Hi everyone. I have been researcing online problem we are having with our sheltie and I can across this site. Let me intorduce Kia. She is 3 1/2 years old spayed sheltie, Weights about 17 lbs. Our problem started about 2 years ago. She was requiring a bath every couple weeks as her coat was getting oily and she was constantly scratching. I had her to the vet numerous times and they would give me pills and a special shampo to try. Well the oily coat keeps coming back. Right now in general it takes 4 days or so and she looks like she is wet, my wife describes the odor as "yeast like". Well we switched vets about 3 months ago. Well now after 4 visits and 400 plus dollars nothing is solved. They finally did blood test and I insisted on thyroid. Well he called and left a message that all the tests were "normal" I'm waiting for a return call as I want to know what the thyroid level is. We just dont know what to do with her. Now for some strange reason she has urinated in the house 4 times in the past 3 weeks and pooped twice......It seems like she doesnt want to go outside. We did have a flee problem but took care of that. Can anyone help?
Please Help, Oily greasy coat, itching and smell
- Thread starter temmert
- Start date
Emmasmom
Forums Sage
My first question would be - what food is she on? This can make a difference in the coat.
Second - it is possible she has allergies.
Second - it is possible she has allergies.
I was just doing some online research on this yesterday... it sounds a lot like Canine Seborrhea ... here's a paragraph from a webpage about it..
"There are two types of seborrhea: oily (oleosa) and dry (sicca). Most dogs suffer from a combination of the two forms. The skin is usually dry and scaly and the scales form clusters around the hair. The overactive sebaceous glands in the skin secrete a greasy, waxy substance that collects on the belly, under the armpits, and in the ears, elbows, and ankle area. However, any part of the coat can be involved. It's this fat-laden greasy accumulation that causes the distinctive "doggy odor." Secondary ear and skin infections are very common with seborrhea. Most dogs are also very itchy. "
Good luck getting to the bottom of things!! Let us know if any treatments work.
"There are two types of seborrhea: oily (oleosa) and dry (sicca). Most dogs suffer from a combination of the two forms. The skin is usually dry and scaly and the scales form clusters around the hair. The overactive sebaceous glands in the skin secrete a greasy, waxy substance that collects on the belly, under the armpits, and in the ears, elbows, and ankle area. However, any part of the coat can be involved. It's this fat-laden greasy accumulation that causes the distinctive "doggy odor." Secondary ear and skin infections are very common with seborrhea. Most dogs are also very itchy. "
Good luck getting to the bottom of things!! Let us know if any treatments work.
HopeShelties
Forums Enthusiast
I would ask the vet if she is low normal. Thyroid would be a pretty good guess. Sometimes low normal thyroid shelties need to be on thyroid meds.
Her food is Beneful. She has been on that since takeing her off puppy food. I did switch her this summer to H4 from tractor supply and noticed no difference, or maybe I didnt wait long enough.
Yah still waiting for the vet to call me back with her thyroid level. What is the low range for a sheltie?
Yah still waiting for the vet to call me back with her thyroid level. What is the low range for a sheltie?
famous seamus
Forums Enthusiast
first step
I agree that her thyroid needs to be checked. Please check out the Illinois Sheltie Rescue, they have a whole section with pix about low thyroid shelties.
Secondly, after having addressed this problem many times with shelties, I would check that her immune system is a ok. These two things I would do.
Yeast infections are fairly common but the underlying cause might be the culprit.
Good luck and welcome,
Best,
Kate
I agree that her thyroid needs to be checked. Please check out the Illinois Sheltie Rescue, they have a whole section with pix about low thyroid shelties.
Secondly, after having addressed this problem many times with shelties, I would check that her immune system is a ok. These two things I would do.
Yeast infections are fairly common but the underlying cause might be the culprit.
Good luck and welcome,
Best,
Kate
ClantyreSheltie
Forums Sage
OFF OFF OFF the Beneful. This is 100% the cause of her issues.
Ground yellow corn (GRAIN), chicken by-product meal (SKETCHY MEAT), corn gluten meal (GRAIN), whole wheat flour (GRAIN), animal fat preserved with mixed-tocopherols (form of Vitamin E), rice flour (GRAIN), beef (NOT ENOUGH TO COUNT), soy flour, sugar...
Rachael's lecture on food, compressed:
Dogs are carnivores. Dogs eat meat. Dogs do not digest grains/carbs efficiently. Foods that are made of mostly grain/carbs will cause medical issues, very typical of what you are seeing. Get her on another food, immediately. Don't even feed the rest of the bag, feed it to chickens or something. I'm not saying you have to feed raw (which would be the best), but get off the Beneful. Please. The less grain in the food, the better. Even Purina One is better.
It may be more expensive to feed a better food, but you save on vet bills in the long run, so it's well worth feeding a better quality food.
ClantyreSheltie
Forums Sage
Common in dogs who are fed grain/carb filled diets. I have never had a case of yeast infections in my dogs.