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Hi guys, Judt wondering if anyone has any good tips for me. My dobe Max has developed really bad dandruff all over his back, he also has one or two spots, i've tried medicated shampoos but this hasn't helped.

>>Hi guys, Judt wondering if anyone has any good tips for me. My dobe Max has developed really bad dandruff all over his back, he also has one or two spots, i've tried medicated shampoos but this hasn't helped.

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Shampooing can make this worse. Be sure to have your veterinarian check it. Once you have a diagnosis, adding oil (I like to use extra virgin olive oil) to his food and applying a mix of 1/4 cup hypoallergenic (I like Alpha Keri) human bath oil in a 1 pint spray bottle of water may solve the problem. But there are some skin problems that require other care, and he needs to be checked. You wouldn't want him to wind up with huge bald spots.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series at www.veterinaryforum.com

Also, flax seed oil is supposed to be the best for dandruff. What are you feeding your dobe? His food may be another problem. If the vet can't tell you what's wrong, or if the vet says it is a skin allergy, look into a high quality premium food like Innova or Canidae. They look more expensive but in the long run they're cheaper because the dog will eat less and you'll save in countless vet bills. They're made with human grade meat. They're known for resolving skin problems and skin allergies. My dog had horrible dandruff when I got him I was told to switch him to Canidae from Nutro. I still had over 30lbs of Nutro left that I couldn't return so for the last 2 1/2 weeks he's been getting half canidae, half nutro at every meal and his dandruff is completely gone..

and finally, while many dogs develop skin allergies to their food, many will also break out and have dry skin after being vaccinated. Is your dog vaccinated annually? If so you may want to do a little research on the negative effects found to be correlated with annual vaccination. Many people now only have their dogs vaccinated as puppies and never again for the rest of the dog's life, or every 3 years at most. Except for rabies - laws in some areas require them to be done every year. It's a personal choice, ultimately, you have to weigh the risks and benefits on your own..

And by all means ask the vet about vaccinations but be aware that not all vets know the laws, and some vets will recommend annual booster shots because it brings them more money. Many vets here in Ontario will still tell you that annual rabies vaccine is law, but in fact it is not if you do the research and check with the government.

it can be a sign of a medical problem, such as hypothyroidism. It can also be a sign that he isn't getting the proper nutrition, which can happen if he is having trouble digesting his food, or if the food isn't right for him individually. I would ensure that you're feeding a good food (minimally no corn, no sorghum, no by-products), and if that doesn't help, then I would look to supplementation.

We have changed his food back to complete and his dandruff seems to have eased a little. We put him on tinned food with mixers and he seemed to enjoy it but maybe we should have stayed on complete foods, he just doesn't seem to enjoy it the same, but if it is better for him then thats all that matters.