My Dog Has Developed Dry, Flaky Skin. I Can’t Afford A Visit To The Vet. Any Home Remedies Out There?
He scratches alot so it must be itching too.
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20 Responses to “My Dog Has Developed Dry, Flaky Skin. I Can’t Afford A Visit To The Vet. Any Home Remedies Out There?”
bluebonn on February 11th, 2010 at 2:01 pm
Brushing helps stimulate the skin & will help get rid of the flakiness.
Bath him with special itch shampoo & use an apple cider vinegar rince. The vinegar will help with both the itchinss & the flakiness.
I have a dog with the same problem & the shampoo & the vinegar has helped him a lot. He has started growing his coat back & is not as itchy.
I have used apple cider vinegar for many problems & it has an healing effect on many things.
Dilute the vinegar by half if there are raw places & you can use it full strength if not. The smell goes away after a short period of time.
I buy the vinegar by the gallon cause I use it for so many things.
Well, he might have allergies. The best thing to do would be go to the vet but since that is out, you should go to a pet store and buy some oatmeal shampoo that is hypoallergenic. Make sure to thouroughly wash it out of the fur without scratching the skin more.
If the dog is itching one spot all the time and it is bleeding and he is losing fur then he has a hot spot and you need to go to a vet and get meds for it.
kiwi gal on February 11th, 2010 at 7:47 pm
how about oatmeal shampoo
Jake on February 11th, 2010 at 7:56 pm
You could try moisturizing shampoos and lotions. But I would really take him to the vet.
Daniel is due 27/3/09 on February 11th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
then why have a pet they are a luxury and not a necessity would you be saying the same if you needed a doctor i don’t think so.
be a proper owner take him to the vet
kj on February 12th, 2010 at 3:52 am
Talk to the people at PetSmart. They have consultation vets on staff at most of the stores,. And they have a whole lot of products. There might be a certain kind of shampoo you could use that would help.
blessed1 on February 12th, 2010 at 10:46 am
Walmart has some liquid $8 and pills $3 for skin supplements for dogs. Her dog was having skin problems and it has helped him a lot. She is giving him both supplements because they have different ingredients. Good Luck =)
Chocohol on February 12th, 2010 at 2:48 pm
You could buy some coat conditionars at your local pet store.
He also could be allergic to something in the grass/air.
If the coat conditioners don’t work, try calling a vet office for advice on giving your pet some basic allergy medication. I gave my dog children’s benadril for her grass allergy – I gave her the recommended amount for her size that my Vet advised me to give her. Always call a vet before self medicating your pet.
Jennifer on February 12th, 2010 at 9:16 pm
A visit to the vet probably isn’t called for just yet anyway. Go to PetSmart and get a shampoo that is specifically made for dry, flaky skin. The shampoo I use on my dogs is called “RELIEF”, and it works wonderfully. It’s for itchy, flaky pups, you can use it as needed, and I usually end up bathing my dogs in it twice a week. It has no soap in it, which will only end up irritating the skin and drying it out even more. Don’t buy the cheap store brands, because in this case, you get what you pay for. It’s a bit pricey (about $15 for a bottle), but it is cheaper than a vet visit.
sleepyho on February 13th, 2010 at 2:58 am
Really, next time you get a pet, make sure you can afford the upkeep. He could have allergies to your carpets, floor cleaners, washing powder/liquid that you use on his bedding, he could have a hormonal imbalance, he could have an infection. The oatmeal bath is one option, and another is giving him cod liver oil tablets once every mealtime. You don’t say what you’re feeding him on. That may be the culprit, it may be deficient in vital nutrients. Do you have other animals? Does he have flea and tick medication? I understand it’s difficult for you, try and find a vet who will work with you on payment instalments rather than paying up front. Of course, you shouldn’t just leave and forget the bill, but stretching it out might help.
jessica_ on February 13th, 2010 at 4:57 am
Try bathing him in Oatmeal Dog Shampoo and switching his food to Lamb & Rice, I had the same problem, and I was told this remedy by more than one person, and it worked. After you switch the food, should take about a week to notice a change.
Good luck!
DaBasset *do not feed trolls* on February 13th, 2010 at 5:38 am
There are many things that could be causing this, some are serious, some are not. Unless you know what is causing the problem, it’s impossible to know how to fix it.
See the vet.
purple_p on February 13th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
There are dog shampoos on the market to help with skin problems such as this. BUT, if he is itching to the point his hair is falling out, or causing scabs, there is a good chance he may have sarcoptic mange. Try a dog shampoo for itching and flaking (from WalMart) and mix a little baby oil in with the rinse water. He could also be allergic to something. Check him CLOSE for fleas. Could also be mites. There are some cheap but helpful remedies at most farm stores or pet supply stores
Shadow's Melon on February 13th, 2010 at 2:32 pm
Your dog could have just dry skin, or fleas, or allergies. Your dog needs to see a vet to be properly diagnosed and treated.
