[Akari_32]

You guys may recall, my moms dog, Bentley, is always itchy. Right now, his back half is almost completely bald, and his skin is bright red. No matter what we do, what foods he’s on, what protein and carb sources the food has or doesn’t have, fleas or no fleas (obviously we strive for no fleas, but we have some sort of freakish super fleas around here, and he’s so small he’s like a flea magnet in the grass). It just doesn’t matter. We yell at him for scratch so much that he actually goes and hides so he can scratch. Crafty little terrier… Lol

He also smells. Doesn’t matter of he just had a bath or not. He’s stinky. I think it’s a yeast thing?

I’m 99% sure most of it has to do with seasonal allergies, as he gets much better in the winter, and almost all his hair grows back by the time is warms up again for spring.

I always hear of these stories of these dogs that are doing terrible on any kibble, no matter what kind it is, and then they are put on raw and all their problems go away, or are greatly reduced to the point where they can actually be dogs again.

Does anyone have tips on how I can do an extremely cheap raw diet? And is it cheaper to go with a RMB base and not supplement calcium, or to do mostly muscle meat and supplement the calcium, etc associated with bones? Money is defiantly an issue, but we can’t have this freakish Chinese crested/poodle/terrier Frankenstein love child looking thing. There is a Save-A-Lot near the house, which I know would help with the cost, but I’m not sure the quality of their meats. We usually shop at Publix or SAMs Club for meat, depending on what we need. We also have Winn Dixie. I know they do great deals on meat, as well.

He’s about 8 pounds, very active (so fat isn’t too much of a problem), and loves him a good raw bone (I’ve given him chicken necks, pig knuckles, a few others before).

And back on the supplement thing again, is it possible to feed raw with no supplements? What supplements are some cost effective ones?

I’d love to hear of some of your recipes and weekly meal plans and such, as well 🙂

[Naturella]

I’m commenting so I can follow! 🙂 Good luck with Bentley! 🙂

One thing I add for Bruno that you may also use are the raw eggs – still a bunch of animal protein in there so you can reduce the meat by a tad, I THINK.

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
You probably want to track down Hounddogmom and also purchase the books that most raw feeders on this website recommend from Steve Brown and Dr. Karen Becker. There is truly a science to a raw diet that isn’t commercially made.

Just food for thought…I suggest considering Bentley’s entire diet, not just kibble. The canned food, treats, or any other products that you feed him need to be quality as well. Any ingredient, no matter the quantity, can affect his health if he has an intolerance to it.

[Cyndi]

Akari, with the dog being so small, doing commercial raw wouldn’t cost all that much just for him. Then you wouldn’t really need to add any supplements, except maybe some fish oil, tinned sardines are great and coconut oil. Even raw eggs as a topper would be good. It would probably be pretty cheap to feed a small dog like that a raw diet. Good luck!

[Akari_32]

He gets very little in the way of actual dog treats. He usually gets a bit of people food for treats. I yell at mom for giving him jelly beans quite often… Other than those, he gets veggies and meat scraps. Right now, his treats are Wellness Toy Breed cranberry something-or-anothers. They were on clearance lol Oh, and he steals the cats food if he leaves it and it’s not up high. Alec gets mostly Wellness Grain Free.

The only commercial raw diets locally available are Bill Jac (not sure how good that is) and Natures Variety, which is not cost effective at all (I’ve already looked into that.). There may be other brands that I’ve over looked, though.

What if we were to feed like, half raw, half Natures Variety Instinct kibble? That has freeze dried raw coating, and all sorts of good stuff in it. Would supplements be needed then? (Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to avoid supplements, I just know they can be costly, so if I can find a way to balance his diet as cheaply as possible, I’d like to take that route).

[pugmomsandy]

Have you looked into feeding canned food? I would think canned food is cheaper than commercial raw. There are some canned foods with very few ingredients (like Hound & Gatos or Merrick 96%) and can be bought online. And there’s the simple recipes at homemadedogfood.com. Are premixes in your budget?

[Akari_32]

I don’t know if I could do canned or not. “Good” canned food isn’t a popular thing around here. It’s pretty much Wellness or Natures Variety, or Mr. Pretend Good Blue Buffalo, as far as that goes. Everything else is like Pro Plan and Science Diet. Though Walmart does have Pure Balance…. And I can look online, and see of I can find anything.

