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Originally Posted by BLowry  I forgot to say...they were being treated with fleas. The vet told me NOT to bathe them because it would wash off the treatment,...Also,.,.We got Bentley this same time last year and he had VERY dry itchy skin,,...I tried washing him with oatmeal shampoo and conditioner (pet silk) and it didn't help. MY skin gets really dry and itchy in the winter. I called my vet...they told me not to bathe a lot because that can cause dry skin as well...I did buy some fish oil from the vet...they will NOT eat their food when I put it on..I think I am going to try the coconut oil. I did see a shampoo with olive oil in it on the pet silk site. said it was good for dry skin...I am going to look into that...out of the 3 pups Lillie hair gets very oily looking and because her coat grown so long and is thicker she gets dirty and stinky...I don't like that! I will NOT let her go that long again! but, if I use a flea treatment on her what am I supposed to do if I'm not supposed to bathe her? I even asked about dry shampoo and they told me no. UGH! |
I don't know why many vets say not to bathe very often. They don't understand Yorkie coats. They need to be washed. If you use a gentle shampoo, you can bathe your dogs as often as you wash your own hair without ending up with dry skin.
I agree with Deb that you can bathe a couple days after using a topical flea treatment. The preventative is absorbed into the body and therefore, does not wash off after that. Plus, with fleas, you want to bathe! Washing will remove fleas, flea eggs, flea dirt. Not washing will make flea problems much worse.
Winter can be tough on all of us. Try to make sure the water isn't too hot, just warm enough to be comfortable. Oatmeal shampoo, although promoted as great for sensitive skin, can be irritating or harsh depending on the brand or the dog.
Fish oil -- I use Animal Essentials Fish Oil Plus, which I sell, for my guys. They LOVE the taste and customers report the same from their pups.
Animal Essentials Fish Oil Plus in Soft Gel Caps
Definitely also try the coconut oil. I like Cocotherapy and Nutiva brand. Only use a quality organic, no preservative brand. I tried cheaper stuff and it wasn't as good.
If you are looking for a super gentle shampoo and conditioner that you could safely use every day on sensitive skin, try Coat Handlers, a favorite of Yorkie exhibitors.