# Help DANDRUFF



## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Any one have any input?

Jake is eats Acana grain free pacifica and RAW, his poops have been perfect since the switch. He also gets 2000mg salmon oil, 400iu Vit e, and 1000mg vit c.

The last two weeks he has this terrible flaky dandruff....when I brush him it makes it worse. 

Is it possible that he is getting too much oils? The food he eats has a lot in it as well. The coat looks shiny and maybe even a bit oily. 

So, has anyone had problems with bad dandruff while feeding Pacifica? This isn't a flake here and there, this is large flaking BAD dandruff. Help!


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Anyone?


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## JakodaCD OA (May 14, 2000)

I don't feed that food, but you may be on to something with to much oil if his coat seems a bit oily? When some people have dandruff, they tend to have somewhat oily hair so maybe??

I should have asked, is he itchy??


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

This may have nothing to do with Jake, but when dogs are stressed they will flake dandruff. I had a foster and when we went to the adoption events, his dandruff would start up. 
Maybe back off the Salmon oil to 1000mg daily. I'm not familiar with the kibble so can't comment on that. He also may be beginning to go the coat change for Fall so that is making his skin change out as well.


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## Lesley1905 (Aug 25, 2010)

Brody is getting some dandruff as well and is also a little itchy. His coat is beautiful and shiny though. I know he doesnt have fleas or ticks. I'm wondering if maybe the shampoo is bothering him, even though it was hypoallergenic. I feed him Raw in the morning and Solid Gold LB puppy with Nupro sprinkled. He's still a little loose so I'm wondering if he's not taking well to the Solid Gold!


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Yes, I read some of your thread Jane when I did a search, and saw that some flake from stress but I don't think that is the case. Several weeks ago he was biting a scratching like mad...he had been wet a lot going swimming....I gave him a serious brushing and the hair kept coming and coming....and along with it started this dandruff. At first I thought it was caused by me not brushing him enough and he had a build up but the really bad itchiness has subsided but the dandruff is on the rise. 
The kibble he is one is made by Champion and is very good grain free food. It is a fish based food so that why I was wondering if maybe too much fatty acid. 
I gave him a good scrubbing a few weeks ago and that seemed to loosen a ton of hair but now the dandruff....it's not caused from dry skin. I am unsure to bathe again or just keep brushing. He is sensitive in the area that are really bad....mostly along his back and near base of his tail.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

I should add it is still in the 90's here so I can't imagine he is getting ready for a fall coat, if anything he seems to have lost a lot of hair....


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Daylight hours are really what play into the coat change, temps can make the coat thicker, but the natural lighting _length_ is what triggers it. Same as when birds moult, the daylight length is the reason, not the temperatures.
If a dog is bathed more than normal or is in water when not use to it(example: when we go on vacations) it will cause the skin to change, maybe produce more oil to coat what is being depleted by the constant dampness/one reason dogs will get hot spots, too. The damp coat isn't dried out enough and causes the skin to get irritated.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

WOW, that I did not know....fascinating. 
I guess I will back off to 1000mg of salmon oil and keep brushing....I am unsure if another good scrubbing to try to remove more of it is a good move. He has lost sooooo much hair the last two weeks, it was amazing.


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## Toffifay (Feb 10, 2007)

Mine have had ZERO dandruff since I started giving my dogs one capsule of Borage Seed Oil (Omega 6) along with their Fish Oil capsules (Omega 3). They are super shiny and do not have a single visible flake when I brush them.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Well last month he was certainly more wet than normal, we went swimming a lot to beat the 100 degree heat. 
I am going to take him in today to get a professional bath and blow and see if it improves.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

I had Jake bathed and dried today.She said his skin looked normal and didn't know why he has such bad flaking other then maybe he is losing his puppy coat. She did see a few bites on his chest and a few on his hind leg when drying him, but no fleas or known causes. I am hoping the good scrubbing and blow dry has helped.
I have decided to cut down the oil to 1000mg a day and discontinue raw chicken and see if it stays away.....
I have just posted another question, I now found a few spots on his pad that he has been licking/chewing....I am exasperated and ready to cry.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Well 48 hours later the dandruff is BACK. Only conclusion I can make is his kibble. It's frustrating me because his poops her PERFECT and his coat looks great. He is on ACANA grain free Pacifica. 
I'd like to keep Jake on grain free kibble and at 6 months I realize more choices are very little. I can't get Orijen in my area, I have searched. 
Any suggestions or comments about this. Obviously some thing is making him itch and continue to make his skin slough off.


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

Just a thought, but could it be non food related? IE: environmental?


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Like what? I would think if it were environmental his eyes would itch and there would be other symptoms??? 
I have always heard that grains can cause allergies and yeast....and I like how his digestive system is on this food but I just don't know where to go from here....


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## liv (Sep 1, 2010)

I had the same problem when my girl was on Pacifica. We had dandruff, shedding and she was bald behind her ears and on her forelegs - she couldn't walk 5 steps without stopping to scratch. I have since switched to Now! which is also grain free but with a bit less protein and fat and her coat and skin are AMAZING! I haven't seen any dandruff since a week after the switch was completed, and I don't have her on any oil supplements any more. She still has nice firm poops, and actually likes the food a lot more than the Acana, which is good since she's still on the lean side.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

I have read about it but I can't get it here where I live....


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Anyone else have problems with Acana grain free pacifica? I don't know where to turn next...at 6 months my options are limited.


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## Gib Laut (Feb 21, 2010)

jakeandrenee said:


> Anyone else have problems with Acana grain free pacifica? I don't know where to turn next...at 6 months my options are limited.


My mother transitioned a female to that food two months ago....no problems....I wouldn't blame the food just yet....in addition to stress, hormones and environment; exceptionally hot, dry or humid weather (like it has been in my neck of the woods) can be problematic for dandruff.


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## jakeandrenee (Apr 30, 2010)

Well other then the excessive shedding, itching and really bad dandruff he looks great. We have been on the food about 6 to 8 weeks.


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