Dandruff and Oily Skin

Banshee · 02-10-2005, 11:35 AM

My two boys have always had a bit of dandruff (especially in the winter) but I've noticed lately that Hamish's has gotten worse. He has quite a bit of dandruff and also oily skin on his lower back, by his tail. I've done some research and happily he doesn't exhibit any other symptoms that would indicate something serious like diabetes, thyroid problems or liver problems. I suspect it might be that due to his girth he's not able to groom himself properly and the oils aren't being distributed. I'm going to try giving him a bath with a gentle oatmeal-based shampoo (oh, won't he love that!) and brush him more often, as well as start him on some organic flax seed oil daily to see if that helps. If that doesn't do any good (or he gets worse) I'll take him to the vet straightaway for some bloodwork.

In the meantime, I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced dandruff and/or oily skin with their cats and what they did to resolve it? It would be interesting to see what remedies others have used.

Thanks!

Candycane · 02-10-2005, 01:19 PM

Max gets a bit oily on his rear end too...because of his weight, like Hamish. We bathe them about once a month because of our allergies. It seems to keep the dander at bay.

The flax seed and frequent brushing should definitely help.

Another thing to consider. The cats may be getting really dry skin (hence the dandruff) and then their oil glands over produce and they get oily. It seems weird to see the two in combination but that's usually why. Anyway, the flax seed should help. Fish oil also works well.

Banshee · 02-10-2005, 01:52 PM

Thanks, Candice

Bathing Hamish will definitely be a difficult task...I'll prolly have to give him some Bach Rescue Remedy before I do it. He's deadly when frightened -- a few years ago I was trying to put him into a carrier when he was already stressed and ended up with a huge gash in my neck

Candycane · 02-10-2005, 01:53 PM

Quote:

I'll prolly have to give him some Bach Rescue Remedy before I do it.

So that actually works? I had bought some awhile back but never had to use it.

Banshee · 02-10-2005, 02:15 PM

I've never tried it myself, but this would be a good time to try it out myself, as I've a funny feeling that if I'm going to get Hamish into that bathtub I'm going to need something to calm him down first. He's a big ole lovebum, but he's extremely high-strung. He gets nervous when I pack things up or shift boxes from the storage closet (I suspect someone moved and left him behind), and he still hides under the bed when strangers come to visit. If the visitor is a woman, he'll come out within a half hour, but if the visitor is a man, he may not come out at all until they've gone. He and Isobel are terrified of strangers, but Bruce and Aoife love it when people come over.

Banshee · 02-10-2005, 02:17 PM

Candice, here is a site that discusses various flower essences for animals:

http://www.rainbowcrystal.com/bach/floweran.html

fertmom · 02-10-2005, 07:15 PM

BB gets the dandruff on her back and a bit of greasiness at the tail also. I do the same thing as you are planning to do. I give her a bath with gentle pet shampoo and rinse really well and brush more often. I give her a little bit of olive oil on her food (very little) to help add some oils as she is on such a strict diet I think sometimes she just needs a little bit of fat in her diet.
Tip for baths.:I find she is a crazy maniac if I take her anywhere near running water. I make sure I run the bath in the tub with fairly warm water as their body temps are so much higher than ours and have the water off when I put her in. I also keep one hand on her at all times and use a plastic cup to pour water over her back and neck and really try to avoid her face. I talk to her the whole time and she will tolerate it. If I move my hand or run the water she tries to climb up the side of the tub or me

And she has all her claws!