Dog soap, shampoo?

[MOwens79]

my 4.5 year old lab has been dealing with a skin issue since April. one vet thought it was a skin infeciton and we have tried antibiotics. another vet in the same office thinks it is an allergy of some sort and we've tried seveal different foods, all to no avail. she next option is allergy shots.

in the meantime, my buddy is itching and scratching like made and has developed heavy dandruff and a dry coat. what shampoo can i use to alleviate the itching and dandruff while we figure out if we have some kind of allergy?

I am not a vet but have you tried apoquel? It works wonders for allergies in dogs but is expensive. If it’s not allergies it could be a case of mange. Especially if your dog has been in contact with dead or wild animals.

We had a dog that came back from the groomer and developed a case of mange after a couple of weeks. The groomer must have groomed a dog with mites and it infected our dog. Our dog developed dry scaley skin and scratched like crazy enough to where he lost most of his hair except on his head. We tried everything changed his food, took away his treats. It was terrible. I ended up washing him weekly with a Chlorhexidine shampoo. It took a long time about a year, but it finally cured it. And all his hair came back.

 

[Quailnerd]

Nothing but water and good food

 

[Weimdogman]

Do you remember which antibiotic was used?

Another possibility could be a mild case of fleas. We had to add a collar to our regimen, because the fleas in our area have started to become resistant to the monthly topical we use. You could have a couple of those getting him and causing a reaction, even if they can't be spotted.

We use Frontline plus year round, but also use a Seresto collar that is good for 8 months.

A vet told me not to essentially double dose like that.

 

[Weimdogman]

My GSP and Vizsla got filthy on a muddy day and I used Davis Grubby Dog shampoo and it worked well. It is a professional grade shampoo. Lathers well and smells great. IMO Davis makes some of the best medicated shampoo's for skin conditions you can buy. You can order online from different retailers or from Amazon.

Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo, 12 oz.

Hypoallergenic and soap-free, with 2% Colloidal Oatmeal and Aloe Vera to soothe, moisturize, and relieve dry, itchy skin.

davismfg.com

That is a good shampoo.

 

[Limitless]

A vet told me not to essentially double dose like that.

Thanks for mentioning that. This combination isn't a double dose, because it is different active ingredients in each of those products, with different modes of action (each product has 2 active ingredients). My vet said this combination was fine.

I am not suggesting that all combinations of different products are okay, even if they are different active ingredients. And I suspect different vets may have different opinions on which ones are okay to use together.

It is a good idea for people ask their vet for recommendations on products that will work best with the vampires ectoparasites where the dog lives and hunts.

 

[FCSpringer]

Perfect coat Oatmeal.

 

[birddude]

Mane and tail is some good stuff. Leaves them silky and shiny. But most of the time I use whatever cheap stuff that smells good.

 

[Wind River]

Always dilute shampoo 1:2 with water. You will get better distribution across your dog and avoid clumps of shampoo. Always rinse well and dry completely to avoid hot spots. Wipe out ears with baby wipes. I only bathe my dog as needed. Most of her baths are during the hunting
season. Use your fingers to check lumps, scabs, small abrasions or cuts.

 

[Dakotazeb]

my 4.5 year old lab has been dealing with a skin issue since April. one vet thought it was a skin infeciton and we have tried antibiotics. another vet in the same office thinks it is an allergy of some sort and we've tried seveal different foods, all to no avail. she next option is allergy shots.

in the meantime, my buddy is itching and scratching like made and has developed heavy dandruff and a dry coat. what shampoo can i use to alleviate the itching and dandruff while we figure out if we have some kind of allergy?

I can't give you any advice on shampoos, but if your dog does in fact have allergies I would go to your vet and get a shot of Cytopoint. It's an injection that is suppose to last from 4-8 weeks. My Brittany is an allergy dog and been shots of Cytopoint for nearly 7 years and it has worked great and we have not seen any side effects. She has been able to go 10-12 weeks between shots. I see someone posted earlier about trying Apoquel. Apoquel and Cytopoint are made by the same company. Apoquel is a pill that needs to be taken every day and cost approx. $90 for a 30 day supply. The Cytopoint shot are costing me about $80 each, but I get by for 2-3 months between shots. Thus it's cheaper and I don't have to deal with a daily pill. Good Luck, skin issues can be a real problem to resolve.