Husky mix with major skin problems

Ok, I have a 9 year old Husky/Cattle Dog(?) mix. She used to be so beautiful with a fluffy tan merleish coat. Now her skin is red/purple, greasy, flaky, itchy. She has hardly any hair from about the middle of her back to her tail and down her legs. Her face and down her front are kind of red and itchy too, but not as bad as her hind quarter. She tested negative for mange and we keep Frontline on her. I also had her checked for hypothyroidism and that's not it. The vet said it was probably Seborrhea and of course there is no cure, you can only treat the symptoms. I bathe her in Sebolyte as often as I can, but I can't get it under control. I want to be able to make her comfortable until I can offord to take her to a specialist. Does anyone have experience dealing with this problem? :confused:

Glacier might have some exp or knowledge,, she has 26 huskies!!!
I hope you and your baby find something to make this more comfortable!

oh, Lorraine, it's only 21! I haven't snuck in 5 new ones without telling anyone!:p

Have you tried giving her a zinc supplement? Huskies are prone to a condition called zinc responsive dermatosis. It has some similar symptoms to what you are describing, although your dog's sound extreme. Human zinc pills from the drug store will work. I give Muskwa 75mg a day, 100 when he is working. It takes several weeks of consistent dosing to kick in and change the symptoms.

There is also a product call ZinPro that you can sprinkle on their food. I use that for my other sled dogs even though they don't have a zinc problem. Zinc is important in maintaining the health of a sled dogs' paws! http://www.dogfooddirect.com/Zinpro.htm
That site has some more info on ZinPro. I've fed the biscuits too--tasty treats apparently. My dogs love 'em!

Good luck.

Is it possible to OD on Zinc? She weighs about 44lbs, how much would be safe or effective for her? This is a problem that started a couple of years ago, so is zinc responsive dermatosis something that comes on as they get older or does it not descriminate?

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Originally posted by Pit Chick
Is it possible to OD on Zinc? She weighs about 44lbs, how much would be safe or effective for her? This is a problem that started a couple of years ago, so is zinc responsive dermatosis something that comes on as they get older or does it not descriminate?

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To overdose on zinc, she would need a massive dose. If a dog has too much zinc in their system they generally just pee it out. To be toxic, she would have to eat the whole jar of pills at once! Muskwa weighs about the same so those dosages should be safe for your dog. The condition does not discriminate between ages. It can happen at any time.

You got some great advice already. :) I don't have anything to add really, but you might want to try some oatmeal shampoo.

Ok, so I've tried the Zinc, it was only 50mg from the drug store. (The Husky mix and a Pit Bull share the same room.) When I first started the Husky on the Zinc, after a few days, someone had explosive diarrhea in their room. I don't know which one, but I suspect it was the Husky. So I stopped giving her the Zinc for a few days just in case it was her. I started giving it to her again and after a few days someone exploded in their room again, but I don't know which dog cause the diarrhea hasn't continued and they both have normal stools. :confused: Could the Zinc have caused this mess? I'm reluctant to put her back on it now.

I wonder if that is Kia's problem? (She's a Husky/Cattle dog mix too)

She gets a rash on her belly once in awhile and constantly scratches at her muzzle and ears.

The doctor ruled out mange, mites, and fleas.

We just figured it was allergies and put her on an allergy dog food but she still itches.

Recently though the pet psychic said it didn't 'feel' like allergies and Kia's groomer said Kia's skin looked a bit dry.

I talked to a vet tech and they suggested adding more Fish Oil to her diet. So I have been for about a month now and she still itches.

Could she have the zinc and fish oil together?

I tried the fish oil too and it just seemed to make her more red and itchy. :mad: I feed her Nutro, which is supposed to be good for their skin and coat, but not for this one. I'm at a loss.

Try BREWER's Yeast instead. You can find it in pill form at Pet Stores. You can also find it at GNC for the powder form. Avoid the kind with Garlic if possible. Gives them gas.
The Brewer's yeast helps with fleas, coats, and skin. Expect it to take a few days to get into their systems. It gives off an odor that humans can't smell but the fleas can. They don't like it and will get out eventually.
I am worried about the Zinc. That is a metal. It may be causing the hair/skin issues. I have always heard that high zinc will cause baldness.
I also recommend using a brush often and bathing to once a week or 2. Excessive use of shampoos can irratated the skin as well. Some diseases of the skin are "Catchy" so if one has it BOTH will get it.
Good luck!

Step 1 is to ask for a referral to a doggy dermotologist.

Step 2 is to ask the doggy dermotologist if your puppy has Pemphigus which is an auto-immune disease of the skin.

The usual first try for treatment is large doses of Prednisone to suppress the immune system, and along with antibiotics attempt to get the skin to heal. If Prednisone doesn't work, then more potent immuno-suppressent drugs are used.

The doggy dermotologist will want to send a biopsy of the skin off to a Pathology lab that has the expertise to diagnose skin diseases. While waiting on a diagnosis starting on Prednisone, and antibiotics could be a worthwhile thing to do.

Merlin has always had a skin problem (Springer ) I give him zinc, fish oil, and l-lysine. it still requires reg. baths but it keeps the itch and smell down. Vet couldn't figure it out so I started playing around till I hit on this combo hope it helps.

If you need to bath the dog try to use some medicated shampoo or some hibiscrub they vet should be able to give that to you its used for dogs with bad skin conditions and it works really well on them its good for cuts and sore on animals too

I have an aussie shephard that gets itchy and smelly...he is 11 years old, but has like an eczema. He is more irritated as we live in a fully carpeted apartment and he won't sleep on his bed or blankets. So I bathe him using a mild sorbolene based moisturizer...no soap, that aggravates it. Then I use a product called ResiPROX which has oatmeal in it. It is a lotion for skin conditions. You can get it from a vet for about $12. Try not to give the dog anything that he may have allergies to. Dogs are very sensitive to human medicines etc.