Canstant scratching/ dry skin.....

Mntngoat · Post by **Mntngoat** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 9:43 am

Is there anything I can supplement Rex's diet with to help alleviate the scratching and dry skin. He is clean, but seems to have a problem with scratching his ears and now I noticed small bumps along one leg, Looks like a rash, and I was hooping there was something I could give him to help end it. The vet can't find anything wrong, but the chewing and scratching can't be comfortable. He is on lamb/ rice pro plan.

Michael

dog dr · Post by **dog dr** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:37 pm

allergy??

Post by **kninebirddog** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 7:51 pm

Try adding a tablespoon of canola oil to his food

Chaingang · Post by **Chaingang** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 11:41 pm

Fish Oil, tabs or liquid can be supplemented to their food also to improve skin and coat.

I agree with dog dr could be a food allergy. Lamb and rice seems like a decent food but I noticed it has corn gluten and whole grain wheat near the top of the ingredients. It's not uncommon for some dogs have similiar problems (dry coat, scratching, dirty ears) with foods that are heavy in grains (mine did). Try a feed with little or no grain (particularly corn) near the top of the ingredients list to see if this changes things. My GSP had bouts with a dry flaky coat and scratching before I switched to Canidae. It's low in grain and high in meats and omega 3's, really made the difference. Scratching discontinued and coat conditions improved dramatically.

Here's a website that reviews many of the different dog foods: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food ... /index.php

Mntngoat · Post by **Mntngoat** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 12:41 pm

thanks chaingaing, I've been trying to find a supplier that carries Canidae for some time!

Michael

Haile · Post by **Haile** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:47 am

Try Arkat Professional Line, VF Complete. I can't say enough good about this feed. I have been using the Enhanced Line on my dogs and they are thriving. This is a feed you should look at:

Holistic Adult Formula is superior canine nutrition because of its unique formulation and manufacturing process. Multiple proteins and fats plus dried vegetables, cranberries, chelated minerals, natural antioxidants and probiotics deliver a broad spectrum nutrient profile that only nature could design.

Chicken Meal, Brewers Rice, Rice Flour, Beet Pulp, Rice Bran, Sunflower Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, a source of Linoleic Acid), Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, a source of Linoleic Acid), Natural Chicken Flavor, Flax Seed, Dried Vegetables (Carrot, Celery, Beet, Parsley, Lettuce, Watercress and Spinach), Dried Egg Product, Brewers Yeast, Dried Cranberries, Fish Oil, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Lecithin, DL-Methionine, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Garlic, Dried Cheese, Garlic, Chondroitin Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Niacin, Biotin, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Menadione Sodium Bisulfate Complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Carbonate, Folic Acid

Crude Protein
M I N I M U M 26.0%
Crude Fat
M I N I M U M 12.0%
Crude Fiber
M A X I M U M 3.50%
Moisture
M A X I M U M 10.0%
Omega-3 Fatty
M I N I M U M .70%
Omega-6 Fatty
M I N I M U M 3.50%
Chondroitin Sulfate
M I N I M U M 70 mg/kg
Glucosamine
M I N I M U M 450 mg/kg

Post by **ezzy333** » Mon Dec 04, 2006 2:48 pm

Boy the people who think a dog needs animal protien and not vegatable should have a field day with this one. Then the people who claim dog foods have fillers should take a shot also. The ingredient list on this one pretty much proves you can make a good food using anything in it they want. Dogs will and do eat most everything and do well on it.

Ezzy

Emptypair · Post by **Emptypair** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:54 am

You might want to look into www.drsfostersmith.com They have a product called "Itch Stop" either alone or in a kit with other meds to help control itching. The product has worked for me on alergy/dry skin itch and the customer service is great too. Good luck...I hate watching them scratch all the time.

Wagonmaster · Post by **Wagonmaster** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 10:52 am

Although pricey, Linatone is very good for coats.

llewgor · Post by **llewgor** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:30 am

http://www.canidae.com/company/storelocator.html

Ezzy can't find cargill ingredients on they're website what's in it?

Post by **ezzy333** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:39 am

I'll try to post it later today.

Ezzy

Post by **ezzy333** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 12:07 pm

Cargill Animal Nutrition from Minneapolis MN

VITAL DIET ULTIMATE PLUS

Crude Protien---Minimum-26%
Crude Fat-------Minimum-18%
Crude Fiber-----Maximum-4%
Moisture---------Maximum-12%

Ingredients:

Meat & Bone Meal, Ground Yellow Corn, Ground Wheat, Poultry Fat(preserved with BHA), Chicken By-Product Meal, Rice Bran, Beet Pulp, Wheat Middlings, Corn Gluten Meal, Soybean Meal, Natural Flavors, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Propionic Acid(preservative), Choline Cloride, Iron Oxide, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Thiamine, Manganous Oxide, Copper Chloride, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Cobalt Carbonate, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Sodium Selenite.

