# Flaky skin/Hair coming out



## GunnersMom (Jan 25, 2008)

I don't know what's up with Gunner's skin. It's all flaky along his spine, right behind the shoulders and if I start combing or brushing, the hair comes right out. It doesn't seem so much like shedding as it does hair loss. He's a little itchy too, but only in that spot. If I pet him there, his back leg starts going. Doesn't seem to have any itchies anywhere else. 

His coat, in general, is real good. Shiny as can be and looks real healthy.

Is this connected to the EPI, do you think? Or is it more likely to be a food allergy? (Please tell me it's not a food allergy.) 
His diet for the past month or so has been a combination of Orijen 6 Fish and Core Ocean: About a week on Orijen straight, then a couple weeks of Orijen mixed with Core Ocean and now for the past few days, he's been back on Orijen only. 
And he gets an Omega 3 supplement in addition to that. 1000mg per day.

Any guesses?


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Have you dosed him with a spot on type HW or flea med there?
Maybe he isn't utilizing or processing the nutrients of his diet. You can give him 1000mg for every 30# of body weight daily, maybe up the amount?


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## GunnersMom (Jan 25, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: onyx'girl Have you dosed him with a spot on type HW or flea med there?
> Maybe he isn't utilizing or processing the nutrients of his diet. You can give him 1000mg for every 30# of body weight daily, maybe up the amount?


No, we use Interceptor for HW and I don't use the spot-on flea stuff at all.
Maybe I'll try increasing the fish oil...


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## Mandalay (Apr 21, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: GunnersMomI don't know what's up with Gunner's skin. It's all flaky along his spine, right behind the shoulders and if I start combing or brushing, the hair comes right out.


Mandi has a flaky spot on her back, closer down by her hips though. It just started about 3 weeks ago. But her hair does not seem to fall out any more than the usual piles of shedding.







She also does not seem to be itchy. I have thought about giving her a Murphy Oil Soap treatment, but haven't since that only fixes the effect, not the cause.

She also gets 1000mg omega 3 fish oil/day...maybe I'll try upping that. She'll be so happy!! She LOVES those things!!!


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## Chicagocanine (Aug 7, 2008)

Is it in one specific area or all along the spine? If it is in one area I would take him for a vet visit, it could be a skin condition.
I don't want to scare you and but my Golden's first sign of cutaneous lymphoma was a patch of flaky skin and hair loss behind her shoulders. Unfortunately we thought it was a minor skin condition and my vet treated it as such until it spread and she later developed lumps.


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## ILGHAUS (Nov 25, 2002)

> Quote:Is this connected to the EPI, do you think?


On more concern of EPI is dry itchy skin and hair loss. Not all EPI dogs suffer from this but many do. And of course, it is yet one more problem that my EPI guy has.

Still never assume that it is because of EPI - check it out with your vet.


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## GunnersMom (Jan 25, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: ChicagocanineIs it in one specific area or all along the spine? If it is in one area I would take him for a vet visit, it could be a skin condition.
> I don't want to scare you and but my Golden's first sign of cutaneous lymphoma was a patch of flaky skin and hair loss behind her shoulders. Unfortunately we thought it was a minor skin condition and my vet treated it as such until it spread and she later developed lumps.


That's scary.
There's some flaking all along his back, but it's minimal and is much worse in that one particular spot.

If this can be one more effect of his EPI, I'm going to think positive and figure that's what it is.
But I think I'll run him back into the vet again, just to be absolutely sure.
She noticed some of the flaking when he was in on the 2nd of this month and wasn't concerned about it. She commented that, for an EPI guy, his skin and coat look pretty darned good overall. (That's why I wanted to ask here if it is, in fact, connected. The way she was talking, it seemed like that's what she thought.) But I'll run him back in and have her take a second look, just to play it safe.

Thanks guys!


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## Goldglv (Jul 25, 2008)

This sounds EXACTLY what my 12yr old GSD had a couple years back. These flaky dry patches of skin straight down her spine, no place else. Her leg would go like crazy if I pet her along her spine. Hair would also fall out with these little dandruff looking pieces stuck to the end of the hair.

Went to the vet and 2 different dermatologists and test after test they couldn't find out what was wrong. I was told to bathe her 2-3 times a week with the Sebborhea shampoo, which I did. Also had her on a ton of antibiodics. Got a little better but didn't completely go away.

Eventually vet narrowed it down to an auto-immune disorder. My girl has started to get these patches again but not down her spine, vet did culture came back as a staph infection this time.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help but I know what you're going through and I feel really bad for your guy....


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