Dry skin problems with my dog.?

My dog is a 5 year old Smooth Fox Terrier. Usually during the winter she has skin problems. I’m reluctant to give her a bath during this time , but she gets smelly. We also have a corn stove and she loves to lay by it and stay warm because she has short hair. I gave her a bath about 2 or 3 weeks ago using a human hair shampoo with green tea and aloe in it. Now she has a spot on her back where its just red and she keeps itching it on the floor and on our recliners and sometimes she almost begs us to scratch her back. I’m wondering if I should switch foods or should I use a certain shampoo on her? Should I consult a vet? Im reluctant to

use pills and fish oils but if that’s reccomended should I use them or should I ask a vet first? I have to keep watching her so she won’t itch so it wont get infected. Any answer is great . Please

tell me if they worked well on a dog like mine. Thanks again !!

Dry skin problems with my dog.?
The sore on her back is a “hot spot”. You can get “bitter apple” or an Elizabethian collar to keep her from further irritating it, and just apply Neopsorin to help it heal.

Good food for dry skin is Avoderm (at a pet supply house) and a good shampoo is an oatmeal based ANIMAL shampoo. Don’t use human shampoo, it’s too harsh for their sensitive skin. It’s OK to put about a tablespoon of vegetable oil in her food, as well.
Reply:If she has dry skin try switching her to a lamb and rice food this is full of oils for the skin and coat. Also give her a bath but use a regular dog shampoo followed by a conditioner. Tail and main shampoo and tail and main conditioner are great they really help dry skin.
Reply:Change her food.

Corn and wheat in food cause skin problems.

So does Tea Tree. Consider changing brands of shampoo.
Reply:its best to see a vet because there are so many different causes for skin problems, you may have to see a skin care specialist.
Reply:The first thing you should know is that using a human shampoo on a dog is not a good idea. The pH balance of a dog’s skin is very different than that of a human’s, and human shampoos can cause skin irritations and other problems. If you have to bathe your dog, I would recommend using a shampoo specially made for dogs. Shampoos that contain oatmeal, aloe, tea tree and neem oil are especially good for problem skin.

Supplements are a good way to help with skin health during the cold months, especially if the problem is limited to those times. (If you have dry skin during other times of the year, you may want to consider changing foods, as a higher quality food can make a big difference in coat and skin health.)

You can give human grade fish oil pills. The best kind are the combination pills of Fish, Flax, and Borage Oil. You can purchase bottles of 100 pills for around $ 7 at Target or Wal Mart.

I have a large dog, so I give two pills to her each morning with her food. She likes to bite them open and lick the oil – but you can also crack them open and spread them over the food. Since your dog is small, one pill a day may be enough. You may want to ask your vet regarding dosage, and whether he recommends a simple supplement, or maybe something stronger like Benedryl, which is a histamine blocker and can help with seasonal allergies.

You can also purchase skin sprays / lotions. One that I’ve found to be very helpful was Neem Oil. It smells rather hideous but does wonders on dog skin. A specialty pet store or maybe an organic food place will carry Neem Oil or lotions that have Neem Oil and Aloe in them.
Reply:i think you should go to a vet and see what they could do for him. Usually oatmeal dog shampoo will help with the dry skin or you can use a couple of drops of i believe its flax seed oil on his food. It might be possible that he is getting an allergic reaction from his food as well. But you never know until you take him to get looked at.
Reply:science diet makes a food for sensitive skin you can try switing her to it also buy a dog shampoo either tar and sulfer or a oatmeal one and use it it you dont want to bathe her durring the winter use a dry shampoofrom the pet store you can also buy a produck called soothe and spray it on her it will relive the itching hope this helps if it dosent take her to you vet i have seen alot of this in the fox terriers that we gromed
Reply:i would take her to the vet just to make sure it isn’t anything serious. im sure it is nothing serious. or that bad to worry about. so good luck!!
Reply:Our Dachshunds had the same problem and we tried alot of different things and when we switched to a dry food only, one called,”natural balance” , has lamb,rice and fish oil, the problem solved….we don’t feed them canned food anymore either…

also, like another one said, don’t use people shampoo, they are to harch on the dogs skin and that alone will give them dry skin..
Reply:buy dog lotion!!!:)
Reply:I live in a cold dry place in the winter too and my 3 dogs get dry skin also.

Try giving her a bath with Milk Bath – you can get it at the petstore (Petsmart or Petco) at least once a week.

Also, put an egg in her food twice a week. It seems to help.

Don’t NOT give her a bath because the dry skin makes her itchy and the bath will soothe her. Being itchy just just makes her skin more flakey.
Reply:If your dog’s hair is falling out around the dry spots, it might have an allergy. Check with your vet. DON’T use human shampoos… They are too harsh and can worsen the problem. Try to find an all natural dog shampoo with oatmeal in it. It will sooth the dry spots and rash and clear up the dry skin.