Daily feed is recommended at about an 8oz measuring cup for every 10 lbs of body weight. Of course as most of you know this varies greatly with activitylevel, housing conditions, temperature, and just the difference in dogs. I do feed a little extra oil when I feel the need for extra calories, softening of the stool, or curing a dry coat if it shows up. The dogs love it drittled over their feed.

I've been feeding this for several months now and can see absolutely no differnece from the Diamond Premium I was feeding. Both have done an excellent job and the dogs like them and are doing well. I just like the cheaper cost of this feed and I don't have to drive far to get it.

In my mind it is just another of many good feeds out there.

Ezzy

llewgor · Post by **llewgor** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 2:10 pm

ME (kcal/kg) 4125
ME (kcal/g) 4.13
ME (kcal/lb) 1875
ME (kcal/cup) 468

All Natural Ingredients
Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, White Rice, Lamb Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Herring Meal, Flax Seed, Sun Cured Alfalfa Meal, Sunflower Oil, Chicken, Lecithin, Monocalcium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Linoleic Acid, Rosemary Extract, Sage Extract, Dried Enterococcus Faecium, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract, Inulin (from Chicory root), Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Fermentation Solubles, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Mixed Tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (source of Vitamin C), Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (source of B2), Beta Carotene, Calcium Pantothenate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium Iodate, Folic Acid, D-Biotin, Sodium Selenite, Papaya, Vitamin B12 Supplement.

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude Protein (min.) 24.00%
Crude Fat (min.) 14.50%
Crude Fiber (max.) 4.00%
Moisture (min.) 10.00%
Lenoleic Acid (Omega 6) (min.) 3.70%
Vitamin E (min.) 200.00 IU/kg
Calcium (min.) 1.20%
Phosphorus (min.) .90%
Alpha Linolenic Acid (Omega 3) (min.) .60%
Ascorbic Acid (min.) 50.00 mg/kg
Cellulase (a) (min.) 100 CMCU/kg
Magnesium (min.) 0.14%
pH 6.0

(a) One carboxymethyl cellulose unit (CMCU) is that amount of enzyme which liberates one micromole of reducing sugar (expressed as glucose equivalents) in one minute under the conditions of the assay.

Ezzy I'll stick with this, it may cost more ($28)but I only buy a bag a month for 2 dogs. I know they eat anything I've seen them eat doo doo, but I don't think I buy a bag of that.

Post by **ezzy333** » Sat Jan 20, 2007 3:11 pm

Looks like a good feed. Thats about what I feed also. My two dogs are eating about 4 small cups a day. I have to limit the female as she gets pudgy if you aren't careful but Rush is solid as a rock and I try to get him to eat as much as I can in the winter but he only wants about 2 to 2 1/2 cups a day. Time gets limited to about a cup and a half.

Ezzy

MikeB · Post by **MikeB** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 12:51 am

Mntngoat,

How old is your dog? How long has it been eating the PP Lamb/rice food?

Does your dog have any problem you know of with eating a food with Chicken meal? Yes it could be a food allergy to the PPL/R but maybe not if he has been eating it for a while.

If you change food, I would stay away from Wheat, Corn, Soy, Glutens, by-products etc.

Canidae is only sold in private independent feed and pet stores. NOT at Petco or PetsMart. If you can't find Canidae near you then look into NUTRO Ultra Holistic. http://www.ultraholistic.com

Nutra Ultra should be available everywhere.

A good fatty acid supplement should help your dog with itchy skin.

Post by **ezzy333** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:08 am

There isn't one dog in a thousand that are allergic to dog food. That is an old wifes tale and those that are allergic are just as apt tp be allergic to the meat products as they are the vegetables. Canidae is a good food from what I hear and see but is no better than most other foods as you can see when you poll what people feed. The dry skin at this time of year is almost normal and can be quickly cured by putting a couple of tablespoons of a good oil of most any kind on the feed. Its a good way to add a few calories and help the coat in the winter without upsetting the dogs metabolism by changing dog foods.

I see all of the ads now for holistic feeds and smile as that is exactly what we used to feed our dogs before we found there was a better way. No one developed and manufactured a complete kibbel type of food because it was a poorer feed than we had been feeding. And the proof of the pudding is that dogs live longer, are healthier, and perform better than ever before. These new improved formuli alwys remind me of the ad a few years ago about peanut butter. One of the companies started selling peanut butter that the oil seperated out and came to the top. Their ads were it was new and the reason it did that is because it was so pure. Of course most of the younger people didn't know that is the way all peanut butter did till we learned how to homogenize and it had seperated since peanut butter had been made. But it was sold as new and improved. And again we don't see it much anymore. Must not have been a big improvement but they got a lot of people to change over to it till they also learned that everything that changes isn't necessarily an improvement.

It seems dog food formulation has become one of the modern sports to see who can do something different and develop an advertising plan to sell it to people who seem to be always looking to change. I will quarantee if we could sell dog food to the dogs there would be little changing and the dogs would be healthier because of it.

Ezzy