Jan 19 2009
Dry Skin in dogs
First, you want to avoid baths as much as possible. I would bathe once for now to see if you can help with any odor that may be occuring, and I would only use either Malaseb (available from your vet), chlorhexiderm shampoo, or a gentle oatmeal shampoo formulated for dogs/puppies. Once bathed, give your dog plenty of time for natural oils to build up. (If odor returns quickly or never leaves, this is a skin infection and requires further vet treatment.)
If you use heartworm preventative from your vet, I would switch to revolution just to help in case this is parasite related (mange). And what will help the most with flakey, chalky skin is adding a fatty acid supplement to the feedings. I would start adding fish oil capsules (1 capsule per meal) and believe me, you will see a difference in the condition of the skin if there is no underlying medical reason. It takes time to become silky and healthy looking, but you should see improvement within 2 weeks.
If your dog has any other symptoms of problems (like weight changes, appetite changes, itchiness that is severe, or inflammations of the skin) then a thorough skin check with the vet is in order and possibly some bloodwork, as endocrine problems can cause issues with the skin as well.
Christine, LVT
