Please help! New puppy, very dandruffy and vets closed!

[Justine&Margot]

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Hi, new to the forum... just got a new 8 week mini dachshund. She’s got very bad dandruff and it’s lodged under dense fur. I’ve got her on Barking Mad food, given her an oatmeal bath and tried to brush as best I can with a nail brush ( best I could find but I’ve got a slicker brush ordered).
What can I do? She’s really itchy!

 

[JudyN]

Could you arrange a phone appointment with your vet? Also, would it be worth asking the breeder, as other pups in the litter might be affected?

 

[excuseme]

Too much bathing is not good for the natural oil in our dogs coats, unless you have a mite problem.
Diet can help reduce some/many skin conditions. Have you considered a raw diet? Young puppies are easy to change from kibble to raw, without any problems.

 

[Finsky]

When one of my past dogs had dry skin and 'dandruff', vet recommended addition of few drops of evening primrose oil on her food.....just the 'normal' human supplement sort that one can buy from most shops...nor it does need to be high strength.....or giving some salmon oil..or oily fish in general. It will take few weeks to take time to work in and show the effects but in the long run it is cheap and easy remedy as well as what others have mentioned....not shampooing too often, using only very gentle shampoo and the shampooing action does not need to be that thorough neither, particularly if you are being very regular with the washing. If shampoo is not rinsed off well enough, that too can cause itchiness and dandruff. And do be aware that any scented household products can cause that effect too....so be careful when washing your dog's bedding etc.
Dogs don't sweat like we humans do..so often all you need to be removing is the 'stuff' that may get trapped on the dogs coat..just occasional rinse to get dusty particles off is enough for 'tidying up' the appearance.

 

[merlina]

We've had four puppies over the years all from reputable breeders- yet two out of the four came with mites that became very apparent after a few days- some people believe the stress of changing homes cam depress the immune system and let the little nasties go mad. I'd consult a vet by phone- if poss send a picture of what you're seeing- then send for some puppy friendly anti-mite shampoo that your vet will recommend and follow instructions. I agree it's not a good idea to over bathe a dog- but if the itching is severe you've got to get the puppy comfortable first. Good luck- bet that's one lovely puppy!

 

[Justine&Margot]

When one of my past dogs had dry skin and 'dandruff', vet recommended addition of few drops of evening primrose oil on her food.....just the 'normal' human supplement sort that one can buy from most shops...nor it does need to be high strength.....or giving some salmon oil..or oily fish in general. It will take few weeks to take time to work in and show the effects but in the long run it is cheap and easy remedy as well as what others have mentioned....not shampooing too often, using only very gentle shampoo and the shampooing action does not need to be that thorough neither, particularly if you are being very regular with the washing. If shampoo is not rinsed off well enough, that too can cause itchiness and dandruff. And do be aware that any scented household products can cause that effect too....so be careful when washing your dog's bedding etc.
Dogs don't sweat like we humans do..so often all you need to be removing is the 'stuff' that may get trapped on the dogs coat..just occasional rinse to get dusty particles off is enough for 'tidying up' the appearance.

I’ll definitely try some primrose oil, thanks for the tip!

 

[Justine&Margot]

We've had four puppies over the years all from reputable breeders- yet two out of the four came with mites that became very apparent after a few days- some people believe the stress of changing homes cam depress the immune system and let the little nasties go mad. I'd consult a vet by phone- if poss send a picture of what you're seeing- then send for some puppy friendly anti-mite shampoo that your vet will recommend and follow instructions. I agree it's not a good idea to over bathe a dog- but if the itching is severe you've got to get the puppy comfortable first. Good luck- bet that's one lovely puppy!

I’ve looked carefully- it’s not mites. I suspect it’s poor diet, even though she was from a KC breeder. The food we were given in the puppy pack was a free sample bag of Smart Nutrition and a...tin of Winalot. I’ve only bathed her once, in colloidal oatmeal and I’m loathe to bathe her again soon. Apparently the vets are opening up a bit now and I can speak to someone on Monday!

 

[JoanneF]

You wouldn't see mites - they are too small. All animals have them, you included, but they only cause a problem if they multiply, usually because of illness or stress.

An alternative to primrose oil is coconut oil, which can be rubbed on to soothe the coat as well as added to food.