Hunting Forum

My 3 month old lab is scratching alot, and I believe she has dry skin or something. Thought it was fleas at first, and gave her a bath in flea shampoo and found 0 fleas. Then I bought some shampoo that was supposed to help dry skin. No luck their eiether. I got the lab to train for waterfowl hunting and I'm new at all this dog care stuff. Any suggestions would be great.

I give my lab a raw egg on his food, once a week. Works great for his skin and coat.

just for naut what are ya feeding it...read the ingrediants... if there is corn, corn meal or corn protens the switch to something that has none of those...over the years and having dogs or around them all my life this is one thing that seems to always come up..the scratching itching etc..making the corn go away made the scratching go with it...this after spending bunches of money on sprays, lotions suppliments and all sorts of other crap that did nothing to help...switched brands of food and no more itch...one dog in 1 day the other took 3 days...

Puppies do get dry skin thats a givin ! Food is one of#1reasons ! Where are you keeping him how dry is the room climate ! I would start with a good premium food without the wheats corns soys !If you dont want to pay over $30 a bag then look at the kirkland brand other then that Diamond Naturals are about the best 4 star on price anything above that is $$$ but if I only had one or two dogs I would feed a 5 star or 6 star But I have 8 and time are tuff so it is Kirkland Chicken and rice $27.00 they have a puppy formula... Go Online and do some research for your area on dog food without the starches !

I have labs male and female both get Eukanuba large breed puppy till the first year then trans to large breed adult. I know there are many out there that think only the food they use is the best so I don't want to go there. This is what I use and what my Vet wants them to have so that is it for me they only get dog food no scraps . no skin problems at all and there weight is perfect for there size. and all great checkups. I will be breeding my labs and will follow my vets recomendations . hope this helps a little. follow your Vet's advice and you will do fine with your pup.

I've raised a lot of Labrador Retrievers. And admit, I have been lucky in the dry skin department. Not so lucky in the gunk in the ears department. But for dry skin I would check a few things. Diet is real important. Make sure you feed only a quality dog food. And make sure it has some Omega 3 fatty acids in it. The Omega 3 for some reason (found in fish oil) will help in the treatment of dry skin. Check with a your vet and see if a supplement of fish oil is allowed.Olive oil also contains Omega 3 fatty acids.

Now I was guilty of the raw egg and even grease drippings from the cook pan on his food. Eggs are said to contain Omega 3. Whether true I can not say. I do know the dog sure appreciated it. And the grease drippings... I did not have to pour it down the drain or in a can to discard. Whether it helped or not, I could not say.But when he'd see you scraping a pan over his food bowl he sure was a happy dog. My dogs all ate Purina Dog Chow. They were started on Purina Puppy Chow and then went to the adult food. They had the most beautiful coats I ever saw. Even the vet who always pushed her Science Diet had to admit that their coats would not be better, nor their general state of health. Is Purina a quality food... I always thought so, but a lot of dog breeders disagree. I would never purchase dog food from department stores, or home builder stores. Check the contents. So of it lacks in basic proteins.

Some dogs are allergic to certain things. This can also cause dry skin. This again, would be a vet question. Most dogs, especially retrievers have a natural oil in there coat. Allergies can reduce the natural oils and this results in dry flaky skin. And be careful of the shampoos you wash your dog with. A lot of them can strip the natural oils from their coat. Your vet can suggest a good shampoo that will not only leave the natural oils in the coat, but help treat the dry skin. So again, check with your vet.

Don't over wash your dog. I knew a family that had a Labrador that loved to take showers. Strange right? And the kids would take that dog in the shower with them daily. And I am sure the little girls loved to shampoo the dog. They could never understand why the dog had dandruff I had a large black labrador that had the habit of climbing in the tub if you left it unattended. He must have figured if you were not going to use it, why not him. I had to constantly keep bathroom doors closed at bath time.

So, check the dogs diet. Check with your vet. Perhaps a food supplement is in order. Watch the shampoo's you use, and the number of baths. Most of the time, my dogs bath was a swim in the pond or a run in the garden hose. But your Vet is a great source of information and problem solving.

First take him to the vet dry skin could indicate larger problems. Or an allergy. If there are no medical problems a raw egg a week and a tablespoon of vegetable oil a day could be all he needs.

I really appreciate all the advice. I'll try the egg and olive oil and see what happens. I have to take her to the vet next week anyways to get shots and dew claws removed. I will be sure to ask about the food that I have been feeding her. I have only had her for 2 weeks and I chose to feed her Purina Pro Plan. It has omega 3 in it. I keep her in the house and only let her out to use the bathroom and work with her in the evenings. And have only given her 2 baths. She does have a little flaky skin to. Hopefully I will get it all figured out pretty soon, I just hate watchin her do all that scratching when I know something can be done about it.

Clint, can't add nuttin to what been said....hopefully the Vet will have good advice----some do, some don't!
BTW, if you are planning on spaying her, please wait until after the second time she comes in heat! Do not spay too soon or she will be all legs!
My lady vet whom I have known since she was 8 or 9 can tell a dawg that was nuetured too soon from a mile away! All that testrosterone has to go somewhere!

I am doing everything you fellas have mentioned. Hopefully her skin will get better soon.Tom I don't think I am going to get her nuetured. I have a few friends that used to have labs that eiether died or was stolen. They have already hit me up for pups. I told them it might be after next season that I breed her though. I would rather her be atleast almost 2yr. old before she has any pups. Plus she should be ready to do some retrieving next season.

I picked up my first lab 2 1/2 years ago, and along with the gunk in the ear thing, she seems to always have skin problems. The first thing the vet did was to give us special shampoo, which I don't think does anything. They have put her on antibiotics, and Benedryhl, which have helped, in the past, but, this last time, it didn't seem to help.

The last two hunting seasons, it seemed like all her problems went away once I started hunting her almost every day, but, this year, even with hunting, her skin problems persist, so the vet just started her on steroids, and it seems to be working.

Appreciate the advice RH45. I need to take her to the vet next week and get her shots. I'll see what he has to tell me about it. I have had several people tell me that their vet said to give them benedrhl to. I need to try it I guess. If she's not eatin, or sleepin she's scratchin. She will even stop in the middle of a retrieve to scratch. I just want to rub butter on her something. LOL

Clint, I would say Ol Abe wants to come visit when she is two but he will be 10 1/2 then and probably, like me,  no sperm! LOL!

LOL. You aint right.

Funny how things change when you look up your old post. Turned out, that my dog was actually allergic to flea bites. Doc put on some TRIFEXIS. A pill that kills fleas and D-Worms. She hasn't had a problem with skin since. I had to get her fixed to after a mut got hold of her. So no puppies for me.