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Dry flaky, shedding skin-Food change??

rynniex Jun 25, 2006 10:33 PM

My miniature pinscher is about to turn 1yo and I want to switch her dog food. She has recently been developing dry, flaky skin and is shedding excessively causing small balding spots. I am taking her to the vet tuesday to rule out anything major, but I think it might be her dog food.

She is currently eating Iams puppy chow simply because thats what she'd been eating when I got her and I never thought to make the change. (Yes I know... my bad)

Anyway, my point is, I'm being pointed all over the place on food suggestions and could really use some help. I'm don't really have the time or money for a raw diet and would like to stick to kibble

I need something that isn't too expensive and thats also not horribly hard to find.

Any ideas?

Replies (4)

pharrow Jun 26, 2006 08:25 AM

In addition to a food change, you could try derm caps (I have capsules that I wrap in a little cheese to give to my dog, or you can break the capsules and put the liquid on the food with some brands). Also, your vet might recommend allergy tests. Wellness brand dog food has a "Simple Solutions" formula that can help if your dog has allergies.

KDiamondDavis Jun 26, 2006 08:14 PM

>>My miniature pinscher is about to turn 1yo and I want to switch her dog food. She has recently been developing dry, flaky skin and is shedding excessively causing small balding spots. I am taking her to the vet tuesday to rule out anything major, but I think it might be her dog food.
>>
>>She is currently eating Iams puppy chow simply because thats what she'd been eating when I got her and I never thought to make the change. (Yes I know... my bad)
>>
>>Anyway, my point is, I'm being pointed all over the place on food suggestions and could really use some help. I'm don't really have the time or money for a raw diet and would like to stick to kibble
>>
>>I need something that isn't too expensive and thats also not horribly hard to find.
>>
>>Any ideas?

>>>>>>>>

That's a small dog, not going to eat much. A top quality food is much cheaper than treating skin diseases. I add vitamins and extra virgin olive oil, too. But food alone is not likely to be the cause when you have 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 articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

LisaT Jul 01, 2006 12:31 AM

We tell our clients at training to stick with kibble that contains no corn, no sorghum, and no by-products.

abbey_road3012 Jul 07, 2006 06:48 PM

For a small dog, you can really splurge on food and not spend a ton. We're in the process of moving, so I don't have the kitchen space to prepare my dogs' raw food, so we're feeding a combination of Honest Kitchen Embark and Innova Evo. The innova is kibble, and I believe all human-grade ingredients. The Honest Kitchen is made in a human food plant where only human-grade food is allowed. It's expensive, but it's good stuff and when you bring a dog into your life you owe it to him/her to give them a good diet. It's the foundation their health builds on. Both kinds that I feed are grain-free (I don't believe in feeding grain to dogs, they're not built to digest it properly), but if you do decide to feed grains both Innova and Honest Kitchen have products with grains. Another company I have read about is Nature's Variety. They have lots of good stuff. Avoid anything they sell at grocery stores- it's all crap. My older dog was fed Ol' Roy for 8 years (before we got her), and she was just very dull-looking. We switched her to raw and she has become a very healthy, happy, and well-behaved old lady. If cost and prep time are the only things keeping you from feeding raw, go shopping! My beagle's favorite food so far has been 24 cent per pound chicken leg quarters. My girls get 88 cent per pound pig neck bones and 75 cent per four pounds of beef soup bones. Take it out of the fridge, wrap what's left in there, and throw the bones in the eating pen. Done. You only have to measure the weight once, then you know how many of that type bones to give from then on. I make them "mush" in the mornings, which takes about an hour and a half to make nearly ten pounds, and it averages less than a dollar a pound. For a min pin, that will last you quite a while. Supplements can get pricey, but most people aren't as paranoid as I am and don't keep $150 dollars worth of pills in their laundry room. I'm a vegetarian, so raw feeding shouldn't be pleasant for me, but I have gotten an absolute ton of entertainment out of watching my two check out their new food, adding something different to their morning mush, and watching them twist themselves into pretzel shapes trying to eat a weird-shaped bone. Feeding kibble the last week has been boring. Oh well, look up those brands on the internet. They're expensive, but with such a small dog it will last a long time.
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Kadee Sedtal
home of old lady Lucy (boxer/lab/garbage disposal), and the lovely new addition, Fancy the Wonder Beagle!

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