Sea Salt

[Canadianbella]

Sea salt in Sparkys bath water, yay or nay?

What if I infuse it with skin-moisturizing natural oils ?

[hazelrunpack]

I'd say no on the oils--essential oils can be toxic. And sea salt might dry out his skin. So I vote nay on both.

[Canadianbella]

Oops for oil I meant shea butter oil and vitamine E oil which i've been told many times are good for dogs,

[hazelrunpack]

I probably shouldn't give any advice at all since we never bathe our dogs. They get hosed off when they're really grimy, and we might break down and give our roller, Cole, a bath later this summer cuz he's turnin' sorta gray, but we don't bathe them as a matter of course.

That being said, I'm going to ask a really dumb question--how do you keep his fur from getting greasy if you use shea butter and vitamin E oil in the bath?

[pattymac]

I wouldn't use either..you don't want him trying the salt water, doesn't take much to have them heaving up a meal they ate last week!! Just a good quality dog shampoo and rinse, rinse and rinse again

[Canadianbella]

Originally Posted by hazelrunpack

I probably shouldn't give any advice at all since we never bathe our dogs. They get hosed off when they're really grimy, and we might break down and give our roller, Cole, a bath later this summer cuz he's turnin' sorta gray, but we don't bathe them as a matter of course.

That being said, I'm going to ask a really dumb question--how do you keep his fur from getting greasy if you use shea butter and vitamin E oil in the bath?

There wouldn't be much, and he gets a bath so often you'd have a hard time to tell. He swims in the lake, and his collars turn his fur grey.. and he just smells ICKY. Not to mention his favorite napping place on a hot summer day is in the flower beds. Not especially great with a dog that has 5' fur

Originally Posted by pattymac

I wouldn't use either..you don't want him trying the salt water, doesn't take much to have them heaving up a meal they ate last week!! Just a good quality dog shampoo and rinse, rinse and rinse again

I make dog shampoo, but I was just wondering for things people haven't seen before that they could try. But thank you

[pattymac]

What's he eating? I find that with all my critters, if I feed them what I call junk food, it really shows in their coats. I have a Maine Coon and he tends to be pretty greasy..I haven't had the nerve to give him a bath but I think he's going in for a bath and a lion cut at the end of the month..they eat pretty decent food right now, not as good as I'd like but money is tight right now. I remember seeing somewhere that someone who shows their Maine Coons uses vinegar in the water to cut the oiliness of their fur. I don't know if I'd try that though personally..he's a big boy there's no way I'm trying to get him wet on my own!!

[Longblades]

I'm not sure why you want to do this but my boy has itchy skin from seasonal allergies and I've been advised by the Vet to bathe him every day, after an outing in the pollen filled long grasses and ponds, in either epsom salts or vinegar and water to soothe his skin. After rinsing first. His skin doesn't look irritated but by his actions it must be.

If Sparky is simply smelly from dirty water couldn't you just hose him off with clear water?

[Melinda]

I just use handfulls of oatmeal to bathe brina

[Longblades]

Originally Posted by Melinda

I just use handfulls of oatmeal to bathe brina

Oatmeal, YES, oatmeal. That was the third thing I was told to try and for the life of me could not remember what it was. Apparently very soothing to itchy skin.

Do you use it for itchy skin? Or just because it is gentle?

[Melinda]

I use it just because its gentle and makes a great exfoliant (sp?) I use it on myself once a week so it should be good for her!!

[Melinda]

when ever any of my daycare children have a diaper rash or chicken pox etc, I fill the wading pool with warm water and dump in oatmeal and baking soda *L* soothes them and clears up the diaper rashes