And about the premixes, I think doing no carbs (or as little as possible) is best. This dog smells like a rag used to clean up milk that was left in the sun for a week @.@ So if I did canned, it’s have to be like the 95% ones.

I’ve been looking around at home made and raw sites. Kind of hard on my phone, but I’m getting ideas 🙂 I’ll look into that site, as well.

Does anyone have any links to good prices supplements?

[DogFoodie]

Has he ever had his thyroid checked?

[pugmomsandy]

That site has a “yeast starvation diet” recipe too. And the recipes call for only 2 supplements!

[Akari_32]

That is an interesting thought, Betsy. I did some googling, and he has many of the symptoms of Hypothyroidism. I will continue to push mom to make him an appointment, and we’ll have that checked as well.

Thanks Sandy, I’ll look into it more when I get on the computer 🙂

[aquariangt]

Sojos has a premix that’s grain free. The 8 lb bag is 50ish but makes a lot of food, the 2 lb is usually under 15

[Bobby dog]

Check out those labels to be sure they contain healthy ingredients. I have found a few treats from better dog food companies that have added sugars, color, and excessive starches; dental chews can also contain unsavory ingredients.

If you are unable to financially swing feeding a commercial or homemade raw diet all the time, pugmomsandy’s suggestion of feeding raw & canned or just canned would be good to consider too. I think you will see healthier skin and have less odor by improving the quality of his canned food as well.

Having his thyroid checked is a great suggestion; hair loss is one of the symptoms of a thyroid condition.

I have looked at raw diets before and bookmarked a few sites. Here’s a link to a list of premixes:
http://dogaware.com/diet/dogfoodmixes.html

Here’s some links for homemade diets:
http://dogaware.com/diet/homemade.html#
http://dogaware.com/diet/rawfoods.html

[Shasta220]

Very interesting topic to read over! All of the above posts are perfect help… Have you tried adding raw honey? I’ve heard of many allergy problems disappearing from adding that.

What do you bathe him with, too? I know a couple dogs that had nasty problems that turned out to not be food related at all. They got a bath with that Malaseb shampoo and were fine.

Ultimately, I’m sure the raw diet would be the best, but there’s always the possibility of that too. Can’t hurt to try 😉

[Susan]

Yes, Shasta 220 is right.. treating the outside is just as importatnt with dry itchy skin, you need a real good medicated shampoo that kills bacteria (yeast) I use Medicated Malaseb shampoo & bath every 5-7 days as soon as Patch starts his scratching its bath time…His feet are real bad at the moment cause we are having heaps of rain so I fill a shallow bath & put a couple of caps of Detol Antiseptic lotion in water & soak his feet they smell awful like corn, you can smell him when he sits next to me like a bad yeasty bread shop a real yukky yeasty smell, after I soaked his feet, then I washed his feet in some Medicated Malaseb shampoo the reddness has gone & he has stopped licking… so we’ll sleep tonight..try to get a medicated shampoo that kills bacteria of the skin.. with food low carbs no potatoes, sweet potatoes, any foods that converts to sugar are NO good as they make yeast… scratching can start the bacteria breeding & spreading, so bath weekly…. If you cant find Malaseb look for Paws (Pure Animal Wellbeing) Nutriderm Replenishing Shampoo & Conditioner for dry itchy skin.. I bath in the Malaseb shampoo then the Paws Conditioner, the conditioner u leave on their skin to moisturise & soften the skin..u’ll need to do this routine probably for the rest of his life even though they start to look real good & stop scratching you can then maybe bath fornightly, in winter Patches itch slows down, then when summer is back so is his seasonal allergies..

[Akari_32]

Thanks guys! I’ll look into prices for canned foods (could do coupons or whatever depending on the brand), and commercial raw. What other brands of commercial raw have you guys seen in chain stores other than Natures Variety, and what did they cost? I’ll also add those links to my list of things to read.

For his shampoo, we have and use several. It’s just sort of whatever we pick up when manage to drag him into the tub (he really hates baths lol). We have Grreat Choice Oatmeal Shampoo, a couple sample packets of Beyers stuff (shampoo and conditioner– some sort of lipids and oils thing), and some Neosporin human body wash, which helps the most, but obviously isn’t a dog shampoo, so we don’t use it often.

Would a medicated shampoo need to come from the vet? Is there anything I can make at home to help him? I’ve started using coconut oil for Alec, and it’s helped clear his tummy out. I could butter up Bentley with a homemade coconut oil shampoo or something lol

And yes, I’ve been using honey. But just like everything else, it helped for a few weeks, and now it does nothing. He likes it though.

