Hi everyone, this is absalutly great for help and advice for our lovely dogs.  So if anyone can advise me...my last Newfy had an awful skin problem, and he had this for 3 years, I had tried everything to stop it, and because of this living with him was a nightmare!, he was agressive, and because I changed his diet, he became a very bad scavenger, he was biting one of his pads all the time and it became that infected he couldn't walk, and because of this, the smell was so awful (from his skin) he had to live outside which very sadly caused depression and stress which lead to 'bloat' and I lost him to which today I feel very guilty.  Now I have another one who I am trying to sort out his training to which I am getting great advice from yourselves which I thank you....sorry to go off there!!! so now apart from the training I am now thinking of giving him 'evening primrose oil', to give his skin and coat a boost!!

Can anyone tell me if this works OR is there anything on the market that is great for his skin and coat?, as I am sure I was going wrong somewhere with my last Newf! many thanx xx 

With some of the things you were mentioning with your previous Newfie I would have thought of thryoid problems or the like, don't think t was to do with the food.

HI Perrodeagua....well, you could have a good point there! wouldn't you think my flippin vets would have picked up on this? instead  of changing his diet which made him agressive as he was always hungray and giving him steroids! to this day, we didn't get to the bottom of what was exactily wrong with him, we were just told it was a 'skin problem' as he was iching all the time and the SMELL god it was awful that's why we had to keep him outside.  But now with our new boy, I am keeping a close eye on him, I may be paranoid now but I will certainly keep an eye even if he scratchers now I will have him to the vets!!  xx

I would agree with you there, I do think now it wasn't his food but my stupid vet (to which I don't go to anymore!) said it was as he said it was the ingrediants - too rich!!! as that was making his skin itch and him biting his pad.  I just couldn't get to the bottom of his problem at the time, sorry to go on but I'm paranoid it happening to my present Newf so that's why I was wondering if there was anything out there - say, from 'holland and barrett' to start giving him, iv asked a couple of vet on this and all them tell me different!!! so if anyone is giving their pooches any sort of vitamins that does help his well-being and coat ect...then please tell me, after my last Newf dying of bloat, I am now like a hawk watching him and being careful about everything he does now - am I going round the bend or what!!!!xx

My Newfie has a low grade pyoderma (non-specific skin complaint) which flares up from time to time.  Initially, it required antibiotics and anti bacterial shampoos to clear it up but, on recommendation of our vet, we now manage to keep it under control by supplementing her diet with high doses of fish oils and vitamin E.  I use these products: salmon oil and vitamin E.

Hi Shaynlola, so, would you recommend that I start giving my Newf fish oils & vit e? please, don't think im putting you on the spot....but are these vits good for your newf? I will check with the vet if it will be good for mine, but I am desperate to give him some sort of suppliments as Im sure, even the best food you can buy may not include essential vits, do you notice that they are doing good inside and out.  As im sorry for going on, but my last newf suffered with skin problems and I know that my vet couldn't get to the bottom of it so of course, you can imagin how I felt so I feel now that I must make sure my dog will never experience what Louie went though....but any advice will be greatly appreciated!!xx

By all means, seek advice from you vet but fish body oils and vitamin E are very safe to give to the vast majority of dogs.  I noticed a great improvement in Lola's coat and skin condition within weeks of beginning on the regular supplements and, apart from the occasional flare up of her skin complaint, she is otherwise generally a healthy little soul thankfully.  I supplement my other dog (a male Chow X Rottweiler) in the same way as fish body oils also have other benefits for joints, brain etc.