Question to all the akita breeders/owners out there (or anyone with a heavy furred dog)

My 18 month akita bitch is currently suffering from what I can only describe as a cross between dandruff and excema along her back. She has not lost any fur as a result apart from in one location that she has nibbled at.

Vets have had a quick look (which is about all they can manage without getting too scared!) and have given me some disinfectant wash and wound healing cream (promotes natural healing) but bar shaving her completely this is not going to work!

Anyone have any suggestions?

My lab bitch who lives and is kennelled with her isn't suffering from anything so don't think it is contagious

Thanks

Tim

We had an Akita that suffered from skin problems and we did find him best (in those days) on James Wellbeloved..............however the Company has been taken over since then.........plus nowadays I would try a BARF diet ;-)

She's been fed on the same food all her life (pedigree complete + plus some wet food) and has been absolutely fine up until now

Well, firstly I'd change my Vet!! My Akita is on Tripe & Pedigree mixer & has never had any skin problems, except when we were having building work & he seemed to have a dust allergy (such a dainty little dog!). he does get dandruff if he's not brushed regularly or when he's moulting really badly (which is most of the time). I think the coat is so thick, the skin never gets any fresh air! Could try giving her some Evening Primrose or even a blob of Margerine - just remembered, that's what an old vet recommended to me for another Spitz breed. Tried bathing her in good ol' Head & Shoulders?

Sounds like it could be a wheat gluten allergy, I'd get her to a good vet pronto for tests. No vet should be scared of any breed!!!!!!!
My older Akita lass suffers greatly from wheat gluten allergy, she eats a sensitive complete food (meat and rice based) to keep all her problems at bay.
Alternateively, it could be a toxin inbalance in the liver causing what appears to be an untreatable skin condition. A dietition told me that a high protein level in a dog's food can cause many problems and it is presented in a number of ways, with our Akita dog it was a manky ear and no amount of antibiotics would shift it! We lowered the protein level in his diet to below 20% and hey presto the ear cleared up within three weeks!
Hope she's okay xxxx

Hi
I don't have Akita's but i did have a skin problem with one of my bullmastiffs, we went through the skins scrapes and washes etc. In the end i changed his diet to a low protein food(Dr Johns silver 18% protein) and started giving him Brewers Yeast tablets with his food, this did the trick and he had no problems for the last few years.
Karen.

I swear by DR Johns, its not the most expensive of foods but it does the job. In this case though i wouldn't suggest it as it could still be a wheat gluten allergy and Dr Johns is not wheat gluten free.
Wheat gluten allergy's are becoming more and more common in Akitas. Most of the 'good' breeders i know feed sensitive foods whether their dogs have the problem or not, just to be sure.
A good food to try would be Burgess Supa Dog Sensitive. It is 20% protein and wheat gluten free and at £18 a bag its not too expensive. You can get it in Pets at Home and most pet shops.

Thanks for all your suggestions

I should say that some of the vets at my local practice are fine with her there just are a couple of young ones who are scared of her when she growls or barks - not that she has ever bitten anyone and she never ever gives me any grief - I can do what I like with her and she accepts it but that is because I am top dog :)

Will do the following I think:

Brush her more often - she loves it as it gets at a scratch that she can't!
Get her to vet to check for allergies (for a chunky breed she is more prone to illness than my lab!)
Change her diet if I need to - on that note will my lab be okay being fed the same as the akita if I do go for a special food? (which will be a shame as the akita loves dried pasta!)

Once again thanks and I'll let you know how I get on

Tim

(& Kia and Jinx)

Any hypo allergenic commercial dog food can be given to both dogs. However you may not need this or a "prescription" diet but just put her on a more appropriate diet. Most itchy skin conditions can be sourced either to a yeast overgrowth (therefore Brewers yeast would be contra indicated) or an allergy to one of the components (most commonly wheat, soya but it could be one or more). Sometimes the food is unbalanced re Omega 3s and 6s (usually you need to add Omega 3s in the form of fresh/tinned fish or fish body oil).

Most commercial "prescription" diets contain the items the dog is allergic to but hydrolised so that they are non-allergenic!

You could have her allergy tested which is expensive in the short term but cheaper and better for the dog in the long term. Alternatively you could try swapping her food to a less "complex" one such as Nature Diet or Burns which only has meat, rice and veg first to see if that improves her. Remember this would apply to ALL items your dogs eat such as commercial dog "treats" etc. You can replace these with dried tripe/beef jerky (lungs) etc.

HTH