Doberman dandruff

Question
Hi, I feed hinm Hundenflocken Solid Gold with the homecooked recipe I mentioned before.  He is mostly an inside dog but stays out on an enclosed patio when we are gone.  The dandruff seems to always be there.  We bathe him every 1-2 weeks with a generic shampoo, nothing medicated.  The supplements he is on are called Skin Formula 3V Caps, they contain fish oil, omega 3 polyunsaturated fatty acids plus vitamis A,D,&E.  They were prescribed by the vet and he has been on them for 6+ weeks.  Does that help?  Thanks
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

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Hi, I adopted a 7 year old, neutered 100 lb Dobie about 9 months ago. He is very healthy but has flaky danduff.  He is on Omega 3 fatty acid supplements as well as thyroid meds.  He eats Solid Gold kibble with a mixture of home cooked meat or chicken with rice or pasta.  Any suggestions?  Thanks
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Has he always had flaky skin, or is this something that happened after you got him? What kind of fatty acid supplements is he on? Do you bathe him? Which formula of Solid Gold do you feed him? Are there any times where the problem seems to get worse or get better?

Kristen  

Answer
Allie, thank you for getting back to me so quickly!

You may or may not be aware of this, but dry skin can be caused by thyroid disease, so the problem could very well be something you (and he) will just have to live with. However, it can be managed so that it isn't quite so bad.

Supplementing with the omega fatty acids is great. I would definitely keep doing that. In addition to the 3V Caps, you might also consider giving him salmon oil and Vitamin E separately. Make sure it's 'muscle oil,' and not 'liver oil' if you choose to do that. I believe Grizzly Salmon Oil fits this description. Here's the link to their webpage:

http://www.grizzlypetproducts.com/salmon_oil/salmon_oil.html


You might also want to cut down on the number of baths you give him. Bathing can strip the natural oils from the skin and coat, causing dryness and dandruff. I would recommend bathing him no more often than once every couple of months. My dogs get bathed, on average, twice a year. If they get into something smelly when we go hiking, or if they've been swimming at the lake where there are tons of ducks (and therefore, lots of duck poo in the water), then they will get an extra bath in mild puppy shampoo. Other than that, though, they get a bath at the beginning of summer to help get rid of what's left of their winter coat, and again in the fall or beginning of winter. My dogs are both inside/outside dogs, and neither of them smell or have dirty-feeling fur.

If your dog starts to smell, and that's why you keep him bathed so often, you might want to try using Bath Wipes rather than bathing him in shampoo. You can get them at most pet stores, or you can even use baby wipes. As good a diet as he's on, he shouldn't smell unless he's got a skin infection or allergy to something that affects his skin. I assume that, since he's been to a vet, allergies have been ruled out.

Good luck and please let me know if there's anything else I can help you with!

Kristen