shar pei dogs skin problems
Who has a Chinese Shar-Pei or knows about them?
I have a Chinese Shar-Pei that is almost a year old. She has dry skin problems and is a short hair dog but is shedding. I took her to the vet. and spent close to $200 on her not long ago and she keeps having sores from sratching dry skin. I’ve put this stuff called hot spots on her for flees, ticks, and everything else. Plus baby oil to hydrate her skin. Please any advice will be appreciated. She is like my daughter.
Unfortunately, Shar-Pei are still a health-challenged breed. Several years ago they were very popular and everybody and his brother were breeding them for the $$$$$$ with no regard to health or quality. The problem is not inbreeding, but careless breeding. The breed is still recovering.
The first thing I would look at is diet. If you are feeding a food with corn, try one without. Try different protein bases. A friend of mine raises them and says they don’t do well on a high-protein food. You may have to try several different foods before you find one that will help, or you may even have to make her food yourself.
You might also look into the vaccination issue. Although I do believe in vaccinations, I think they are overused. A dog with allergies has a defective immune system, and too many vaccinations will make it worse. Discuss with your vet the possibility of going to a 3-year schedule for shots. I had a dog whose allergies were so bad his vet said he must NEVER have another shot. Also watch out for certain topical medications ( like frontline or advantage) that SOME dogs are sensitive to. These are useful products, but some dogs should not use them.
Do some research on nutrition & allergies. Unfortunately, most vets are not very knowlegeable on either of these subjects and simply dispense medication to treat the symptoms, rather than working on the cause.
Good luck!
ADOPTED! Dobby, Shar-Pei/Pit bull mix dog for adoption in Indianapolis