skin & coat

Question
Years ago I adopted a dog from the shelter. I had to wait a while before bringing him home because he had to finish being treated for mange. When I picked him up, I was given a can of powder to put in his food daily. It helped his skin in a couple of days and his fur was growing back in matter of weeks. I have a new puppy now who also has problems with his skin and coat(very dry skin and almost no fur). The vet thinks its just allergies and gave me a shampoo to use but I would really like to find this powder to help- she didn't know. Do you have any idea what it could have been? Thanks so much.

Answer
Kim,

I am looking all over for this powder that you would put in the food. The problem is there are several types of mange and each gets treated a different way,from a bath dip to a poison put on the area. I dont wanna give you the wrong answer without knowing what type of mange. I really would like to help but i think its best you contact another vet. This can be VERY serious. Mange comes from mites and some types dig deep down in your dogs skin and if treated wrong it can cause even more problems for him.

Some treatments are as simple as a bath but others are antibiotics and and prescription dips and there is one type that has no cure and the vet has to play hit or miss with the meds until he finds one that starts to work.

Getting a second opinion would be the best road to take right now. If you feel its not just allergies then its time to bring another professional into this.

 I volunteer at my local animal shelter and will be there tonight and will ask our vet if he knows of any powder that goes on the food. One more thing. Do you buy your food at a big box store ? walmart k mart  or a food store ?  If you do your dog might have an allergy to corn ( big box stores use corn in the dog food) Go to a prt/pup shop and buy a good organic dog food...something like blue buffalo...Look on the ingredients of your food at home,if it reads corn or oats as the main ingredient its no good. Dogs do not eat corn...They like meat. The first ingredient should be a meat or fish.

What i do with my dog is i feed him dry food(it has the most vitamins) and i give him a 1/2 can of wet for flavor. I mix the 2 together and he gets the best for him with the best flavor.

Please let me know how things turn out. if i can be of any help PLEASE feel free to ask any follow up questions.

Gary
thepuppyugy@yahoo.com