Is it right that our nine week old long haired daschund should have dandruft? He seems to nibble himself quite often. We have washed him twice and yet the flakey skin still seems to persist?

Please can anyone shed any light on our predicament? Should we use special dandruft shampoo? We have checked him over and yet we cannot see any fleas.

Many thanks

Pete

Hi Pete.  I have two dachshunds myself (both mini shorthairs).  Washing him and then washing him only a couple/few weeks later will actually cause his skin to become drier and more flaky, creating more dandruff.  You should probably bathe him only once every month or two, as doing it less often should help with the skin dryness.  One thing I do for mine is add a bit of olive oil or fish oil to their food dish twice or thrice each week.  If I recall correctly, pills with those type of oils are sold for dog consumption for said purpose.  The other option you have is to change his dogfood to a better quality brand/type.

now can i ask what if you have a show dog with this problem and have to bath then once a week? then what?just intrested
fiona

I don't see why one would need to bathe a shorthair miniature dachshund once a week (or once every two weeks), even if one goes to a show every single week.  As for longhairs, it's been my experience that wipes work just fine if they're a little dirty, and brushes work out most matting.  The dryness, dandruff, and itchiness/scratching from the continuous washing is what would concern me the most.

Fiona not everyone baths their dogs for EVERY show! :D Poodles and Yanks are exceptions! :)

We don't bath out setters before every show, as you know, a breed that is mainly white here!!!  A good brush gets the dirt out.  The aussies are only bathed once a month at the most, white paws will be wiped down if really dirty! :)

The boxers (years back) if I rememer got bathed only after roling in something REALLY nasty, the rest of the time it was a damp cloth if really needed!!!!

OP Oils are a good idea.  evening primrose oil I find works well and can be got from holland and barret.  Adding some sunflower oil to food will also help.

good luck

i menbt a yank ed can from time to time get a touch of it and hes on dorwest herds evening primrose, i agree though i dont see why short haired dogs need bathing once a week

fiona

Don't see why long haired breeds such as setter, spaniels, aussies, BC's need bathing every week!!!!!!

I assume from your post that you gave the baths to try to stop the 'dandruff'?

If this is the case and you are sure that your dog doesn't have any fleas, then he may be intolerant to the food you are giving. Changing gradually over to a hypo-allergenic food may do the trick for him

If, however, it started after the first bath, it could be a reaction to the shampoo.

Hi Many thnaks for all your replies to my plea for help. I took little Sydney to the vet as one forum advised and it seems that he does not have Fleas just a mild case of dry skin. Its good to know that a lot of you advised just as the vet did, evening promrose oil in his food and to use a specialy medicated shampoo that the vet supplied.

This seems to now be working a treat and Sydney is now looking more brown and black as per the norm.

ONce again many thanks for all your help, much appreciated from a new Daschund owner.