[Sarah Libby]

Okay. I know I posted not too long ago about Penny's itching. Someone here suggested a particular shampoo to use. I used it once, but I have some questions.
1. How often should I use the shampoo? Isn't bathing dogs so often counterproductive? (Pic of shampoo attached) bottle said use it daily or as recommended by vet.

2. Penny doesn't just itch or bite just one particular spot. Its her sides, back, and legs. I still see no fleas or rashes or odors.

3. Are the growing stages puppies go through itchy for them? Or painful? I know many dogs will lick, bite, or scratch if something hurts or is uncomfortable for them; and not have it actually be from itching.

4. I would really like to get her back onto raw food. Could someone give me some advice on what to tell my husband to convince him? He says it's too expensive. But I've consistently seen people say its cheaper than kibble. Right now she is eating Victor Active Dog and Puppy. Grain free. And I do supplement raw into her diet. (Instinct Raw premades) along with chicken liver, chicken wings, chicken heart, turkey gizzards, and other things like kefir, raw eggs, coconut oil, phytoplankton and sardines. (these are not all given at one meal or every day). Its spaced out throughout the week.

She sees her vet next Friday, and I plan to ask for some allergy tests to be done. But any advice from personal experience would be great on what to ask for.

I also attached a pic of some spot on her leg that looks like is missing some hair.

Thank you everyone! ❤

 

[Pawsed]

This time of the year, the indoor air can get very dry with the heat running. We drag out the humidifiers every year and increase the humidity inside and that helps our dogs a great deal.

Lovely pup. I hope you find a solution to her problem soon.

As for feeding raw, we make regular rounds of grocery stores in town to find meats on sale. We have always been able to find pork roasts for 99 cents a pound and one store's regular price on chicken quarters is 59 cents a pound for a 10 pound bag. We also buy in bulk from a restaurant supply house in town that sells to the public. We also stocked up on frozen turkeys when they were marked down at Thanksgiving.

We were paying more than a dollar per pound for kibble, and our dogs eat a lot less on raw. So it might be possible to feed raw for less than kibble. Obviously, you should feed more than just chicken and pork and turkey, but even if the cost is a little more, the benefits are well worth it, in our opinion.

 

[ausdland]

If you have an allergy dog that gets yeasty, hot spots, eye/ear infections, I've found feeding raw reduces those things drastically. There's a valid reason. More comfortable pup, less vet visits..

You have a really good looking pup!

 

[tim_s_adams]

Magwart was pretty explanatory in your previous thread:

It can be used weekly without stripping coat oils because it barely foams at all. Follow bottle directions, and use only below the neck (NEVER on the head -- it can cause blindness if it gets in the eyes). We've used it in the rescue at the vet's direction as often as 2x week, but weekly often knocks the itching out.

A blue-ribbon, international panel of vet derms issued protocol guidelines recommending bathing as a first line intervention for itchiness of unknown source. It's the best evidence-based protocol right now. I would rule out the easy stuff before embarking on food changes. Food allergies can cause itching, but they are a much less likely cause than environmental/bacterial/fungal stuff.

Probably have to give it some time...a couple weeks at least...to judge it's effectiveness...