why does my dog have flaky skin? And why is her hair on her belly looks like she has been chewing on it?

Question

she is a house pet, a flat coated retriever and is 1 years old.

Answer 1

The hair on her belly looks like she's been chewing it because she probably has been. Her skin is obviously irritated or dry, and that would apply to the skin on her belly too.

Skin conditions can be tough to treat if left unattended too long. Take her to the vet to find out what is causing the flakes (it could be anything from dry skin to an allergy, especially if there are tiny sores under her coat).

Answer 2

Most flatcoats tend to get drier skin in the colder months. Since their fur is black (or liver), it's very easy to see (looks like dandruff). One of our flatcoats also has the belly problem that you describe because she lies on the floor on her stomach all the time.
This is not a serious problem. Many flatcoat owners supplement their dog's diet with salmon oil. It's great for their coat, but it's a bit pricey. Another good supplement that'll help the coat shine is a scrambled egg - just mix it with their dog food (let it cool first). If the skin looks chafed and irritated, try "Bag Balm". If the skin starts to bleed, or if it appears infected, see your vet. This problem usually improves in the spring time. Keep brushing your dog, and bathe as needed. Good luck.

Answer 3

Being that she is a house pet, do you use human shampoo on her, if so STOP, cause it dries out dogs skin like crazy, also she probably has been chewing on her belly and else where cause she itches! You don't have to spend alot of money on dog food (veterinarian kind). Just make sure you brush her alot and that she has plenty of water to drink. I had a small dog (miniature Alaskan husky) that we had for 14 years and we had that problem with her once and cured it! We have a Heinz 57 dog that we've had for 12 years now and haven't had the problem with him yet. Good Luck!

Answer 4

Could be several reasons. How often do you bath her and what kind of shampoo do you use? She should be bathed only when absolutely necessary, especially in the dry winter months. Use only a dog shampoo and be sure you rinse very thoroughly.

Another reason could be her food. What are you feeding? Also, she really needs either 1 tablespoon of veg. oil on her food daily, or much better yet, a salmon oil capsule daily. That will get her skin and coat in great condition in a short time.

Answer 5

You should definitely take your dog to the vet.

My dog had a similar problem in the fall. He seemed to lose a lot of hair too, and have patches missing. He ended up having a staph infection. So the vet prescribed him some medicine & suggested some medicated shampoo, and he fully recovered within a couple - few weeks.

Answer 6

I don't know what a flat coated retriever is, but my golden retriever was the same way.
You have to use no soap shampoo.
Typically its an Oatmeal shampoo.
Golden retriever skin is very sensitive.
Also, it could be a food allergy.
Watch what you are feeding it.
tc

Answer 7

the flaky skin sounds like dandruff, and the chewing on the belly sounds like a skin irritation, maybe you need to take her to the vet for some anti inflammitories depending on how bad it is, or change shampoo and see how you go

Answer 8

I have a pug and it had the same problem flaky skin and shed profusely. My vet gave us derm caps and recommended us to change his diet, due to a lack of protein. We saw significant changes within a month.Hope this helps.

Answer 9

Sounds like a skin irritation. You'll have to take her to the vet to get the proper medication.

Answer 10

Could be several reasons but diet is a big factor, switch to a better food, holistic dog foods are best. you can also add fish oils to the food or flack seed oil