When people choose to own a pet, they need to be able to handle the financial responsibility that goes with that, including unexpected medical care.
If you can’t afford a 35.00 vet visit – how can you afford to go out and try a jillion “home remedies” that people recommend that probably won’t work because none of us know what is causing the problem??!!
Let’s see: it could be his food. Maybe you need to swtich to a non-filler no corn no wheat no dye food. Ooops, those are more expensive . . .
It could be fleas: how are you going to afford Advantage or Frontline?
It could be mange: need a vet and treatment, oops, how are you going to afford that?
What if your dog was seriously seriously injured? Meaning, it gets in a fight, has an accident with a sprinkler, steps on a nail, gets hit by a car etc? All of those things have happened to people I know with their dog and all of those things require a major trip to the vet and major bills.
It makes me so mad that someone that has a computer (how much did that cost you?) and the internet (what’s that run you) sits here on YA and says “I can’t afford a visit to the vet”. You CAN afford a visit, you are CHOOSING to spend your money on other things. So obviously having the internet is more important to you than your dog.
DP on February 13th, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Yeah, quit bathing him all the time.. Better dog food, fresh clean water.. And Omega 3 oils in the diet.
sue2blue on February 13th, 2010 at 8:55 pm
If it is all over you could try putting some (a teaspoon) of corn oil in with it’s food. You can try switching to a food that has oils in it to promote healthy skin and coat. I have a cocker spaniel whose skin was dry and flaky. I changed her to Nutro Natural Choice products at friends recommendation and noticed a huge difference. Check out their website:http://www.nutroproducts.com/
Robyn E on February 14th, 2010 at 2:13 am
I feel the same way , if you cannot afford to take it to the vet then why have one . it deserves the right to able to have medical treatment.
But there are some shampoos that can help dry skin most tea tree and aloe vera based shampoos, but make sure the dog is properly rinsed as this can cause the dryness in the first place
Robyn
Zambiti on February 14th, 2010 at 3:33 am
Sounds like an allergic reaction. Anything new in his environment (new food, treats, carpeting). Probably something he is ingesting if it is all over. First thing to try would be changing his food for a couple weeks to see if it clears up. Completely different brand. Food companies can change ingredients without changing packaging, so it is hard to tell even if you haven’t changed food unless you try something different.
If it doesn’t seem food related and gets increasingly worse, it may be time to see the vet. It could be mange or ringworm. Call the vet ahead and ask about pricing and explain your situation, maybe they will set up payments.
hummi226 on February 14th, 2010 at 3:39 am
Sounds like it may be an allergy. Have you changed his diet lately? Possibly have fleas? Go to a farm supply/feed store. In the horse section there will be some stuff, not sure of what it is called right off hand, it is made for horses that get rain rot. If it in a clear bottle and it is yellow once it is shaken up well. It smells sort of like beef jerky. It will help moisturize the skin, but you will need to correct whatever is causing the itching.
Brushing helps stimulate the skin & will help get rid of the flakiness.
Bath him with special itch shampoo & use an apple cider vinegar rince. The vinegar will help with both the itchinss & the flakiness.
I have a dog with the same problem & the shampoo & the vinegar has helped him a lot. He has started growing his coat back & is not as itchy.
I have used apple cider vinegar for many problems & it has an healing effect on many things.
Dilute the vinegar by half if there are raw places & you can use it full strength if not. The smell goes away after a short period of time.
I buy the vinegar by the gallon cause I use it for so many things.
Well, he might have allergies. The best thing to do would be go to the vet but since that is out, you should go to a pet store and buy some oatmeal shampoo that is hypoallergenic. Make sure to thouroughly wash it out of the fur without scratching the skin more.
If the dog is itching one spot all the time and it is bleeding and he is losing fur then he has a hot spot and you need to go to a vet and get meds for it.
how about oatmeal shampoo
You could try moisturizing shampoos and lotions. But I would really take him to the vet.
then why have a pet they are a luxury and not a necessity would you be saying the same if you needed a doctor i don’t think so.
be a proper owner take him to the vet
Talk to the people at PetSmart. They have consultation vets on staff at most of the stores,. And they have a whole lot of products. There might be a certain kind of shampoo you could use that would help.
Walmart has some liquid $8 and pills $3 for skin supplements for dogs. Her dog was having skin problems and it has helped him a lot. She is giving him both supplements because they have different ingredients. Good Luck =)
You could buy some coat conditionars at your local pet store.
He also could be allergic to something in the grass/air.
If the coat conditioners don’t work, try calling a vet office for advice on giving your pet some basic allergy medication. I gave my dog children’s benadril for her grass allergy – I gave her the recommended amount for her size that my Vet advised me to give her. Always call a vet before self medicating your pet.
