i am at my wits end

[marcerella02]

i know there are TONS of threads about pups with bad skin.. but i honestly think we take the cake... the skin around layla's back legs is litteraly peeling off.. it is just horrible... and i've tried it all... fish oil... no corn or wheat or chicken in her diet.. oatmeal shampoo.. oatmeal baths... vaporizer at night.. cream on her body.. we just got the cranberry shampoo which we used last night and i'm not counting that out yet because we've only used it once.. but i swear if things don't get better when the cold dry air is gone.. i don't know what i'll do... she is always scratching especially around her little paws... and i feel so bad for her... i've searched all the threads about new ideas on what to try.. and we've honestly done it all... does anyone have ANYTHING else i can try???

[spiked_poodle]

Do you use any deoderizers on your carpet? How about fabric softeners? Maybe she is allergic to something like that.

[Yorkiedaze]

Maybe it's her diet! I don't know what you feed, so I can't say anything. Also some dogs are very allergic to certain types of carpet, especially wool or wool blend, which holds true to blankets. Here is what I would do if I had her.
First, I'd put her in an area like the kitchen breakfast area, with no carpet and put a baby gate up so she couldn't get out. Next I would make sure her blanket was 100% cotton, washed in dreft and rinsed twice. Next I bath her in a pure castle liquid soap and rinse her in a vinegar and water solution adding some #1 All Systems lanolin. I'd take her off of ALL foods and snacks that you have been giving her and ALL dairy. I'd put her on ground beef and rice and some vitamins. After a week or so she should show signs of improvment. Let her stay oily looking with the lanolin, as it helps with the dry itchy skin. After two or three weeks of this, if she is cleared up, then only add one kind of food for three days. If she isn't scratching, then add a different kind for three days and on and on but staying away from all dog food, processed foods and bought treats. For snacks just go for the dried fruit. If in the end it isn't the food, then let her on the carpet for a little while each day, but back into the bare floor. If it isn't the carpet, then try the bed if she had been sleeping with you. Just do baby steps at a time. During all this, don't take her for walks untill she is finished with the carpet, bed and yard. Remember, one step at a time for three days.

[Little Bit]

I do transcription work for doctors and you would be surprised the terrible rashes and skin irritations that are cleared up when people stop using fabric softeners. That is the first thing the doctor tells them to do is quit using them and use the also use the Tide Free or Cheer Free detergents and it usually does the trick. That is something easy to try. Hope you find out what's causing it soon! Hugs to Layla.

Nancy

[chattiesmom]

Are you giving each new thing you try ample time to work? It might take a couple of months to really see a difference. Scratching her paws sounds like it could be a food allergy - I would rule out food that out first. Find her a good quality "skin" food -- do some research there are several. Just be sure that they don't contain corn, wheat, or rye. Some dogs are allergic to soy as well. My Chattie had a very dry brittle coat. I switched over to Canidae about 2 years ago --after about 6 months I started noticing some improvement and now her hair is in full recovery. I also feed Missing Link AND two weeks ago I started feeding her 2 drops of Emu/VitaminE oil daily. I know her feeding program has helped, but the jury is still out on the emu oil -- I will continue for 4 or 5 months before I come to any conclusions.

The other thing I would suggest is that maybe you are using too many products on her and she is having reactions. If it were me I would pick out a product line to try and stick with it exclusively for a couple of months. I really liked the Cranberry Fields from BeyondSpoiled.com and I am really lovin the Minksheen from Touch of Mink. Also, when you bathe, be sure to "go overboard" with the rinsing. I always rinse for 5 minutes with clear warm running water (no yucky standing water) --I set the timer to be sure we get the full five minutes in.

Good luck!!!!!

[JeanieK]

I'm sorry you're having problems. It has to be very frustrating. it sounds like you have been given some good advice. I have nothing to add to it. Just wnated to wish you good luck. I hope you get it figured out.

[3CrazyYorkies]

If you plan on eliminating fabric softener -- to keep the fabrics soft just add pure white vinegar to the rinse water. Works great and gets rid of soap residue.

[Little Bit]

Originally Posted by 3CrazyYorkies

If you plan on eliminating fabric softener -- to keep the fabrics soft just add pure white vinegar to the rinse water. Works great and gets rid of soap residue.

Good tip!

[Txgurl06]

skoshi has been biting at his feet bad too! i dont see dry skin but just bites like he is scratching it. i use royal canine and oatmeal shampoo, nutro gourmet wet food, and boiled chicken.

[marcerella02]

wow thank you all SO SO SO much! Layla eats Fromms (its an equivalent to Canidae) Duck and Potatoe.. it has NO wheat corn or soy... or chicken which i also know they can be allergic to.

now when you are talking about the fabric softener... do you mean on my clothes or hers???

Her bedding has been changed... she was in there with a wool blanket and now it is a fleece and flannel sheet and some pillows (in her crate) she only eats home made treats (peanut butter based... oat flour)

i am going to stick to the Cranberry Fields shampoo for now... we just used it once and so i know it isn't "magic" ... oh how i wish it was!!!

carpet eh?? geez i really hope it isn't that... there isn't much carpet in our house.. mainly tile... but come summer (this will be our first summer with her... she was a pup last summer and had a bit of dry skin when we got her.. but nothing like this.. she also came from a southern climate.. so the change may be taking a while ??? this is her first winter) if none of these "easy" solutions work.. i'm going to take Yorkiedaze's advice and just start from scratch.. i really dont' want to mess up her diet at the moment (we just got her back to nice firm poops after about a month of stomach problems.. it was the food... but we fixed that !!) and in the summer i'll have more time to devote to a complete meal make over...

i can't thank you all enough... i feel just lost.. the skin on her body that is dry doens't bother her.. .she scratches her face and her paws... however we JUST started this new high quality food and i've noticed that since we have... the amount she chews on her paws has gone down... and the dandruff has gone up .. lol... i hope they aren't related!

again.. thank you so so so much!

[ldenise]

I can't feed peanut butter anything. I have alergic to that...
sounds like shampoo or conditioner problem. maybe not rinsing enough or using the wrong kind. what kind do you use?
rinsing..... not rinsing will cause a build up that is flaky too. conditioner also.
I usually rinse until I think I have over rinsed then I rinse a while longer.

[Little Bit]

Originally Posted by marcerella02

now when you are talking about the fabric softener... do you mean on my clothes or hers???

I was talking about her bedding or clothing, harnesses, etc. But now that I think about it, if she spends a lot of time on your lap your clothing could affect her also from laying on it. Is it just the back legs, or does it affect her belly and front legs also?

[RLC12345678]

I know how you feel bc Hobbs had the EXACT same problem. We changed his food to Natural Balance Duck & Potato and miraculously his dry skin is disappearing!!!!!! Last week was the first time I have brushed him when skin didn't come off in sheets. I recommend changing her food to an allergy formula put out by Natural Balance. Like Hobbs, she has probably developed secondary allergies to ingredients in her food and she needs to be on a food with COMPLETELY different ingredients.