Oh, and I have THK trial things, too. They are kind of low protein, though, so that would leave me to believe they may be higher in carbs? (Which is why I’m not sure if I want to a premix or dehydrated complete meal).

[crazy4cats]

Hi Akari-
I use Northwest Naturals nuggets as a topper for my dogs a couple times a week. So far so good! Not sure if you would have them in your area though. They are a little cheaper than some of the others. I’m using them as the raw meat for my ABC meal. If I remember correctly, you do not go to Costco? If you can, they still may have some Kirkland cuts in gravy left or the replacement, Nature’s Domain turkey stew canned foods. They come in a case of 24 and come out to be about 80 cents a can. Call first before you go to check availability though.

[Akari_32]

No, I have Sams Club, not Costco. Too far in the wrong direction lol I could have my grandma go for me, though…. She gets up that way, and has a Costco membership. Do you happen to know the feeding guidelines on those?

I’ve not heard of Northwest Naturals, so I think it’s safe to say we don’t have it here lol

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
Hopefully getting his thyroid checked will give you some answers either way too. I think the shampoos and quality canned foods are a step in the right direction! 🙂

I only use two different medicated shampoos EQyss Mega Tech and Nolvasan; they are medicated shampoos not prescription. I used both for Bobby when he had skin issues. Mega Tech works great, but if the issues are a little more out of hand Nolvasan is one shampoo that always relieved and cleared up both my horses and Bobby’s skin issues. But, I only had complete success with Bobby’s skin and coat issues when I sorted out his diet.

Here’s some info on Nolvasan shampoo:
http://www.vetstreet.com/nolvasan-shampoo

You might even be able to request a sample from EQyss for the Mega Tech shampoo. Here’s EQyss’s website:
http://www.eqyss.com/index.asp

The other products I use for skin conditions or wounds for all my pets (cats included) with great success are Vetericyn and Banixx. These products are wonderful; I can’t say enough about them and would never be without them:
http://vetericyn.com/benefits/canine.php
http://banixx.com/for-dogs

Try to see if your grandma could get some KC&G or ND turkey stew for you (if they have any in stock). They are definitely the most affordable of the 5 star budget canned foods. Here’s a link to Kirkland pet food:
http://www.great-pet-supplies.com/

Next affordable would be Tractor Supply 4Health (.99) or Wal-Mart’s Pure Balance stews ($1.00). I know TSC is 30 mins in the opposite direction you travel, but if you can find time to get there it would probably be worth the benefits for Bentley. After that it is Pure Balance 95% for $1.25. Unfortunately, these budget foods don’t seem to go on sale or have coupons lol. Of course, you can always use some of those Wellness coupons for Bentley too.

I have checked out commercial raws before and found they are all similarly priced with Nature’s Variety being the average price. Some a little lower, some higher. But, since you are a couponer, probably feeding Nature’s Variety intermittently would be feasible.

[Shasta220]

I chuckled when I read your post about your grandma being able to go to Costco. Exact same thing for me!!! Costco is about 2hrs away (only 20min for my grandma), and she’s the only one w a membership lol!

[DogFoodie]

No oatmeal shampoo for a yeast pup! Oatmeal feeds Malassezia. I’d choose one of the medicated shampoos the others mentioned or an antifungal shampoo. Or choose a shampoo that is clear, not creamy, and has an essential oil like tea tree oil.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by DogFoodie.

[Susan]

See I found the opposite, when I used a tea tree based shampoo it made the itch & smell worse, when I use a oatmeal based shampoo it seems to releave the itch, so it all depends on the dog I suppose…

[Susan]

See I found the opposite, when I used a tea tree based shampoo it made the itch & smell worse, when I use a oatmeal based shampoo it seems to sooth & relieve the itch, so it all depends on the dog I suppose…

[Akari_32]

Here’s a pic of the Beyer Shampoo and conditioner.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/CA1154BC-DD2C-40EA-9C0B-9A64DAD19FB6_zpsqr72vruz.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/E2293B99-6B82-4F82-B2B5-B90729E10C5E_zpsdm63bdqf.jpg

Sorry about the glare in the second picture. The bathroom has overhead lights lol

As for food, I’ve decided to ditch kibble right now (Pure Balance Salmon lol), and stick with just THK. Right now I have Force open, so I’ll use that. At a half cup a day, dry, the three grain free sample boxes won’t last long. I don’t think I’ll use the grain inclusive one (oatmeal). I’ll use it for the other dogs. They don’t care, they just like to eat :p

I’ll look into those shampoos, and bother mom about getting him a vet appointment.

