My shih tzu has dandruff. Can I use commercial human anti-dandruff shampoo?

Question

6 weeks old puppy, Just given vaccine 2 days ago, and I haven't given her bath,

Answer 1

Yes, you can..but any time you use a human shampoo product, you need to mix 1/4 cup of any vinegar, or lemon juice in 1 gallon of water for use as the final rinse..to restore the PH balance for a dog's skin..

Edit: I just saw your new note.. flaky skin is normal for puppies of that age..no shampoo will help..just brush out as much as you can...but it is just the new hair growing in and the puppy fluff shedding..It will go away soon...Don't shampoo your pup until it is at least 8 weeks old, as they chill much too easily, and have a suppressed (undeveloped) immune system. Newborn human babies do that too... they get the flaky head!..

Answer 2

Puppy Dandruff Shampoo

Answer 3

Most vets will tell you no, because they are more harsh than what is formulated for pets. I worked for a vet and here is what they would tell you to do.
Regular brushing and grooming your pet will help distribute natural oils evenly over dry skin, which will help keep dandruff down. Choose a brush that's not too harsh. You can tell by rubbing the brush against the back of your hand to see if it will hurt. Something you would use on your own head will be excellent for your pet. Most flea shampoos are very drying to the skin, creating more dandruff problems. Use a mild shampoo. Watch the labels. Bathing your pet once a month in winter and twice a month in summer may clear up the problem for good.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
My shih tzu has dandruff. Can I use commercial human anti-dandruff shampoo?

Answer 5

Since shih tzus have hair vs fur, a gentle baby shampoo would work nicely. For a 6 week old pup, i would not recommend anything as harsh as dandruff shampoo. Dandruff or flaking in a puppy/dog can also be a sign of food intolerance. Wait until your pup is older and if the dandruff is still an issue, consult with your vet. Most likely just changing his food will help. ALso bathing dogs too often can cause more harm than good since you strip their fur/hair of the natural oils and emolients that dogs need in their fur to protect their skin from drying out.

Answer 6

yes you can use human dandruff shampoo on dogs, but I wouldn't use it on a 6 wk old pup, she's still too little. Try an oatmeal based doggy shampoo instead. Also, I don't know what you're feeding her, but it might be the food you are feeding that is causing her to have dry skin. I recommend the all natural dog foods that aren't full of wheat, corn and other stuff that lots of Shih-tzus tend to be allergic to. The better foods cost a little bit more initially but they do last longer because the dog doesn't eat as much of it, and poops less too. Also, they are healthier which means fewer vet visits.

Some good dog food brands are:
Solid Gold
Innova
Wellness
Timberwolf
California Natural
Natural Balance

Answer 7

On my shih tzu Kasey I used my husbands dandruff shampoo and then once I had it under control I started bathing her in regular shampoo and conditioner and it has taken very good care of her dandruff

Answer 8

I use 1 cup of white vinegar to 2 cups of water and then pour that over my head and leave for 10 minutes, it works better than any anti dandruff shampoo I have tried. On the down side it does smell.

Answer 9

It is extremely important to use a pet shampoo, not a product made for people. While there are some products made for people that are very mild (such as baby shampoos), there is still a difference in the "pH" of the products (this is a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of the products. The pH of dog shampoo is two points different than people shampoo, which is a huge difference. Using products made for people can really dry out a dog's coat. It's also very important that you NEVER dry brush your Shih. You'll need to get a conditioner that contains no alcohol and mix it with distilled water. Lightly mist the coat prior to brushing.

Answer 10

At this young age, I would only bathe her in an oatmeal based shampoo from your vet-other shampoos can soak into the skin and might make her physically ill to the point of throwing up.She is such a young age that you need to make sure she doesn't get a chill-even if it hot outside,as this could cause an upper respitory infection that could lead to other difficult problems for your puppy. Make sure you protect her eyes and ears when being bathed-left unprotected could cause serious issues in these areas too.Please don't put your puppy in harms way just for a little animal dander,combing her coat daily will also help tremendously!!!!!!