.

Depending on where he's swimming, that may not help either. He shouldn't be bathed or allowed to swim 48 hrs either side of flea treatments.

thanks I will try giving him a good bath, so far I haven't found that he seems to need more regular bathing, he doesn't seem to get a doggy smell, or particularly dirty, and if he does it dries then it all falls off. :)

In regards to the 48 hrs either side, I usually use sentinel or comfortis so usually don't have to worry about that. Though I did make sure it was 48hr from his last swim, which was actually early Wednesday >.< not Thursday, (stupid brain) and he was treated Friday night.

Can grain allergies just pop up? And are there other signs/symptoms I can watch out for? He has been on other foods that have higher grain content and He has never had a problem before?

[Erny]

Can't tell you *why*, but I can suggest you give him a bath/rinse using Calendula Tea. I'd do this before using any shampoo or chemical based stuff, including conditioners. Just bathe in the Calendula Tea, and leave in.

[Erny]

Can grain allergies just pop up?

In my experience, yes. The potential for allergy to a protein/food substance/contact item might be there from the beginning, but the body's organs rid and cleanse. After a while of continuous and/or repeated exposure to the *whateveritis*, the body's organs don't handle it like they might have done, any more, and the toxins become evident on the only remaining organ the body can use to get rid of them .... ie, the skin.

I am so not a Vet, nor a nutritionist, so don't take my words too literally, but this is my very basic understanding of what happens.

ETA: Oh .... and I use Calendula Tea on my own dog with excellent and very quick results.

Edited May 6, 2012 by Erny

[Tara8430]

My girl abbey has had dry skin, been itchy and biting herself along her back. I've been put onto this shampoo by the vet which is a rehydrating shampoo and conditioner, PAW nutriderm and a Food supplement megaderm.

[BC Crazy]

Shampoo in Alloveen and add half a teaspoon of Olive Oil to his dinner each night and that should work.

Maybe you do need to bath more often, in colder months I bath mine every couple of months but in summer it is every couple of weeks.

Depending on where he's swimming, that may not help either. He shouldn't be bathed or allowed to swim 48 hrs either side of flea treatments.

thanks I will try giving him a good bath, so far I haven't found that he seems to need more regular bathing, he doesn't seem to get a doggy smell, or particularly dirty, and if he does it dries then it all falls off. :)

In regards to the 48 hrs either side, I usually use sentinel or comfortis so usually don't have to worry about that. Though I did make sure it was 48hr from his last swim, which was actually early Wednesday >.< not Thursday, (stupid brain) and he was treated Friday night.

Can grain allergies just pop up? And are there other signs/symptoms I can watch out for? He has been on other foods that have higher grain content and He has never had a problem before?

Sonny's allergic reaction to grain did. Just started to have this unusual smell & dandruff all of a sudden. He had always had dry food with grain previously with no issues. Its was really weird. Now grain free diet with 24 hours no more symptoms & he is looking & feeling better than ever.

[TeamSnag]

I put my guys down to change of weather.. them getting there winter coat..

[mollipop]

Google "Ichthyosis".

It is a skin condition common in Europe and now appearing here.

Don't know about your breed, but about 50% of Golden Retrievers tested for it are either affected or carriers.

[CrazyCresties]

Not sure if Cheyletiella mites are present here in Oz, but a few years ago my cocker had an ongoing bout of what I thought was dandruff. After taking him to the vets to be checked, I found out it was Cheyletiella mites - also know as 'walking dandruff'!

A regime of Frontline spray-on, and washing with a shampoo they gave me soon got it under control.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheyletiella

Hope you get to the root of the problem soon :)

[ellz]

Can grain allergies just pop up?

Yes. Dogs (and people too) can develop intolerances to things over time. A way to explain this is to compare the dog/human to a bucket. You gradually drip water into it. After a period of time (depending upon the size of the drips and size of the bucket), it overflows and that is when the symptoms appear.