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Since moving north to the cold, Dasher has become rather itchy. I'm feeding him fish oil and that's improved his skin. Its no longer flaking. However, he still has sensitive spots. Even when we're just petting him, he wants to scratch. Know anything else I can be doing? Don't suggest lotion. Too hard to lotion a hairy dog. I've tried.
LOL, no I wouldn't try to lotion a dog, either!
The most common skin issue is allergies. Grain free food helps, as most of the allergies are to grains. Did you change food when you moved up?
Another common issue for skin is protein itch. Protein in the food may be too high. Many grain free foods are 40% protein, and that is too much for my dogs. I stick to about 28% protein and the itching stopped.
Next is laundry detergent. Have you changed what you are using? My Sugar nearly scratched herself into a bald bloody mess before someone asked me if I use Tide, a detergent many pets AND PEOPLE are allergic to. This was after she'd been living here 4 years with no problems! I switched to a 7th Generation natural detergent, buy it at Whole Foods market, and that solved the problem. I did almost 60 loads of laundry in 2 weeks, doing all the pet beds, the sofa throw, our bedding right down to the mattress pads and on up, including the pillows, and then both our summer and winter duds (this happened in September, so we were right at he switching point).
Finally, he could find the indoors with heat on too drying. I list this last as it is rarely the issue, but seeing as you moved, it is a possibility. Can you add a humidifier to the rooms you use most?
Just some ideas, things to try, see what works for your boy.
It may just be the drier air, if nothing else has changed in term of diet, etc. a humidifer, as Sandie mentioned may help him, and you humans as well!
Dry air can definitely make a difference to their skin. It can get really dry in our house too with the furnace running. Like Karen said, if you can run a humidifier it might help.
Dry air is probably it. My skin has been a lot drier. However, he's changed foods several times. He quit eating what I was feeding him when he got here. Hadn't thought about the protein thing. I've been feeding him Proplan turkey and beef canned food. He can't have any dry since his operation. I still haven't found a job so can't buy a humidifier right now. Should I give him a little more fish oil?
How long has he been taking the fish oil Val? Sometimes that type of supplement can take a while to work.
Only been doing it about 2 weeks. I have seen an improvement, though.
Switch his food over to something fishy, too. Chicken and beef can be big alllergins. Jasper eats sweet potato and fish, only. He also takes a omega 3 and a claritin. Together, all that helps about 75%. Right now, in non allergy season, he is pretty good. When we get to prime allergy season, he falls back to about 60%. But, it is a heck of a lot better than what it was.
One of the most common things that cause itching is feeding grains to dogs. If you think of it - they aren't cows. We have been using Taste Of The Wild-Bison for a few years-3,1/2 I think. It has NO grains, no dyes, no additives...It is about $45/30 lb.bag at Tractor Supply. There are other varieties too, but I stay away from the Salmon- was worried about heavy metal contamination, like Mercury. Also if you feed fish oil, you have to worry about the same thing. I had Katy on Nordic Naturals Omega Fish Oil- totally safe. She was on it for six months. Her fur is beautiful. It was about $70/180 capsules...I brought it at the health food store. Hubby's friend had a pitbull with serious skin problems. Nothing worked. We had him switch from a grain food to ours and dog's skin -sores-bumps-rash-all cleared up. It's been 2 weeks. Grain is a CHEAP way for the dog food companies to make more $$$.. Causes stomach issues also.