Q: I have a Shar Pei mix rescue dog about 5 years old. She has very dry skin and a severe shedding problem. What Holistic Select formula would you choose for her?

A: Feeding a diet with optimum levels of Omega 3 fatty acids that are in the proper ratio with the Omega 6 fats may help to resole the problem as they are essential for a healthy skin and hair coat.

The Shar Pei breed is known to have an increased incidence of skin problems. Many do suffer from food allergies or intolerances. If that is the problem with your pet, feeding a hypoallergenic diet such as the Holistic Select® Anchovy, Sardine and Salmon Meal Recipe may help. Be sure to transition to the new diet slowly over at least a week’s time. When one suspects a food allergy or intolerance, one must give the new food at least two months (provided there is no negative reaction to the new diet initially) as it can take that long to rid the body of the offending allergens.

Keep in mind that there are other causes that can produce an itchy dry skin; external parasites, bacterial and fungal infections and several other common problems can cause the same symptoms and it is always advisable to work closely with your veterinarian to determine the cause as well as the best procedure for resolving the problem.

Additionally, this could also be normal seasonal shedding. Regular brushing and mild shampoo baths will speed up the process and could resolve the itching

Q: Can I add yogurt to dry food in morning since feed can and dry in evening?

A: It certainly would not hurt to add yogurt to the dry food in the morning. It may not be necessary if you are feeding a diet which contains Probiotics or Direct Fed Microbials (DFMs). Most yogurts contain just one of the beneficial bacteria essential for a healthy digestive tract. Holistic Select® diets contains many more than just the one bacteria and the concentrations are higher than in most yogurt.

This entry was posted on Thursday, February 25th, 2010 at 5:24 pm and is filed under Pet Health, Pet Nutrition, Vet. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.

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