Golden is tarnished by dry skin

Dear Dogs Today Magazine,
I have a lovely 11 week old Golden Retriever who, at the breeder’s and since he arrived has had dry skin flaking from his coat. We groom him regularly and when he is washed the flakes disappear only to reappear later. As he his growing and getting more food, this problem is becoming worse. The vet suggested that his food was the cause - he is currently on Pedigree Complete Puppy Food and has been since he was weaned.
Is this the only possible cause?
The vet recommended Royal Canin Retriever Puppy Food and Hills Puppy Food but we are unsure which to choose or if any other brands would be better.
What do you suggest?
Olivia Pickford

Hi Olivia
Whatever food you choose to feed I suggest you try Yumega Plus as a supplement as I have found it very quickly improves most skin/coat problems.
Feeding choices can be hugely personal and individual but all three foods you mention are of a similar type - ie premium complete. There are lots of different
foods out there and it may be someone more expert in this field may think your dog may have a specific food allergy and have some hints as to what to try.
I'm sure others will have lots of advice for you on feeding! Everyone thinks what they are feeding is the best.
Regards
Beverley Cuddy, Editor


Richard Allport, alternative vet, says...
First, make sure your vet has checked your Retriever for Cheyletiella – a mite, found most often in young puppies, that can cause dandruff but also looks likes dandruff itself (it’s often known as ‘walking dandruff’).
If he is clear of this then food is the most likely cause, and in my view it’s vital you wean him off processed foods as quickly as possible and get him onto some real, healthy food – low carbohydrate and high protein, maybe with some extra Omega fatty acids (Evening Primrose Oil and especially some fish liver oils).
This real food should ideally be the famous and unbeatable raw meaty bone diet. If you want to make it a little easier you can use one of the companies who produce and deliver ready prepared packs of raw meaty bone diets, such as Darlings. If you really must give a processed diet, then choose a really good quality food, such as Lily’s Kitchen, Orijen, Fish4Dogs, or Markus Muehle, a German import which is cold processed and therefore healthier food.
An oatmeal based shampoo, such as Oatderm, will help clear the dandruff quicker and better than most shampoos, and extra Vitamin E in the diet (500mg daily) will also help, but a better diet is almost certainly the key to the flaking.


Paul Hunter, from Barking Heads www.barkingheads.co.uk, says…
Dry flakey skin sometimes also known as 'Scurf' is quite a common complaint we receive. After a clean bill of health has been provided by a veterinarian then the diet is the first point of action. Each dog is as unique as its owner and will have different needs and requirements but a good quality food should always be made a priority. At Barking Heads the ingredients we use is our number one priority and as in all our range our 'Puppy Days' contains correct levels of Omegas 6 & 3 and in their correct ratios which is key to skin and coat health. Along with Salmon and Chicken being key ingredients for growth and development you should start to see an improvement in your Golden Retriever’s coat from about 5 to 6 weeks as the goodness comes through and starts to condition their skin and coat. Barking Heads also offer a 100 per cent money back guarantee so you too can see the difference without taking any investment risks.