Golden Puppy Needs Help with Itchy Flaky Skin

[nymph]

My 10 weeks old golden retriever & lab mix puppy Diego is often scratching his back, particularly the rump area where the body and tail meet. I've noticed since a few days back that the skin underneath the fur is flaky and the coat seems to be thinning out. What's strange to me is that that area is also getting darker in color, the rest of his body is fairly golden.

Last time at the vet, the doctor did mention that he has a litlle bit of "pigment" - darker color that is on his abdomen and assured us that it was nothing to be alarmed about. But today when I brushed that area, he seemed very uncomfortable and was squriming a lot.

Has anyone have any experience with this?

p.s. I live in Ottawa, Canada, our area is very dry now. My house humidity is slightly above 30%, that is with a humidifier running at all time, nothing I can do about that. Would some food supplement help to reduce the dandruff?

[Karin]

Have the anal glands checked, if a pup cannot reach the spot, the nearest place will get gnawed. Also check for fleas. Fleas love to nest around the neck & rump areas because it's hard for the host to reach for a good scratch.

[nymph]

No fleas, I'm sure of this. I inspect his coat pretty much everyday, and we are still in winter, even the earth is still frozen, so it's highly unlikely that Diego would get fleas.

Now the skin seems to be a little bit red around the problem area (rump), and hair is definitely thinning out. I'm not sure if this is an allergic reaction to food or something else. I feed him Nutro controlled growth puppy chow for large breed, mixed with Nutrience Junior (same brand we got from the Shelter).

I did some reading online: some suggest that it's normal for a puppy to have itchy flaky skin because their glands are not fully developed yet; others suggest allergies. improper nutrition and flea.

I am really worried. We are going to the vet next week for his 2nd shot, but I would like to hear some comments from golden owners. Would some fatty acid supplement help? How about a medicated shampoo and soothing conditioner?

[Karin]

Since I am not a golden owner I will refrain from any further comments. Sorry for the intrusion.

[Prin]

Are only golden retriever owners allowed to answer this one? Why do you mix the foods together? Is it because you are in the process of changing foods or another reason?

[nymph]

Originally Posted by Prin

Are only golden retriever owners allowed to answer this one? Why do you mix the foods together? Is it because you are in the process of changing foods or another reason?

Yes that's why. Diego was on Nutrience Junior when he was at the shelter, so that's what we've been feeding him. He had diarrhea not too long ago, and we switched him to a prescription canned food for a few days, and later to Nutro large puppy chow.

I have also read somewhere and also in this forum that it is actually a good idea to mix/rotate the puppy chow since not a single brand would provide all nutrients needed, and that a healthy puppy should be able to adapt to change in diet with little problem.

Am I not supposed to do that?

[Safyre]

I have the same question as Prin... why are you mixing food right now?
What age did you get him at? Was his skin always like this? What about the rest of his fur?
Rump area is usually fleas, I have to agree with the other responses. However, there are other parasites that can cause the same syptoms. She to see if the thinning fur... is it falling out, or does it look like it was broken off? Broken hair is usually caused by mites. Is he/she on any flea prevention treatment? Advantage? if not, that MAY help

Basically, this proble .. can be attributed to many things... if the dog is getting more sensitive, bring him/her to the vet again and get some crem.. and keep trying to limit what it could be.

[nymph]

Originally Posted by Karin

Since I am not a golden owner I will refrain from any further comments. Sorry for the intrusion.

Uh, excuse me, did I offend you in anyway? **shaking my head in dismay**

For the record, all comments are welcome, particularly those from golden owners. As a new member, I feel like I have to constantly tread water in this forum. The vast majority of people are very nice here, but once in a while there are few who are just too quick to pass on judgement or too quick to jump to conclusions, that's really unfortunate.

Sorry I had to rant, like I said, I'm really worried about my little puppy, and I'm usually a quite nice and sensitive person, just not tonight.

[meb999]

Glad the little guy is feeling better!!