Dog on Raw Diet has very itchy skin - ideas please

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littlebranshill

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My little dog is 4yrs and had always been fed on the raw diet. In the past week she has become very itchy and has quite a bit of dandruff. I have been brushing it daily to stimulate the oils in her skin to see if this would help - it has not. I feed her additional Omega 3 oil. it is definitely not mites as have used Advocate on her. I think it must be a food sensitivity but she is fed a wide range of raw chicken/rabbit/pork/beef/lamb/sardines/mince on a daily rotational basis. Has anyone got any ideas?
 
Any other change in environment, washing powder or other household product, new carpet, new bed, house move, new type of pollen, is there anything out of the ordinary being cultivated in the fields around you, etc etc, has she been anywhere where the grass/crops/weeds have been sprayed with something?
It would be unlikely for a dog to develop a food allergy after four years.
If you want to stimulate the oils you are better using your hands rather than a brush.
 
CorvusCorax said:
Any other change in environment, washing powder or other household product, new carpet, new bed, house move, new type of pollen, is there anything out of the ordinary being cultivated in the fields around you, etc etc, has she been anywhere where the grass/crops/weeds have been sprayed with something?
It would be unlikely for a dog to develop a food allergy after four years.
If you want to stimulate the oils you are better using your hands rather than a brush.
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The itching started after we got back from a 2 day break in Somerset so I immediately suspected mites but as I said the Advocate didn't seem to do much good. We mainly walked along the river banks. If it's something that has been sprayed that's affected her, how do I deal with that? That is the only thing that has changed.
 
I think a dog of any age can over time develop an allergy to certain foods.

I would put her on an elimination diet. Personally I’d drop all the meats except Rabbit for a week or so, and then introduce new proteins, such as duck and venison.

Admittedly I’m very new to raw, having started in November. But there are definitely meats my dog has a reaction to - pork, chicken and beef.
 
I would suspect something environmental as you have just been away.
We went to France for a week and collie developed terrible flaky dandruff. She has never been very sensitive, I think it was from lake swimming or different pollen

I washed her in sensitive shampoo and brushed her and not come back (we are about to return to France so hope it doesn’t return!)
 
Not that she is fed on raw, but my 12 year old greyhound suddenly developed itching and sore skin through too much nibbling/scratching - it is worse because she is white and has a very delicate skin anyway (which I always thought was a myth, but evidence suggests it isn't)

Took her to the vet and she had a steroid injection and a flea tablet as the vet was insistent it was a flea allergy (let's not go there.... I wasn't happy....it wasn't fleas.....) I also bathed her in D10 (??) shampoo as Malaseb was only available on prescription. It improved her loads, but she is still more itchy than the others. I took her back to the vet for something unrelated last week and asked again about the itching, it was a senior vet this time (one of the partners), he said it was far more likely to be environmental than a food allergy. He has suggested bathing her in a calming shampoo, using cotton throws on the furniture and boil washing them regularly, and feeding her oil of evening primrose.

Sadly I can't give you any results as it is very early days! But I was interested that it was more likely to be environmental than dietary
 
amymay said:
I have a white dog. For her it’s entirely dietary.
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Oh yes absolutely, I don't doubt that at all in her case :) I had assumed it was with Flick too, which was why I was surprised when he suggested it might not be? But then every dog will be different, and every vet will have a different opinion.... :)
 
If it is a food allergy and you decide to go with raw feeding then you need to be aware that what is described a beef mince - for example - may not only contain beef. Very often the bone used is lamb bone and the offal may be from a pig. This is just an example and there are variations.

Some companies, eg Manifold Valley Meats describe their foods accurately. You may need to contact the company you use and clarify exactly what is in a particular product. Its all a bit of a minefield.

ETA. Fools rush in :) I see you feed raw so you probably already know this.
 
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She's had it before - last year so it may be a seasonal thing and it seemed to get better in the winter but it's not really that hot now for it to start. She didn't go swimming when we were away. I don't suppose it can truly be identified. Will see if the shampoo will be beneficial. Last year I put her on a supplement that's available only from the Vets Mega something or other and this seemed to help. Since then I have had her on Omega 3 as I thought she might have had a lack of that. I've also put her back on Psyllium husk after the itching started in case it was her anal glands - would that make her scurfy?? It's a nightmare but the itching isn't driving her nuts - it's not incessant and driving her mad - only me in the mornings!! LOL. I don't feed her a branded raw food product - I buy it directly from the butchers.
 
Now that is interesting, Flick also had the same sort of reaction a couple of years ago? At the same time of year for her too. Back then (different vet) she had a steroid cream prescribed and it cleared up really well, she also was bathed in malaseb. I am now off to message that vet on FB :)
 
Levrier said:
Now that is interesting, Flick also had the same sort of reaction a couple of years ago? At the same time of year for her too. Back then (different vet) she had a steroid cream prescribed and it cleared up really well, she also was bathed in malaseb. I am now off to message that vet on FB :)
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She doesn't have sores, it's just dandruff so I don't think steriod cream would be suitable. I am also against steriod injections as I would prefer to get to the root of the problem if possible. Let me know what your vet says!
 
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