Chester has itchy skin

[newflvr]

Chester, the 4 month old Newf puppy has been scratching like mad.  He had his Frontline about 2 weeks ago and has no sign of fleas.  I'm thinking that maybe his food (Proplan Giant Breed Puppy) doesn't have enough fish oil or whatever to support his needs.  Do you guys think that's possible?  The breeder insisted that that is the best food for him...I'm just not too sure about it.  Any ideas?

[Scootergirl]

He could have a seasonal allergy, like hayfever. When we moved to Louisiana my collie mix started scratching himself raw in spots. Turns out he is allergic to certain pollens, trees, grasses, etc. that are not in the midwest. He only gets this in the spring and chlortrimeton or benadryl usually helps, but see your vet before you give him anything.

[Moonhawksowl]

Two things I think you can do,  1- is give him tuna oil when you open a can drain it on to his food, and 2-for my big guy I bath Magick with an all natural shampoo & conditioner From V'TAE called Spotted Dog It has Essential oils like Chamomile, Yucca, Kelp ect. and the Conditioner has Calandula, Chamomile , Rosemary, Sage ect. I also use their Flee & tick spray I personally don't like putting chemicals on my guy. 5 yrs. and he's had no problems with buggy's, and he had dry itchy skin with dander on his butt & shoulder area and even had the darn hot spots, but since I've been using this product no more unhappy dog his coat stays clean & shiny for longer period, and he is so pleasent smelling TOO:) You can tell when a dogs skin feels good looks good they are HAPPY:)

[mastiffmommy]

Newf... Since it is two weeks since he had the Frontline, I wouldnt think it is a reaction to that, it is not totally uncommon that dogs and cats get a reaction from it and scratch and act like they have ants all over. So different options here. Is he a swimming dog? if so, could it be that he gets wet all the way through and it takes a long time for him to dry all the way into the skin? Then it could be a slight fungus or even some kind of other little infection going on. Most likely though is dry skin. First treatment, which is a quick fix, wash him in a "medicated shampoo with anti itch agents" you can also buy the anti itch spray to help extra. That hopefully takes care of the problem right now.

If the food is working okay in every other way, Id say stick with it, if you can get this problem solved, there are a lot of really good puppy and dog foods out there, here is a site I love and owned by a lady who has been around for many years, I even turned to her when living in sw. and was breeding danes
http://www.greatdanelady.com/

youll find bunches of great info there.

You can buy the big capsuls with fishoil and give him, also flax seed is good, one thing that can cause itchy skin (well several things really) but food related is allergy, protein allergy is not at all uncommon amongst our big breeds. you also have a never ending stream of skin product in the pet store. But if it is sensetive skin, Id start by making sure I didnt give baths in reg. shampoo, just the medicated and/or hypoallergenic give fish oil and maybe look into the different values in different foods. with such a big puppy you really dont want to go over 23% protein at any time.

Good Luck with the itch, I feel for the little guy, it is horrible to itch

Marit

[newflvr]

Thanks, everybody.  Think I'll start with the medicated bath first and see if that helps.  It's gotten hot here in So. Calif so maybe that has something to do with it.  He hasn't gotten in to the pool yet, so I can rule that out.

Do you know if you give fish oil capsules if that messes up the fat-to-protein ratio?  I've been parnoid about giving him any additives that could cause any damage while he's growing so fast ( 40+ lbs this week...at age 18 weeks!)

I read that web site and thought it had tremendous information... forwarded it to the breeder and he didn't like it at bit...told me to disregard everything. hmmmmm

Thanks for all your support!!!

[mastiffmommy]

Well newf.... I have been around giant dogs for 25 years (yeah that makes me old I know) and you hear lots of different opinions about feeding and such. As for Linda Arndt and the website I gave out. Well what can I say, some people may not like it. I for one think she is great. She actually has the education to be a canine nutritionist spec. in large to giant dogs. I think it is great to be able to take advantage of someone elses trials. When I was breeding Danes in sweden, a lot of dane and other giant breed breeders had lots of good to say about her, and her knowledge.

I have for years and years followed her feeding programs, and have had tremendos luck with my dogs. healthy and growing in a nice steady not too fast pace. I have had a number of int. champs. mind you not only does that depend on feeding, lots from genetics of course.

I used to breed Arabians too, and there is a saying, that I think could be applied on dogs too.
"you can not make a champion by perfect feeding alone, but you can ruine a champin by feeding it wrong"

I am not at all talking down on your breeder, I am sure she/he knows what they are doing, but I think it is the first time I have heard a breeder of giant dogs totally disregard Linda Arndts experience.