Forgot to add, I’d like to get him on Pure Balance 95% canned, but in order to do that, I have to sell mom on the idea, and make room by getting rid of the THK taking up space in the cabinet lol

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Akari_32.

[Bobby dog]

Akari:
I can’t comment on the Bayer products, I have never used them. I forgot about a third product I use for skin conditions, povidone/iodine scrub. Don’t get me wrong, I have my fair share of avocado, coconut oil, goats’ milk, vanilla, and the list goes on, of shampoos and conditioners for my dog and horses. But, when I need to take care of a skin conditions I use either EQyss Micro Tech, Novalsan, or a povidone/iodine scrub and follow-up with Vetericyn or Banixx.

I looked for Nolvalsan shampoo and all the sites I found each said it was back ordered; who knows maybe they don’t make it anymore. The average price of Malaseb shampoo on the Internet is around $15.00, not bad for a antibacterial/antimicrobial shampoo.

A povidone/iodine solution (not the scrub) may be helpful for Bentley. I use the solution for various treatments with my horses, I haven’t used it on Bobby. You can usually find this in drug stores. Here’s a link about using it:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/10/04/treating-your-pets-skin-infection.aspx

The new feeding regimen sounds good; hope you can sell your mom on the idea. It really sounds like Bentley needs Veterinary care to determine the cause of his skin condition. Fingers crossed you can bother your mom to make that appointment! 🙂

[Akari_32]

Ok, guys! I just got back from the dreaded Walmart lol I went in for Sulfedene Medicated Shampoo, but they didn’t have any. So I got my second choice, VetArmor Itch and Allergy medicated shampoo. It was my second choice because it was more expensive and I couldn’t find much about it. I also went a head and got two cans of Pure Balance 95% Beef and Chicken. I wanted one of each, but the chicken was gone lol I also explained to mom my thoughts about a thyroid issue and the blood tests needed for that, and that he need to get back on his Trifexis, or some other good flea med (because let’s face it Advantix 2 sucks….). I’ll give him a bath tonight and see how this stuff works.

[Bobby dog]

Akari:
There is oatmeal in this shampoo, not sure if it matters or not since you don’t know what his health issues are.

I can never find the chicken either, they always the beef & chicken. No matter what Wal-Mart I shop at, they never seem to stock it.

[Akari_32]

Yeah, I saw that. We’ll see what it does. I just wanted something for immediate use while I searched around for something suggested here, and saw what was available locally. I’ll make mom pay for whatever I order lol

I wonder if I could get them to order me a case and hold it? I could do site to store, but they aren’t on the website, so that won’t work lol

[Bobby dog]

AKari:
Did you happen to check out the Mercola link I sent you in my last reply? I know finances are an issue, but what they talk about in the video might provide some treatment (if it is an infection) as well as relief for a very affordable price! You can pick up a bottle of povidone/iodine solution at Wal-Mart for $6.24 and it will last you forever. The other benefit for you is that it does not require bathing! From the video, according to Dr. Becker “The solution I’m about to use will take care of staph, yeast, and pretty much any common bacteria, but doesn’t sting or irritate the dog’s skin at all. And it’s safe if dogs lick the area after cleaning.”

I inquired about ordering it a while ago and got the run around about if it wasn’t on the website you couldn’t order large quantities. I never followed up with customer service, so you never know. I would love to do that though.

[Akari_32]

I’m trying to do minimal stuff on my phone since it’s annoying, but I’ll be looking at everything once I’m on the computer. I did mean to look at the iodine stuff while I was there, but forgot lol

A case is only 12 cans, surely that can’t be too complicated. Then again, we are talking about Walmart, the king of make-your-customers-miserable, which is why I avoid it as much as possible. I’ll let you know what they say next time I venture in.

[Bobby dog]

Oops, forgot about your plan/phone issues, sorry! Anyway, it may be something that can help out while you are discussing things with your mom. 😉 I do use the solution as part of treatment plans for certain infections with my horses with no issues.

