Dandruff in dogs?

Not sure where to put this really...

Max seems to have dandruff. I think it's because we're centrally heated (although he sleeps in the kitchen, which isn't)

He's been moulting a lot and has small white specks when I scritch or brush him. I use a rubber curry-comb type brush, as he's short-haired.

He's not had a bath since Christmas, although has had a couple of "hosings" in the garden, and goes in the sea fairly regularly.

He's not scratching excessively nor does he seem bothered when being brushed (except for trying to eat the brush)

Am sure I read somewhere that central-heating can affect a dogs skin/coat.

Any ideas on what this might be, or how to stop it?

You could add some Evening Primrose Oil or Starflower Oil to his diet. They are both good for the skin. Star's coat gets a bit dry in the winter and I think its the central heating that causes it but since I started adding the EPO and Starflower to her diet it seems to have improved.

Fish oil is great for the skin and coat. All my animals get it.

I was interested to read your question about dandruff in dogs. We adopted an older border collie bitch last year and although she was in good health and good condition generally, she had white scurfy flakes in her coat.

I tried fish oil first but it upset her tummy very badly. The vet then suggested trying a teaspoon of olive oil on her food but that had the same result.

Last year I got a kitten from woman who is a nutrition expert when she's not breeding cats! I asked her opinion about the white flakes in my dog's coat and she told me that too much meat in a dog's diet can cause this problem. I had not changed my dog's diet from the traditional meat and biscuit fed by her previous owners as she seemed healthy and content with it; however since weaning her to a diet of mostly good quality complete dry food with just a tiny bit of meat or meat juices to make it seem more palatable, the scurfy flakes seem to have gone away.

As an added bonus I've also found the poo is much firmer and easier to pick up too!

I'm not sure about the 'too much meat' arguement, but it has been very dry lately, i.e. low humidity, so that could be having an impact on the dogs coat condition.
Becky

My dobes used to go scurfy just before going in the ring at shows,presumably due to excitement/stress, it seemed to be a common problem in dobes, I used to add a desertspoon of good quality margerine to their feeds - but if you look at www.hyperdrug.co.uk and hunt for dog nutrition they do supplements for skin/coat.You will be spoilt for choice. Kath

All your posts have made me think...

I used to add a little oil to Max's food (olive or vegetable) but stopped doing it after Christmas...

I wonder if that has made a difference?

I don't think it will be this, but flea eggs are small & white.

There is also a mite called Cheyletiella which looks like dandruff but you can see it move. It is sometimes known as walking dandruff.

You beat me to it, Carole, just what I was going to say.

here is a link :

www.dog-names.org.uk/dog-health-walking-dandruff.htm

you can get medication from the vet to treat this condition, but you can also use the same medication you use on childrens head lice, it does just the same job.

Quellada (Malathion Liquid) you can buy this from boots,

just rub it in where you see the effected area, leave it on for a few hrs, then just rinse of with warm wather.

it will bring all the dandruff to the surface, which you can then just brush off.