# Puppy skin thing



## carlaraesims (Nov 14, 2009)

Around Jan 5, I started noticing a little dry/balding patch on my puppy's back. So I started looking online for answers, but have come up empty handed. He's very itchy and the bald spot has gotten worse, and his skin just looks super dry and flaky. It's not crusty, red, dark, or swollen. It just seems like dry skin, like me if I get it, where you can scratch it and it flakes away. But his hair is also easy to pull out in that spot too. He acts, eats, drinks, and sleeps normally. He's just itchy.. but it's not constant... he doesn't lick or chew anything on his body, so if he wasn't losing hair, I wouldn't think anything of it. 

It seems like this started when I changed him to Chicken Soup... so I thought maybe it was an allergy, and got California Natural Lamb & Rice Puppy food. He's not fully on it yet, it's been 5 days mixed in with his old. And I also got salmon oil to help with his coat. 

I was just wondering if anyone has seen anything like this? If anyone knows what it could be, please let me know! If it's serious, I'll go to the vet right away... but I'll have to use my credit card if I go in the next 2 weeks... The past two times I went to the vet for two different things, I found out afterwards that I could have helped him at home for $5.


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

A pic of his face would help and google puppy impetigo. You can treat the area daily with an astringent like witch hazel to clear up anything that might be aggravating the dermis then follow up with a good mosturizing spray. Also just in case it is the beginnings of seborrea you can try a sulfa tar shampoo that will help clear that up. Also there is a thing that affects puppies in the 2-12 week range called walking dandruff (cheyletiella mange) which you might also want to google as one of the main symptoms is dry flakes over the neck, and back with mild itching. You might want to invest in the Dog Owner's Home Veterinary handbook by James Giffin. that way you're not needlessly spending money at the vet for things that you can fix at home. It's saved me TONS of cash on wasted vet visits.


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## carlaraesims (Nov 14, 2009)

wow, thanks! i don't think it's puppy impetigo, and i read about the mange before and it doesn't sound like that either... i'm going to go buy those things right now. i'll definitely start the witch hazel now. that book sounds awesome!


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

the mange that causes walking dandruff is different from demodex and sarcoptic mange. Please don't disregard that one if your pup falls into those age brackets. Just curious but why don't you think it could be puppy impetigo? My 5 months old pup just started scratching her pits shoulders and belly to the point of losing hair on her belly. Even tho she didn't have any bumps or pimples yet we still used the impetigo treatment and voila no more scratching. The book is AWESOME well worth what ever you pay for it IMO.


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## carlaraesims (Nov 14, 2009)

oh really? yeah he's 5 months old tomorrow. what do you think I should I try first? witch hazel? hydrogen peroxide? (that's what I quickly read on a website about impetigo)


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

If he's 5 months old then that likely rules out walking dandruff. I would try the witch hazel with a good doggie moisturizer afterwards. peroxide has a tendancy to bleach the fur and isn't really and astringent like witch hazel is. It's an antiseptic. You can also add a tablespoon of olive oil to his food to help increase his skin's mositure levels.


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## GSP Mom (Dec 26, 2009)

An Oatmeal based doggy shampoo also can work wonders.


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