I used the pov/io shampoo on Bobby before (it worked great), but never thought of using the solution for him when he had his yeast and hot spot issues. Wish I knew I could use it as she demonstrates in the video, poor little guy probably wouldn’t have been so uncomfortable last summer. I definately will be using it as Dr. Becker demonstrated if he ever has skin issues in the future.

[Akari_32]

Eh, my data plan restarted, but doing in-depth research on my phone is irritating lol I did see the video, though, and like how easy it is to use. I’ll get it here soon after I see his the shampoo helps him. I don’t want to start a bunch of things at once because I want to know if something’s working or not. Diet change and super-shampoo is enough right now lol

[DogFoodie]

I remember Toxed first told me almost two years ago that Betadine was the best thing to use when my Sam first got a gunky ear, the result I believe initially, because of vaccinosis when he was a tiny pup. The iodine is actually beneficial and I recall Toxed telling me that most dogs don’t get enough iodine in their diet. Whatever is used in the skin is absorbed into the body. Make it count.

[Bobby dog]

Glad you were able to view it! Anyway if you decide to try it, since we were just discussing this, you can order this site to store just in case your store does not keep it stocked! lol Here’s the brand info, Equate: Povidone-Iodine Solution, 10% Topical Microbicide Antiseptic, 8 fl oz.

Hope Bentley enjoyed his Pure Balance I know Bobby does. 🙂

[Akari_32]

Interesting Betsy. Never thought of it that way.

I do plan on trying, yes 🙂 I just want to give the new diet and shampoo a few weeks to see how they’re helping. Last year we did all these different things at once, including it changing to winter during the beginning of everything, so we never really determined what helped and what didn’t. Since the hot weather just started, we’ll have plenty of time to go slow and see what helps.

I gave him a bath, and let the shampoo sit on him for about 5 minutes. The bottle says 5-10, so I started slow, just to see how he’d react to it. He seemed fine with it, plus it killed the fleas the Advantix 2 failed to killed, so that’s a plus LOL I need to get the yard and house treated with the DE I bought a couple weeks ago, as well…

Bentley seems to like everything, so he should like it 🙂 I’m going to get him going on the THK for a couple weeks before changing him again, just to let his tummy settle in to a new food. That’ll also give me time to let Walmart figure out how to function. :p

[Bobby dog]

Hey Betsy:
I agree it is great, not to mention economical, stuff! I forget about it because I use it mostly for hoof abscesses. My T-bred gets some serious abscesses about once every five years, crazy cycle. Not bone infection depth, but walking on three legs drastic. You learn to treat stuff like this (sometimes with the help of my hoofcare specialist) on your own or you can look forward to huge Vet bills. Betadine and pov/io solution works wonders on them. Sometimes I even mix the solution with sugar. I am glad I found Dr. Becker’s video.

[Akari_32]

Hey, real quick: how long does that stuff last once diluted? Could I mix it, and then if it doesn’t all get used in one go, reuse it later?

[Bobby dog]

Akari:
I am not positve, maybe someone else will have more info, but yes I would use anything that was left over later that day. I would not mix more than what I would use in a day. I believe Dr. Becker recommended applying 2x/day. Maybe mix it in an old plastic container that has a lid in case you do have some product left. I also think you will get pretty good at pouring out the quantity you need to pat & dab onto to him each time without wasting any. For a little guy like Bentley this application will not take much product at all, especially since it will be diluted.

When I use it on my horses I put it in different applicators. Sometimes it is in a spray bottle, sometimes it is in a plunger (needle without the syringe attached). Usually there is product left over and I just put it in my medicine case to use later.

[Susan]

Hi, sounds like ur dog is allergic to fleas as you said you washed him & killed some fleas… some dogs can just have 1 flea bite & they will itch, scratch & go mad with itchness…I know I wrote to use Antiseptic lotions (Betadine) just becareful with the iodine & antiseptic lotions as they will dry the skin more, they will kill any bacteria but will also make his skin very dry & more itchy, I only use when Patches paws are real bad & his cortisone cream isnt helping, another very cheap way to relieve his itch & dry skin is what my Dermo doctor told me to do, was go to supermarket in the breakfast section buy some oatmeal that we cook & eat its very cheap he said add some water & make a paste & I was to put this oatmeal paste on my itchy skin & face as I suffer from Scleroderma, the oatmeal will soften his skin & stop his itch & its cheaper also he can eat some & it wont hurt him.. try to leave on for 10 mins then rinse…I would try this before the Antiseptic lotion as it sounds like his skin is very dry & furless from fleas…you should start to see an improvment & fur starting to grow back within 2 weeks & try to keep the fleas off him, in the summer at night when Patch is sleeping I go on a flea hunt thru his skin & kill the fleas on him he loves the massage.. he often picks up fleas from the dog park as I dont use no flea products on Patch as he had a real bad reaction to Advantage spot on & was so sick for 1 week his mouth swelled up, his ear swelled up & was spewing blood 7 hrs after applying the Advantage spot on so vet has said dont use any spot ons or Comfortis she said that the Frontline spray was good but its dear if you have a big dog.. Good Luck as its summer over there, Im having winter & I hate the rain & cold, prefer the heat & beach..

