Dry Coat- Recommended Supplement?

[Pat & "Tucker"]

Tucker's coat seems to be very dry this winter. Any supplement recommendations?  He is currently on Canidae.  Fish oil, veg. oil supplements. Not sure what would be best.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Salmon oil and/or evening primrose oil capsules are your best bets. The fish oils can be sprayed or added to the food, the EPO caps should be given whole.
Also, brushing Tucker more frequently will help distribute the natural oils and remove dead skin cells.

[Pat & "Tucker"]

Thanks Karen-I rarely skip a day of grooming. Maybe I need to brush more. I mostly use the comb only. Where do you buy your supplements- on line?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

We buy 500 mg evening primrose oil capsules anywhere human vitamins & supplements are sold. There's actually a current discussion here in TFG about giving EPO capsules. Lots of us use them with great success.
http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/evening...
You can buy pump-style bottles of wild Alaskan salmon oil in any pet supply store, and just add a spritz or two to the food bowl.

[Melissa & Porter]

Porter won't eat the EPO whole, but gobbles up his food after I squirt the capsule on it. And strangely eats the empty capsule. Do you think this squirted oil is less effective? Because I am still testing the allergy theories, I don't want to complicate his diet with pill pocket treats. So far, no chicken has made a big difference in the itching and refluxing.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Food allergies are relatively rare; as long as Porter eats the whole capsule and all the food that has the oil, it should be okay. I just put it down Jack's throat as a pill.

[Melissa & Porter]

I believe/agree with you, but since he has a reflux issue, I am trying to tweak his diet so that he doesn't have to take zantac for the rest of his life. And somehow, the itching does not seem unrelated. High itch/runny eye days go with burping/sometimes barfing nights.

But I am totally grasping at clues!

[Sandy]

My dog's food (Acana) has salmon/salmon oil in it, and his coat has never looked better. We switched him over about 2 months ago, and I can actually see a difference.

[Pat & "Tucker"]

I just checked the Canidae- they use cannola and sunflower oil and flaxseed meal. No fish oils- guess it's cheaper to use the vegetable oils.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am totally sold on Evening Primrose Oil! My guys get very loose stools with fish oil but not with the EPO. In just days, my Springer went from dry flaky skin and a lifeless dull coat to no flakes and a lustrous coat with great shine. He has been on it for about 2 months now and his coat is gorgeous - hasn't been this pretty since he was a puppy. The liver color is deep and rich looking and where we let it grow there are even waves.

[Pat & "Tucker"]

The primrose oil sound promising with all of your comments. I'm still a bit leary of herbal supplements.
I wish the FDA would have control over the herbals. Here is something I was reading.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-primros...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Evening primrose oil capsules are not really an herbal supplement. They are Omega 6 fatty acids in a capsule. They were prescribed for Jack by his board-certified veterinary dermatology specialist.
I don't know how old the article you posted is, but there have been several large studies showing the efficacy of EPO in treating atopic dermatitis in dogs.

[Pat & "Tucker"]

glad to hear that sounds more encouraging.