Omega 3 or other supplement for dry, itchy skin

[Cydney Dashkoff]

Hi all, 

 

Does anyone have any suggestions for me. MacDuff is itchy all the time. He's on Frontline, I comb out mats, and I don't shampoo often. His skin is not irritated or red, flakey etc. I'm just wondering if I should add a supplement to his food for his skin or switch to a lower protein diet.

He is currently eating Orijen for puppies. I'm concerned that it may be too high in protein for his activity level. So, I read on the site dogfoodscoop.com that a decent food that's not over the top in protein content is California Natural.

Has anyone had any similar itching problem? What are your opinions? 

Cyd

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

We have had many discussions about appropropriate protein levels here in the Food Group.

The protein percentage in any food has very little to do with a dog being itchy.

Orijen is IMO the top quality dog food you can buy. The protein levels are not too high for any dog who does not have kidney disease or some other diagnosed ailment related to protein. My own dog has severe allergies and his veterinary dermatology specialist recommends that he be on Orijen. If anything, high-protein foods would help a skin condition, not cause itchiness.

Protein is also not related to activity level; calories need to be adjusted for activity level, but not protein, unless a dog has an abnormally high or low amount of muscle mass.

Omega 3 fatty acids in the form of fish oil are usually beneficial for a dog's skin & ocat, but can also cause diarrhea for some dogs. You may want to try a 500 mg evening primrose oil capsule once a day instead.

How old is MacDuff, and what parts of his body seem to be the itchiest? Does he bite or lick any part of himself? Any redness on his paws or in between his pads?

How long has he been eating the current food and what was he eating before this?

How long has he been itchy?

Any correlation between the itchiness and weather changes in your area?

[Dianne Carter ~ Trinity Doodles]

Cydney ~

 

Karen has given you some very solid information as well as core questions that are very pertinent for your consideration.  I would like to add the possibility of contemplating an additional source of GLA ~ Borage Oil.  This has been something that I have recently found to be of extraordinary benefit to myself and am now looking at potential therapeutic benefits for our beloved doodles as well.  I have Celiacs disease and have experienced tremedous difficulties with absorption of nutrients over the last year or so, one of the symptoms that I have from my inability to absorb nutrients, including oils, are that my hands split and crack so badly with a rash that I literally will break open and bleed from typing (one reason you have not seen me here too much lately, painful...  ).  On my last bad outbreak I was literally in tears at my healthfood store desperate for a solution, as I wrapped my hands around product my hands were splitting and bleeding, blood running down my hands.  I was presented with several options and one that I went with had borage oil in it.  I had done some research and decided to try that one and I can only tell you that personally my hands stopped bleeding within 24 hours.  The next closest candidate was coconut oil which has experienced some debate over the saturated fat, though perhaps not as much of an issue for those with absorption problems?  Now I am not saying this is the end all solution, but certainly worth a look.  I have taken this excerpt ~ Borage oil is considered by many nutrition experts to be perhaps the highest quality GLA supplement available; it is unfiltered, unrefined and free from pesticides and herbicides. Also, borage oil provides about 2.5 times more GLA than evening primrose oil. ~ from the following website:  http://www.barleans.com/literature/misc/113-natural-pet-doctor.html, I would love to hear feedback from others that may have experimented with this for their doods.  We tend to rotate everything, not just food but also oil supplements as well.  Might be fish oil this month, olive oil and flax next month and primrose the following.  We will definitely experiment with the addition of borage oil as well and look forward to not only hearing of others experiences but will gladly share ours. 

 

I will have to add that I strongly agree that there is nothing more superior that you can feed your dog than the Orijen or ACANA line and that in doing so you are already covering many exceptional fish oils so clearly you might consider looking beyond only fish oil. 

 

Blessings ~ Dianne 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There is one risk with borage oil that is not present with some other GLA sources such as EPO, and that is the possibility of liver toxicity. Borage oil contains certain alkaloids that can adversely affect the liver. It's important if you are using borage oil that you only use borage oil supplements that are certified free of UPAs (unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids).

http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/69148.cfm#Warnings

[F, Calla & Luca]

I have been using the Evening Primrose Oil 500 mg for my doodles. Calla is bigger and she was scratching more so she gets 2 capsules daily, Luca gets one. She scratches much less since she's been on this.

[Lynn Stoops]

Hi

 

I started using salmon oil on our doodles food ~ they love it, they stopped itching and thier coats look fabulous!  I order from Iceland Pure the products are great.  Here is the website:

 

http://www.icelandpure.com/

 

 

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I third the Primrose Oil - we have been giving it to Peri daily (she takes the whole capsule as a "treat") for the past 4 months.  She hardly ever scratches, licks her paws, etc... anymore.  I attribute it all to the EPO pills because we have not changed anything else in her diet, bathing, etc....

[F, Calla & Luca]

You don't have to "push" them down? My doods spit them out.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Mine do attempt to "eat" them but they seem to always end up on the floor. Maybe I'll try again.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I don't think it's being forced that's the problem. They come for the pill routine readily for the craisins they get afterward. Just before I tried some craisins with the capsule for Luca. The capsule ended up on the floor. I think they can't get it chewed and they don't like something about it.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I put the capsule on the top of their food and Ned plucks his out like desert and eats it. Clancy and Gordie usually eat theirs with their food, but sometimes it gets left and I put it on the top of the next meal...

[Cydney Dashkoff]

Thank you all, everyone for the great information. I'm going to try the oils you mentioned and will let you know of our success. 

 

Cyd and MacDuff