A visit to the vet probably isn’t called for just yet anyway. Go to PetSmart and get a shampoo that is specifically made for dry, flaky skin. The shampoo I use on my dogs is called “RELIEF”, and it works wonderfully. It’s for itchy, flaky pups, you can use it as needed, and I usually end up bathing my dogs in it twice a week. It has no soap in it, which will only end up irritating the skin and drying it out even more. Don’t buy the cheap store brands, because in this case, you get what you pay for. It’s a bit pricey (about $15 for a bottle), but it is cheaper than a vet visit.
Really, next time you get a pet, make sure you can afford the upkeep. He could have allergies to your carpets, floor cleaners, washing powder/liquid that you use on his bedding, he could have a hormonal imbalance, he could have an infection. The oatmeal bath is one option, and another is giving him cod liver oil tablets once every mealtime. You don’t say what you’re feeding him on. That may be the culprit, it may be deficient in vital nutrients. Do you have other animals? Does he have flea and tick medication? I understand it’s difficult for you, try and find a vet who will work with you on payment instalments rather than paying up front. Of course, you shouldn’t just leave and forget the bill, but stretching it out might help.
Try bathing him in Oatmeal Dog Shampoo and switching his food to Lamb & Rice, I had the same problem, and I was told this remedy by more than one person, and it worked. After you switch the food, should take about a week to notice a change.
Good luck!
There are many things that could be causing this, some are serious, some are not. Unless you know what is causing the problem, it’s impossible to know how to fix it.
See the vet.
There are dog shampoos on the market to help with skin problems such as this. BUT, if he is itching to the point his hair is falling out, or causing scabs, there is a good chance he may have sarcoptic mange. Try a dog shampoo for itching and flaking (from WalMart) and mix a little baby oil in with the rinse water. He could also be allergic to something. Check him CLOSE for fleas. Could also be mites. There are some cheap but helpful remedies at most farm stores or pet supply stores
Your dog could have just dry skin, or fleas, or allergies. Your dog needs to see a vet to be properly diagnosed and treated.
When people choose to own a pet, they need to be able to handle the financial responsibility that goes with that, including unexpected medical care.
If you can’t afford a 35.00 vet visit – how can you afford to go out and try a jillion “home remedies” that people recommend that probably won’t work because none of us know what is causing the problem??!!
Let’s see: it could be his food. Maybe you need to swtich to a non-filler no corn no wheat no dye food. Ooops, those are more expensive . . .
It could be fleas: how are you going to afford Advantage or Frontline?
It could be mange: need a vet and treatment, oops, how are you going to afford that?
What if your dog was seriously seriously injured? Meaning, it gets in a fight, has an accident with a sprinkler, steps on a nail, gets hit by a car etc? All of those things have happened to people I know with their dog and all of those things require a major trip to the vet and major bills.
It makes me so mad that someone that has a computer (how much did that cost you?) and the internet (what’s that run you) sits here on YA and says “I can’t afford a visit to the vet”. You CAN afford a visit, you are CHOOSING to spend your money on other things. So obviously having the internet is more important to you than your dog.
Yeah, quit bathing him all the time.. Better dog food, fresh clean water.. And Omega 3 oils in the diet.
If it is all over you could try putting some (a teaspoon) of corn oil in with it’s food. You can try switching to a food that has oils in it to promote healthy skin and coat. I have a cocker spaniel whose skin was dry and flaky. I changed her to Nutro Natural Choice products at friends recommendation and noticed a huge difference. Check out their website:http://www.nutroproducts.com/
I feel the same way , if you cannot afford to take it to the vet then why have one . it deserves the right to able to have medical treatment.
But there are some shampoos that can help dry skin most tea tree and aloe vera based shampoos, but make sure the dog is properly rinsed as this can cause the dryness in the first place
Robyn
Sounds like an allergic reaction. Anything new in his environment (new food, treats, carpeting). Probably something he is ingesting if it is all over. First thing to try would be changing his food for a couple weeks to see if it clears up. Completely different brand. Food companies can change ingredients without changing packaging, so it is hard to tell even if you haven’t changed food unless you try something different.
If it doesn’t seem food related and gets increasingly worse, it may be time to see the vet. It could be mange or ringworm. Call the vet ahead and ask about pricing and explain your situation, maybe they will set up payments.
Sounds like it may be an allergy. Have you changed his diet lately? Possibly have fleas? Go to a farm supply/feed store. In the horse section there will be some stuff, not sure of what it is called right off hand, it is made for horses that get rain rot. If it in a clear bottle and it is yellow once it is shaken up well. It smells sort of like beef jerky. It will help moisturize the skin, but you will need to correct whatever is causing the itching.