Small flakes from my itchy dog!

[starshrike]

I apologize that I can't really reply to everyone individually! Yay for thousand dollar 'free' dogs! I seem to attract the 'special needs ones'. The dog prior I adopted as 1.5 yrs old, VERY POOR SOCIALIZATION and kept outside only. He was scared of everything (except other dogs, then he was uncontrollable). He also had a bunch of quirks.

Thanks for all the replies - I already have been planning to switch his food. The issue now is seeing what my local momnpop store carries or can order. California Natural has one of the shortest and simplest list of ingredients and I believe it is a brand they carry. I kept rice as a potential ok grain as "most" dogs aren't allergic to it, but already nixed corn and wheat. I was already considering EVO, Wellness Super5, and Holistic Select as prime choices. I am dabbling with some other top rated foods. As mentioned by others, I do NOT want to food hop. He's my third dog and I know better than that. Again, I had my other two on Nutro and they were perfect.

I didn't think it looked like skin as it wasn't the flakey dandruff he had when he was younger. These are pale orange/yellow and have some thickness to them. I never find these flakes on him either! I've tried splitting them in half with my nail. Not crunchy, but brittle. They don't look like mites either. Other than the itching and those odd flakes there's really nothing else to describe.

Now to answer some questions:
Fleas were only when he was a puppy - this was resolved in a month. Bathing more frequently with soothing shampoos (no flea dips as he was young), frontline.

The vet hadn't recommended a skin biopsy, I think they thought he'd grow out of it. I will ask if switching his food does not work.

I am home at least 50% of the week (I am still working 100% of the time) and he has 'free range' of about half the house. Other than my hair and his hair he doesn't eat anything unusual. If I am not home, into the crate. He does get some pieces (small) off his rope toys, nylabones and such.

His coat is not the softest, but he has a double coat and the top is coarse guard hairs. I never see the flakes ON him, only off so not sure where they're coming from.

He does he have any raw favored spots or welts.

I do not use any chemicals on my lawn (no lawn). Potentially when I walk him through the neighborhood they do, but he's 95% on the sidewalks. Anything else in my yard is as organic as I can grow it. He's also supervised when in yard.

I have washed his beds - I still use detergent but very small amounts. I can eliminate this.

He has chewed on wood products, but that has stopped. (cardboard, napkins, pressboard, solid pine bedframe...)

I considered AvoDerm for the benefits of the skin, but there were too many questions regarding feeding avocados...

 

[key west chick]

Just a thought, are the flakes really flakes like dandruff? Since you don't see them on the dog and he was heavily infested with fleas could they be dried tapeworm segments or eggs? They would look like little tiny tan dried grains of sesame seeds.Sentinal does not control tapeworms. I used to find "things" in my cats bed and he had tapeworms.

 

[starshrike]

Quote:
I never thought they were dandruff, they were more grainy than flakey. He HAD bad dandruff as a pup, but that has reduced down to regular itching.

When I searched about the tapeworm in dogs, the description sounds exactly like what I find. Not like grains of rice, but sesame seeds. He was probably infected when I first got him and the dewormers just didn't work fully. I am however glad to hear that it is not the same species of tapeworms that can affect me! He occasionally gets to sleep on my bed :|

I guess another trip to the vet is in order! As it sounds like these two symptoms are mutually exclusive, I am still going to change his diet. Hopefully the itching will cease then.

Has anyone done allergy testing on dogs? Is this helpful and will it help with determining what grains/meat to avoid?

Thank you all for helping my special pup. He's a doofus and when he walks around his ginormous ears bounce up and down, kind of like an elephant.

 

[Pupsnpullets]

Is it possible your poor itchy pup is allergic to the parasite meds you're giving him? I agree that changing the food is a great idea and, since this is the BYC site, had it occured to you to crack and egg over his food every other day or so? Eggs are terrific for the skin.

 

[ams3651]

Quote:
the California Natural is what I use. I get it from the local pet store, I believe in buying from the little guy if I can. It has the shortest ingredient list of any manufactured dog food. She eats less because its better quality. She used to eat Beniful, when I bought this I put it side by side in the bowl and she ate this. And her coat is nice soft and shinny.

 

[warcard]

My parents Westie was itchy from day one 8 wks (BAD breeding, I tried to help them find a good breeder, but anyway, on to your problem)

The allergy testing does help, but most vets won't do it until the dog is a year old, since they say that dogs don't show allergies until then. You will have to really push to get them to do the test earlier than that, and the test will need to be repeated periodically, especially if you give the allergy shots. The shots will help the dog combat the primary allergens and as they build up resistance other allergens will appear at the top.

It can also help tell you if the dog only has a food allergy or a contact allergy (pollen, grass, etc.). The contact allergies are normally where they recommend the shots.

Hope you pup feels better.

 

[tvtaber]

http://www.healthfoodforpets.com/teamtaber/

This is the food we use. My dog's obsessive itching got better and was fully cleared up after I used their spray on him. I can sleep again and it is factastic!!

 

[tvtaber]

http://www.healthfoodforpets.com/teamtaber/

This is the food we use. My dog's obsessive itching got better and was fully cleared up after I used their spray on him. I can sleep again and it is fantastic!!