Why does my goat have dry hair and dandruff-like flaky skin?

Hi and thanks for using PetCoach! Sorry to see and hear that Cointhee is having some skin problems. This certainly does look like dry skin or what we call seborrhea sicca. It is in an area that I would be suspicious of a flea bite allergy commonly known as flea allergy dermatitis. So first off, I would recommend that you use a very effective flea/tick product even though the weather is cooling down. It is possible that you have some immature flea stages in the indoor environment (eggs, larvae, etc). Again I am just assuming here due to the location of the trouble spot and knowing nothing of the geographical area where you live. There are other things that you can be doing to help the problem. I would not bathe too frequently. This tends to dry out the skin and strips the oils that are needed to keep the skin and hair coat healthy. So don't bathe too frequently, I would say not more than once a month or so. Do spot bathing if certain areas need to be cleaned but not full baths too frequently. Make sure you are feeding a high quality, well balanced diet since nutrition can play a role. You can certainly supplement the diet with some fish oil and skin supplements designed to aid in keeping the skin and hair coat healthy. I will post a link at the bottom and recommend some products. Dry skin can be caused by a localized bacterial infection, low thyroid problem, intestinal parasites affecting nutrition and health, external parasite problems (fleas, ticks, mites, etc), lack of adequate rinsing when bathing, aroblem persists, you should take Cointhee to your vet and let them advise you based on the history and physical exam findings. Treating the underlying cause is key and your vet can discuss how to get to that point. Possible tests could be skin scrape, fungal culture, blood tests, etc. Here's the link for some very high quality supplements- http://www.vrshealth.com/canine-products/?petcoach=1977951 Check out the fish oil Canine Omega Benefits and the Cutaneo TruBenefits. Good luck

It looks like dandruff. However, if he's itchy or has any areas of skin that obviously have a rash, take him to your vet. If not, here's an article you may find helpful. https://www.petcoach.co/article/helpful-products-for-your-dogs-dry-skin/ Thanks for asking PetCoach!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This looks like a focal infection. You can try to use a medicated shampoo containing chlorhexidine twice weekly for 2 weeks. If there is no improvement or in the meantime this appears to be getting worse, have him evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

Flakes on the skin are usually from dry skin. You can get rid of the dry skin over time by bathing him in a moisturizing shampoo weekly and brushing his coat daily. Feeding a fatty acid supplement will improve his coat from the inside out. Please make sure you are using flea prevention as scratching from fleas will often irritate the skin and cause flaking of the skin. Also feeding a good quality food for sensitive skin or a food with salmon or fish in it will add omega 3 to the diet to improve the coat. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Hello It looks like you horse has seborrhea. This is like dandruff and caused by overproduction of oils in the skin. I would ask your vet for a seborrhea shampoo which breaks down the oils in the skin and will clear the flakes. You may need to use this weekly for a while. Best wishes to you and Cayenne! Thanks for using Pet Coach.

What you're describing does look like dry skin. though some breeds can have naturally coarse/dry skin and fur as well. However, with any skin condition, a complete workup with your vet first is a good idea. They can help rule out any health issues, nutritional problems or skin issues (bacteria, fungus, yeast, etc) that need to be addressed. Making sure to feed a balanced diet or even a sensitive skin food may help in addition to supplements such as fish oils or vitamin E. Not bathing too often and using an aloe/oatmeal shampoo can also help keep the coat frying overdrying and getting flaky.

The skin is unhealthy for some reason. This is usually caused by some irritation of the skin. The skin is most commonly irritated from allergies, fleas, mites, or inappropriate bathing. The irritation can then cause the skin to get infected with yeast and bacteria. The best thing you can do now is give a bath with a medicated dog shampoo (you can find this at the pet store). Follow the shampoo with an oatmeal or aloe conditioner labeled for dogs. Repeat the bath every other day for two weeks. If that's helping, then repeat the bath every week for a month. If all is good after that, then she should be OK to have a once monthly bath with normal dog shampoo. If the bath is not helping, or she's getting worse, then she needs to go to the vet. The vet will be able to determine if something else is wrong and if further treatment is needed.