[Susan]

Sorry its ‘Rolled Oats’ not oatmeal, in the breakfast section..

[Honeybeesmom1]

Hey Akari. You’ve decribed my Chi. to a T! I’m 99 percent sure Bentley is allergic to fleas.
Honeybee also has a problem w/ pollen and grass – but his main problem is fleas. I put him on Darwins for months and no change in his hair loss, fleas and itching.

I’ve put him on THK Thrive for months then Zeal for months, Merrick canned for a few wks, then Nature’s Logic kibble for a few wks, then NL canned for a few wks, home-cooked, Pure Balance canned for a few wks, Wellness canned for wks, 4 health canned…NO change w/ his red skin. And all the while he was on all of that diet change…he still had one thing…fleas.

Every 2 days his belly gets sweaty and smells like an old wet dirty sock. Even 2 days after a bath. I bought Virbac Ecto-soothe for $20 from my vet that kills fleas, ticks and lice.
But I think a bottle of $3 dish soap would do the same.

I flea comb him probably 10 times a day and have a glass of water w/ dish soap in it to throw the fleas in.
I have sheets over my furniture ( to catch flea eggs) that I take off and wash in hot water, dish soap and essential oils every 2 days.

I have hardwood floors that I vacuum and mop everyday. I HATE to put the flea drops on them – so I was doing things naturally which was not working.
I bought Advantage and put on all pets…and 2 wks later fleas are back.

First thing I did this morning…was flea comb him – and he had a flea. I bet that one flea bit him 50 times all night. My life’s mission right now…is to kill every flea I see. lol
I’ve even treated the yard w/ DE.

Yesterday I pulverized some oatmeal in my magic bullet and mixed in some warm water and let that sit on him for a few minutes. Rinsed w/ cool water as that soothes his skin.

He’s only 5 lbs..but keeping fleas off him is as hard as keeping them off an 80 lb dog.
I also flea comb the other 2 dogs just as much. I’m in Louisiana and it’s hot & humid in the 80s and 90s now. And we always have problems w/ fleas here.
Good luck w/ Bentley…I know it’s hard.

[Honeybeesmom1]

Oh and he was also on Bravo raw, and Natures Variety raw and still no change in his red skin, and hair loss on his back.

[Akari_32]

He came to us with fleas and fully furred, so I don’t really think that’s the problem. Not the whole problem, anyways. I know they aren’t helping anything, but the only thing that works to kill them is Trifexis, and we’re having trouble affording even feeding ourselves, much less pay $300 a year for flea medication! I’m gunna see if I can get her to do it my way, and buy an egg inhibitor flea med, and heart worm meds separately. To do this for my dogs and cat is $80 a year, vs $600+ for Trifexis.

I’m thinking of trying By Nature, since PetFlow has it on sale and free shipping. What do you guys think?

http://www.petflow.com/product/by-nature/nature-95-meat-grain-free-turkey-and-bacon-canned-dog-food

If I order from PetFlow, would you guys recommend any of these shampoos?

http://www.petflow.com/explorer?f%5B%5D=pet:dog&f%5B%5D=product+group:shampoos+%26+conditioners

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Akari_32.

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
The links for the shampoo aren’t working, they take me to the sale page, oh noooo! If I only had a little extra money, I can’t stand to walk away from a good sale! lol

I quickly looked at a few shampoos I think there are a few affordable options for you. You want to try and match at least one of the active ingredients in the Malaseb or Nolvasan shampoos otherwise, IMHO (FWIW), you are just throwing away money on nicely scented shampoos that are fine for bathing, but no other benefits. You have a few of those shampoos in your house for him now so I would focus on getting something medicated.

