Skip to content

Super dry skin

Basenji Health Issues & Questions
  • My male has extremely dry skin this winter - no surprise considering its been super cold (below zero overnights since Christmas) and my house has very low humidity. I've been rubbing Vit-E oil on his skin and I got some skin conditioner from the vet but he occasionally has flareups for some reason in the evening (probably when driest in the house). Any suggestions for lotions or other remedies?

  • An omega-3 (or fish oil) capsule once a day is good for both skin and overall health. I put it in a dab of pumpkin and heat it in the microwave, then mix in a little warm water and use it to moisten dry food for Ava's morning meal. A quarter- or half-teaspoon of olive oil mixed in with food will help dry skin, too. (If it causes diarrhea, step down the amount.) Some people mix the olive oil with warm water and massage it onto the skin, but I've stuck with the internal treatment and that keeps the coat soft and glossy. This winter has been brutal!

  • Agree with ownedbyspencer, Kaiser had very dry rough skin and was told by Holistic vet to give fish oil 1000mg to help with that and also give his skin more protection, we do 1 tablet daily he doesn't mind it squirted on his breakfast, had to start off with 1/2 a capsule in the am then 1/2 in the pm as it took time for his gut to adjust. We were told to do it for 3 months a couple of times a year but as soon as I stopped I noticed that he would get the dry skin back fast so we do it daily. Good luck.

    Jolanda and Kaiser

  • Will try both the fish oil capsules and the olive oil. Thanks.

  • i use fish oil or coconut oil. somewhere on line there is a list of 50 (?) uses for coconut oil. it's also great for human skin.

  • Olive oil works very quickly; cleared up my dogs dry skin in less than two weeks (though I put it in food) and is relatively cheap. Three table spoons a week I think is what vets have recommended. The high fat can cause some laxative issues though. You don't likely need fish [cod] oil after that, though if you have a decent fish source….never hurts as a supplement. Especially salmon. If you're neurotic about your dog's health [ as there is some controversy surrounding Olive oil], and wanting to pull out all the stops, just go straight for the fish oil.

Suggested Topics

  • Dry skin and fur

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    13
    0 Votes
    13 Posts
    3k Views
    ZandeZ
    @prasadvaze The body odour would suggest to me there is something being ingested that his body doesn't approve of. I would change his diet to something grain free to start with and I would also talk to a vet who is experienced with Basenjis. Not just any vet. Find one who knows our breed and is prepared to research your problem relative to Basenjis
  • 0 Votes
    8 Posts
    16k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    Just a thought on assuming your experiences are the only one, I have never had a dog in my 58 years of life with "winter ear", but I am intelligent enough not to assume that means that isn't it. And I also don't consider finding out what is wrong with your pet to be a "waste of money." Doing rescue, I have seen mange more times than I care to remember. But scraping can reveal other issues also. So if it clears up, fine. If it seems to be taking too long or not totally healing, more than worth the money. But let's let vets give you the list of causes: http://www.merckvetmanual.com/pethealth/dog_disorders_and_diseases/ear_disorders_of_dogs/disorders_of_the_outer_ear_in_dogs.html
  • Flakey skin…

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    19
    0 Votes
    19 Posts
    8k Views
    M
    Hi All, Thought i'd give you a little update! My lil lady had her food changed from Eukanuba medium pup to Royal Canin Mini (she's a very small basenji and doubt she'll get bigger than 10k when fully grown so thought this one best) I also bought her a Pet Head shampoo 'Royal Treatment' with oatmeal and aloe. She loves her new food and never leaves a crumb now, has a bath once every two weeks (instead of every week) and has a treat of sardines or yogurt every couple of days. Her skin is much better, little flaking and her coat looks much better now. Thank you guys for all the advice!
  • Seasonal skin trouble??

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    16
    0 Votes
    16 Posts
    6k Views
    K
    any idea where i can find that in the use? or did you get that at the vet?
  • Dry flaky Skin

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    3k Views
    W
    One thing that came to my mind: At our vet clinic we sell Science Diet. They have a sensitive skin formula. I find all of their foods to be made in mind of the animals needs and it is highly recommended by our veterinarians. Although it might be more costly.. More info on the food http://www.hillspet.com/hillspet/products/productDetails.hjsp?HillsProductCode=SD_K9_D_adt_NA_o_O_SKIN_orig_USARG
  • Pink skin

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    11
    0 Votes
    11 Posts
    5k Views
    MantisM
    watch your basenji at the vet. Caesar gets nervous and blushes. Belly, ears, nose turns pink.