𝗦𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗰 𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀

Today is weekly wash day, can you see how impressed Gavin is post wash?

Gavin has been affected by 𝗦𝗲𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗰 𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀 on and off throughout his life but much more consistently as an older dog. This condition is secondary and is related to his seasonal allergies.

Seborrheic Dermatitis makes his coat super greasy, it's not nice to pat which is frustrating when you have a Gavin and everyone wants to pat him and then need to wash their hands.

"Seborrhea in dogs, also known as dog seborrheic dermatitis, is a common skin disorder related to the sebaceous glands under your dog's skin. These glands secrete a substance known as sebum to help lubricate and protect skin and hair, but excessive amounts of sebum can cause your dog's skin to become scaly, itchy, greasy, or flakey.

There are two common forms of seborrhea, known as seborrhea oleosa (oily seborrhea) and seborrhea sicca (dry seborrhea). In cases of seborrhea in dogs, it's common to see a combination of these two types.

The most affected areas of the body are those with a high number of sebaceous glands, such as the back, face, and flanks.

Look in those areas for flakey and dry skin (dandruff) or any signs of scales, itchiness, or redness. It's also common to notice a foul smell or odor, which is caused by the bacterial breakdown of excessive sebum. Secondary infections can worsen this smell.

Canine seborrhea can be identified as either a primary or secondary disorder. Primary instances are inherited genetically and usually affect animals within the first two years of life. Inherited seborrhea is most common in Basset Hounds, Dachshunds, Labrador and Golden Retrievers, West Highland White Terriers, American Cocker Spaniels, and English Springer Spaniels.

More often, seborrheic dermatitis in dogs is a secondary condition, meaning it is caused by an underlying issue or disease. Common causes include allergies, endocrine disorders, dietary deficiencies, malabsorption disorders, parasites, or autoimmune disorders. Your vet should examine the symptoms your dog exhibits to identify the true underlying cause."(1)

𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 Whilst I am a very natural treatment option pet parent, I use Malaseb and Pyohex Conditioner because it works and something working and giving my dog quality of life is more important than my wants.

Once a week treatment is generally recommended until you've got a handle on the condition and then you may be able to stretch out to once a month.

The suckiest thing about this treatment is that the shampoo has to be left on for 10 minutes. I apply it to the most affected areas first and then work bit by bit throughout the body - Gavin has a big body so it takes some time. I give him a massage, clip his nails and clean his ears to make up the 10 minutes.

𝗗𝗜𝗔𝗚𝗡𝗢𝗦𝗜𝗦 Diagnosis is so important, otherwise, you could be treating your dog with the wrong products and could be wasting time and money. For dogs with Chronic skin conditions, you will need medical intervention regardless of how much you hate medicating dogs and the likes - this is about your dog...

For dogs who are scratching, the itchy scratch cycle must be stopped otherwise infections could settle in, and now your dog will need antibiotics which in turn will mean you'll then be repairing gut flora. Many Vets will give dogs a short-term acting medication such as a steroid for this - often for one-off situations no further treatment may be needed.

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗼𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗿𝘁-𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝘂𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗱.

Is the dog receiving flea treatment, even just 1 flea bite from a grass flea could start a snowballing effect for your sensitive dog.

What does the coat feel and smell like? Could something like a medicated wash be helpful? We use Malaseb and Pyohex Conditioner - the cheapest we found was at petstation.com.au

Where are the affected areas, are they perhaps contact irritants/allergies - does the family need to look in their backyard for irritating plants such as wandering dew/jew.

What does the dog eat? If they're eating kibble, could dust mites in the kibble be a problem as lots of dogs are creative to dust mites. Is the family in the position to transition to a healthier fresh food diet?

Is the dog eating a high histamine diet? https://www.freshfoodtribe.com/low-histamine

Your Vet might recommend your dog go on a sensitive kibble such as Hills or Royal Canine - I recommend you instead ask for a recommendation from Prime100 who has healthier options for elimination diets to see if your dog is actually allergic or sensitive to some foods.

What chemicals are being used in the home - air fresheners, floor cleaners, etc. Can these be swapped out with more natural options such as Koh which is an Australian environmentally friendly cleaner safe for animals.

For chronically affected dogs, they need to be referred to a Dermatologist for an actual diagnosis. Dogs with environmental allergies can have immunotherapy injections made up which are around 70% effective these days.

Dermatologists do NOT use blood allergen tests, these are not an accurate representation of your dog's allergies, they often show a lot of false positives, I would recommend you save your money and instead do an elimination food trial with your Vet/Dermatologist and intradermal skin testing with the Dermatologist.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗱𝗼𝗴𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆-𝗴𝗼-𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝗼𝗻. https://www.balanced-canine.com/post/skin-allergies-raw-diet

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(1) https://www.revivalanimal.com/.../seborrhea/learning-center