# Dry Skin



## threefsh

Our V has very dry skin and it's making her itch. I think it's because of our heater drying out the air. We have only bathed her twice in the two weeks we've had her... is that too much? We use baby shampoo (no-more-tears formula). Should we get a humidifier to keep the air more humid? Or should we try a conditioner? (Do they sell dog conditioner?) We have her on Organix puppy kibble but I'm wondering if we should try something else.


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## born36

Unless she stinks don't wash her. I have had my 6 month old pup washed 3 times since we have brought him home. Vs don't tend to stink! Also you can put some fish oil in her dinner to get her skin back on track. About 5 ml once a day should do the trick.


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## Kobi

I only bathe Kobi if he stinks. Once a week is definitely excessive. It should be more like every couple months, maybe. I haven't given Kobi a bath in a loooooong time, he never seemed to need it with all the swimming he did this summer and fall.


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## threefsh

Oops! We will cut back on the baths... I mostly wanted to wash her paws because she tends to step in her poo after she goes potty. :

I think from now on we will just use wipes on her paws. I will try adding the fish oil to her food for the next few days to get her skin re-hydrated. Poor girl... we are learning about Vs the hard way!


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## Aimless1

Fish oil, vegetable oil, corn oil etc will all help with her coat


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## Looney

we used to feed our Irish Setters raw eggs once in a while for their coats? can't hurt to try? I "hear" some kibble will make dogs allergic to certain things so if anything try some other food and see if it goes away?
i've read on here to use baby wipes for their coats once in a while instead of a full bath.


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## harrigab

: I've never washed Ruby yet, she's 5 months old today.. she's deffo more wire haired than smooth haired though and she never seems to get stinky.


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## threefsh

Organix puppy food ingredients:

Organic Chicken, Chicken Meal, Organic Peas, Organic Barley, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Organic Brown Rice, Organic Millet, Organic Flaxseed, Pea Protein, Natural Chicken Flavor, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Salmon Meal, Dried Egg Product, Organic Apples, Organic Carrots, Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacin, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Yeast Culture (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Dried Enterococcus faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus subtilis Fermentation Solubles, Rosemary Extract.

Anyone see any *problem* ingredients in there? It's wheat, corn, and soy free.

Nutritional analysis:

Crude Protein (min.) 28.00%
Crude Fat (min.) 15.00%
Crude Fiber (max.) 3.75%
Moisture (max.) 10.00% 
Calcium (min.) 1.00%
Phosphorus (min.) 0.90%
Vitamin E (min.) 50 IU/kg
Omega 6 Fatty Acids (min.)* 2.50%
Omega 3 Fatty Acids (min.)* 0.45%


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## Looney

WOW! that's alot of things in there, a pup could be allergic to one or more of those?
I've always thought it weird that an animal is "allergic" to things...but hey what can you do right.


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## tanners_mama

I'll 2nd the fish oil and fewer baths that the other posters suggested. Organix is a good food, but if she's still having itchy problems you can try a limited ingredient diet to rule out allergies. Wellness makes a good one for puppies as well as adults.

I have a few friends who have labs with extremely dry skin as well. They swear by a conditioning spray and I would be happy to get the name of it for you if you're interested!


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## threefsh

Yes, please ask them about the conditioning spray! If it doesn't go away in the next week or so we will try another kibble.


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## tanners_mama

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=4243241&lmdn=Product+Type

Nature's Miracle Ultra-Conditioning Spray. They swear by it! Either pick it up quick at Petsmart or you may be able to find cheaper online, but $9.99 isn't too bad.

Hope it works out! Let me know how it goes


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## threefsh

THANK YOU! I will have the hubby pick some up today after work.


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## mswhipple

I poke a hole in a fish oil caplet with a pin and squirt the oil onto Willie's food, about three times a week (M-W-F) -- easy to remember. Also, Willie is a 4-1/2 year-old male, and he only gets two baths a year -- Spring and Fall. That's really all he needs. I touch him up with unscented baby wipes from Costco. I brush his coat with a rubber curry brush. He always looks and smells good! ;D Dogs really only sweat from their paw pads, so they don't get as stinky as humans -- especially Vizslas, with their close coats (very short hair). 

threefsh, it's my opinion that you are overbathing your puppy. Have a look at this video... The Vizsla is the "smell good" dog!

http://animal.discovery.com/videos/dogs-101-vizsla.html


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