Re: Please Help My Schnauzer having some skin problem..
 

Hi Daphne,
Your dog's skin problems are caused by a number of issues but it is not hopeless.

The odour you mentioned is probably from a yeast infection of the skin. Malaseb is a good shampoo to use. Read the instructions on the bottle. Bathe your dog 3 times a week in the Malaseb. After you have bathed the dog as per the instructions, dry the dog thoroughly WITH A HAIR DRYER. The yeast thrives on the dampness on the skin that is trapped by damp hair so you must use a hair dryer to make sure the hair and skin is completely dry. Leaving the dog in the sun or under the fan won't dry the dog thoroughly enough and may make it worse as the hair on top is dry but the hair closest the skin is damp and the damp is being trapped in.

You should also keep your dog's hair as short as possible. Long hair traps dirt and mites that irritate your dog's inflamed skin making him itch even worse. The more he itches, the more small things trigger him off to scratch. It is a vicious cycle which you have to break.

Using Frontline is very bad - not just for your dog but also for you. Too many dog owners want a "quick fix" to flea and tick problems so they resort to chemicals like Frontline which are toxic poisons. Vets are happy to sell things like that because it's easy money. The Frontline is also adding to your dog's itchy skin problem because it is a strong chemical.

There are better and safer alternatives. They won't work as fast as Frontline but they're not chemicals, they smell nicer, fleas and ticks won't develop an immunity to them and they not poisonous for you or your dog. The most effective thing I've ever used is eucalyptus oil. NOT eucalyptus essential oil which is expensive but the oil used as a muscular rub/ inhalant. You can find it at your pharmacy. Usually it is on the shelf near the Tiger Balm, anti mosquito sprays and bandages.

It is most effective used in a laundry spray bottle. Dilute 1 part of eucalyptus oil to 7 parts of water. Shake the liquid well then spray the areas your dog frequent. Spray the air, spray furniture, spray the floor. Do not spray it directly on your dog - the damp from the spray may aggravate his skin condition. It won't make ticks disappear immediately but it will keep them away after a few days/ weeks of daily spraying for about 2 weeks. I use this spray myself and in over a year have found less than 20 ticks in total on my 4 dogs. You have to be diligent in your use of the spray.

Another alternative use is to put the eucalyptus oil and water mix in an aromatherapy burner and let in infuse into the air. You can add lavender essential oils, to it too. This makes a pleasant air freshener as well as an anti-flea and anti-tick treatment.

Feed your dog plain yoghurt without sugar. Yeast infections thrive from a weak immune system. Naturally occurring yeast on the skin has gone into overdrive and his system is not able to control the situation. Yoghurt has live cultures which his digestive system is lacking at this time. Probably the vet prescribed antibiotics for the broken skin from the itching to prevent infections? Antibiotics also kill off the good bacteria in the digestive tract. You have to replace it and yoghurt is the easiest way. PLAIN YOGHURT, NO SUGAR. The sugar will again, aggravate the problems in the immune system.

Finally, change your dog's diet. Many dogs have allergies to chicken these days so don't feed your dog any chicken for a few months (combination of poor genes of the dogs as well as chicken farming methods with lots of antibiotics). Change to a dog food for sensitive skin - I remember that Blackwoods do a Catfish and Potato. There are other brands too like Natural Balance and Avoderm, specifically meant for dogs with sensitive stomachs/ skin. Add vegetables to your dog's diet - cabbage, carrots, and a little crushed garlic steamed together and added to his food will do wonders. The garlic will also help keep away fleas and ticks. I steam a large tray of vegetables every few days, cool it then keep it in the fridge. I take out whatever I need and heat it up in the microwave before feeding it to my dogs as part of their dinner. I also add fish to my dogs' diet. Like the vegetables, I cook a large tray of fish (patin), debone the fish then keep it on the fridge. Everyday, I take out what I need, warm it up in the oven then feed it to my dogs with the vegetables, yoghurt. My dogs hardly eat kibbles.

Please try this for a month. You will see definite improvements.

Re: Please Help My Schnauzer having some skin problem..
 

Hi. I wrote you quite an in depth response but I don't know what happened to my post. I can't write it all again so here it is in less detail.

Firstly, your dog is suffering from a yeast infection of the skin. Use Malaseb, shampoo your dog 3 times a week as per the instructions then dry him thoroughly with a HAIR DRYER. Ensure that his coat and skin are totally dry. Yeast thrives in warm, moist conditions. Letting your dog run in the sun after his bath will only make it worst. A hair dryer is the only way to dry him thoroughly after a bath. If you can't manage it, send him to a groomer to do it. And keep his hair very short - dirt trapped in his hair will only make the itching worse. Itching breaks the skin and the yeast then gets in under the skin making the itching worse.

Secondly, anti-flea and tick treatments like Frontline are not long term solutions to the problem. Pet owners want quick fixes and vets/ pet shops are happy to cater to that because it means a quick sale. Frontline is a chemical and toxic for the dog and you in the long term. Ticks and fleas also become immune to chemicals after a while or at least build up a tolerance. Frontline can also aggravate your dog's skin irritation.

The most effective and long term treatment against ticks and fleas is eucalyptus oil. Not the aromatherapy essential oil (you can use this too but it's a lot more expensive) but the type used as muscle rubs. You will find it in pharmacies by the Tiger Balm, bandages and other things for sprained muscles. Use it in a laundry spray bottle - 1 part of the eucalyptus oil to 5 parts of water. Shake well and spray around wherever the dog goes in the house, into corners, the dog's bedding. Spray it into the air too - it smells nice. You can also use it in an aromatherapy burner so that it infuses in to the air.

Eucalyptus does not work immediately so you have to keep up the spraying over a few days to really keep the ticks and fleas away. I use this eucalyptus spray and I have found less than 20 ticks in the last year on my dogs - I have 5. No fleas. Eucalyptus is also effective against ants.

Finally, you have to make some changes to what you feed your dog. If you are feeding him kibbles, change to something for sensitive skin. Blackwoods has their Catfish and Potato but all the good brands have something for sensitive skin. Avoid chicken because many dogs are allergic to chicken because of farming methods - steriods and antibiotics. I feed my dogs fish - patin - that is steamed then carefully deboned.

Add plain yoghurt to his meals. Your dog has a weak immune system and you need to boost his digestive system to overcome the yeast that is overwhelming his system. You don't mention it but was your dog on antibiotics at anytime? Antibiotics kill off both good and bad bacteria in the system. You need to boost the good bacteria and yoghurt is the simplest and most effective way. PLAIN YOGHURT WITHOUT SUGAR - sugar will only make things worse.

Feed him vegetables - carrots, cabbage, - boil them with a little garlic. I usually cook a large pot of vegetables, cool it then keep it in the fridge. I take out what I need for my dogs meals and warm it up in the microwave so that it's not cold. Garlic is also effective against fleas and ticks but DO NOT OVERFEED GARLIC as excessive garlic is poisonous for dogs. About 4 or 5 pieces of garlic a week is safe for your dog. Chop it up and add it to his vegetables.

You have to feed your dog the new diet for at least a month to see any improvements. Please let us know how things go.

Re: Please Help My Schnauzer having some skin problem..
 

I have the same problems with my dog and had a terrible time trying to heal it. After I cleared of all medical problems I was intoduced to this wonderful product, my mom found it online for me. It's called Tomlyn Nova Pearls Sensitive Skin Shampoo. It's kinda pricey, but it's the best I have found to soothe my dog with bad skin problems. Good luck, its the worst when your dog has skin issues because you feel helpless and just want to make them fell better. Hope you find a solution soon!!! Gina{happy}