Any soap will kill fleas when it comes into contact with one. I used Dawn dishwashing soap before because I was at my friends house, who has no pets, and Bobby rolled in something disgusting and I had to bath him immediately. Quite a few fleas bit the dust that day lol. Crossing my fingers, no fleas right now and we are in flea season too. The last few years when Bobby’s fleas became unmanageable I would pour and rub in olive oil (just regular store brand) all over his body beginning on his collar area (not his head) and let him run around outside for about an hour with it on. It was my version of a hot oil treatment for him. lol It really moisturized his skin, but I really used it for killing fleas; like a flea dip. The oil pretty much instantly kills the fleas.

This info is for Sharon too (if your reading). I stopped feeding by Nature because they wouldn’t disclose their co-packer, but I think I just recently found who it is. I always thought their recipes looked great. I would buy them again at this time. It is up to you of course, but I think this is a great option for your little guy.

I am going to check out those shampoos, be back in a little bit. 🙂

[Bobby dog]

Forgot to add, after an hour of running around with his hot oil treatment I would then give him his bath. The oil is easily shampooed out; I use it for my own hair too. Bobby would sleep so soundly for the next couple of days after this routine which in turn gave me a few good nights sleep because he would not be scratching or licking himself throughout the night.

[Bobby dog]

Alright here’s my info: 🙂
~Pure Love Chlorhexidine 4% Shampoo for Dogs and Cats $8.99 – Same % of the same active ingredient in Nolvasan shampoo.

Info on Nolvasan shampoo:
http://www.vetstreet.com/nolvasan-shampoo

Shampoo link on Petflow:
http://www.petflow.com/product/pure-love/chlorhexidine-4-shampoo-for-dogs-and-cats

~Pure Love Ketoconazole 1%, Chlorhexidine Gluconate 2% Shampoo for Dogs and Cats $9.99 – Active Ingredients in Malaseb shampoo are 2% Chlorhexidine Gluconate and 2% Miconazole Nitrate. Ketoconazole looks similar to Miconazole.

Info on Malaseb shampoo:
http://www.drugs.com/vet/malaseb-shampoo.html

Info on ketoconazole:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/ketoconazole-topical-route/description/drg-20067739

Shampoo link on Petflow:
http://www.petflow.com/product/pure-love/ketoconazole1-chlorhexidine2-shampoo-for-dogs-and-cats

I probably would buy the Pure Love Ketoconazole 1%, Chlorhexidine Gluconate 2% Shampoo for Dogs and Cats. These are good prices for the amount of product. Maybe someone else will have a suggestion for you as to which shampoo sold on Petflow they would recommend.

You can also buy antiseptic/antibacterial cleansers in the first aid aisle of most stores that have the same % of the active ingredient in Nolvasan shampoo. Hibiclens is a name brand example, but many drug stores have their own versions of it. I have a bottle of Hibiclens in the barn; I must not have been able to find Nolvasan the last time I needed it.

Here’s a link to Hibiclens:
http://www.hibiclens.com/retail
http://www.hibiclens.com/retail/where-to-buy-hibiclens

[Akari_32]

So I went ahead and bought a case of the turkey and bacon 95% By Nature, as well as that Ketconazole or whatever shampoo and two one cent Etta Says chews for $30 even. At a half can or less a day, that’ll last him a while, and at three baths a week, that shampoo will be gone in no time lol

[Bobby dog]

Ooooh, now you get to wait for the package to be delivered; I love getting deliveries. I just checked on my Chewy order. It’s in a city about 6 hours from my house, the anticipation is killing me. lol

[Akari_32]

I love getting stuff in the mail! I don’t necessarily love paying for it, though LOL I’ll hit mom up for money later in the week to pay for it lol

You should drive over and get it. You’ll get it much faster that way XD

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
Maybe consider giving Bentley some coco oil too. It has antiseptic properties that may help him and also will help moisturize him from the inside out. He would only need about a teaspoon/day.

Now that Bobby is all healed up I only supplement coco oil 2x/wk. I will up it if he needs it, but so far that seems to be enough. He also gets fish oil 2x/wk and Vit E 1x/wk (the water soluable variety) too. It was the added fish oil and coco oil that helped him though because I just started the Vit E recently. If you would like some info on it, let me know, you know I love to post links! lol

[Akari_32]

I thought about putting some on him, but I don’t want it all over my hands LOL I’ll give hi. Some in his food, and see how it helps, though.

[Author]

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