As for weight Galahad is now 17 weeks, last time he went to the vet. hmmm lets see how long ago that was. he was I believe 14 weeks and weighed 58,2 lbs. he is a OEM though. But now when he is out of the very first puppy stage I took him off the 23% food feed Eagle Pack. And he is now on a 20% food. His knees started to have the outer bone grow just a tad faster than the inner so I wanted to pull him off the protein, before there was large and giant breed puppy food we always fed adult dog food for giant breeds. And no giving fish oil will not throw you off the energy/protein balance, fish oil is omega 3 and wont interfear with the regular energy in the food.

Please let us know how puppy is doing, and make sure it is puppy getting bath now and not you hehehehe

Marit

[ann]

  i have a big itchy dog too whats helped mine is wellness lamb or merrick wilderness blend foods i rotate pro plan does have alot of corn and other grains that have been proved to be allergy to alot of dogs also a good oatmeal based shampoo realy helps soothe the skin.......... .good luck

ann

[newflvr]

We (and I DO mean WE) had the medicated bath.  It's probably the last time in the kitchen sink...sniff!  He loved his bath!  so we'll just see how that goes.  Thanks Marit, on the okay on the fish oil capsule...and since you've been raising big dogs for 25 years, that probably makes us close to the same age...Wise, gorgeous, sexy and kind!  That's all the young'uns need to know!!!

The food issue is SO controversial!  I fed my previous Newfs a better quality food, I think, but as much as I respect this breeder,  I think he's pretty closed minded about the changes that have come about in the dog food industry. Cowboy is thriving on his cooked food (and yes, with additives like calcium and probiotics) and he has never had a problem with his skin or coat.

Chester is starting to lose his puppy coat (starting in the middle of his tail...what's up with that???).  Could that cause the itching???

[mastiffmommy]

Bath in kitchen sink sounds fuuuun hahahaha. I hope the shampoo will  help at least for awhile. The tail thing I was more thinking that maybe it is the other way around. He is scratching  because he is itching and thats why he is loosing his hair there first. But I dont know.

The food is very worm in can topic. All I can say that many years ago, we fed adult food because all puppy foods were way too hight in protein, today they have better choises. But unfortunately you still see a lot of protein allergies, not only the amount of protein, it is also the kind or protein. I dont know if you read the list of food suggested on that site. There are lots of them, and a lot of them are more or less holistic. Personally I love Eagle Pack but there are many good foods out there. Things have changed a lot in how we feed our big dogs and what they need. I am all for listening to the breeder who raised the dog, but sometimes you just have to look a little further and see what works for you.

And I like the way you put the age thing. haha I usually compare myself with a good wine, gets better with age hehe

Good luck and please keep us updated

Marit

[newflvr]

Thanks for the idea about changing the food out gradually...I think I may try that.  I'd like to try him on the giant breed puppy by Eagle Pack.  I sure hear good things about it.  He is MUCH better today but I think I'll just keep brushing him once a day to keep air to his skin and keep him on fish oil.

Thanks again for the ideas!!!

[newflvr]

Here's Chester...scra tching!!!

[newflvr]

Chester...play ing (which is MOST of the time!)

[jabear]

I hope he gets better soon. We are going to have Bear tested soon for scratching too but I think his is a shampoo allergy. He is on Benadryll but as soon as he has had a bath he is itchy all over. He even gives himself hot spots which are so nasty. We have switched shampoos so many times but everyone has given him  the same reaction. I am sure it is not his food or anything cuz the only time he itches is after a bath. Good luck and I hope you find out what it is soon.

[newflvr]

I did take the boy Chester to the vet and she checked his skin and it's fine....no sign of mange or fleas.  She agreed with changing his food to see if it helps.  I then called his breeder and asked him and he thinks it is from losing his baby fur and, in combination with the warm weather, he just gets itchy!  So he's had another medicated bath and new food and cod liver oil (now, that's been changed to safflower oil!!) so we'll just have to see.  He does seem better though.  The breeder suggested putting him on "inflight" for his coat once his puppy fur is gone.  Have you all ever heard of that?  I ordered it and we'll going to give it a go....

[shangrila]

I haven't heard of that, but when Zoey is itching at something, I spray her with an anti-itch spray I bought at the vets and that works really well to stop her from itching.