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My dog has dry spots and I want to get a good shampoo. I saw a lot of shampoo online, but I know a lot of the benefits can be misleading. So, I'd like to what ingredients I should look for in dog shampoo. Currently, to combat the dry skin, I'm using coconut oil.

My dog is a pitbull, three years old, pretty big, short coat. I haven't really shampooed him yet, I just adopted him. He was neutered 3 days ago, so I'm waiting a week before I give him a bath to let the wound heal first.

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  • what breed of dog do you have? Some have more sensitive skin and are more allergy prone than others
    – user6796
    Commented Aug 16, 2017 at 2:51
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    It's a pitbull, big boy, three years old, short coat,
    – Jonathan
    Commented Aug 16, 2017 at 2:52
  • How often do you shampoo? shampooing can dry the skin - oh and photo always helps - not that it's vital for this question
    – user6796
    Commented Aug 16, 2017 at 2:53
  • Something that is helpful and soothing on dry skin is paw paw ointment - seeing you can't bath him and he's probably being slowed down for the next couple of days- due to the desexing.
    – user6796
    Commented Aug 16, 2017 at 2:55
  • Oh, that sounds like a good idea.
    – Jonathan
    Commented Aug 16, 2017 at 2:56

2 Answers 2

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Dry skin can be caused by a few things:

  1. Low-quality diet
  2. Allergies
  3. Diseases such as hypothyroidism or cushings disease.

Pitbulls are notorious for allergies, if you notice excessive itching, hair loss, chronic ear infections, browned paws (from excessive licking) I would consult your veterinarian.

I'm a big fan of the DOUXO line, these shampoos actually strengthen the skin barrier and not just moisturize it like oatmeal based shampoos. It contains the patented molecule Phytosphingosine, a fundamental component of ceramides, found naturally in the skin and ensures the cohesion of the skin barrier.

You can buy these shampoos at your veterinarian, they are pricier than your regular oatmeal shampoos but they actually focus on repairing the skin vs moisturizing. Well worth the money.

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  • 👍 let me know how he does :)
    – Rebecca RVT
    Commented Aug 16, 2017 at 18:49
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For dry skin I highly recommend Oatmeal based shampoo. Oatmeal shampoo will moisturize your dogs skin as well as soften his coat. It also smells great if oatmeal is your thing.

It doesn't really matter what brand you go for. Just look for oatmeal in the ingredients (the first brand that comes to mind though is Whole Earth Oatmeal Shampoo for Dogs if you want a brand suggestion). You can also make oatmeal shampoo at home with plenty if recipes online and fairly cheap ingredients for how much you make.

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  • Also as stated by Yvette above bathing a dog too much will lead to dry skin as well as allergies. If your dog has severe allergies or bathe him too much his skin will stay dry no matter what you do.
    – DanSchneiderNA
    Commented Aug 16, 2017 at 3:31
  • I'm not sure he has allergies just because the rest of his coat is really good, it's just 2 spots near his tail that were dry. So, I think you suggestion will do the trick, thank you so much!
    – Jonathan
    Commented Aug 16, 2017 at 3:32
  • Also be sure it isn't a hotspot. They are similar to dry skin. If it does turn out to be that there is very cheap medicine at most pet stores. If your dog chews or licks at those 2 spots a lot, It's most likely a hot spot.
    – DanSchneiderNA
    Commented Aug 16, 2017 at 3:34

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