Is my dog's sudden dry fur and dandruff from amoxicillin or diet?

Hello. Unfortunately, amoxicillin is not going to help in this situation. You really are going to be much more ahead in solving this problem with Duney by seeing your vet. You need to see if she has picked up a skin infection ( which can be bacterial or yeast ), mange mites, or a significant allergy to something. With the correct diagnosis, proper treatment can be recommended & you can help her to stop scratching & self-mutilating herself. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes, but I prefer cephalexin or cefpodoxime for skin infection. The amoxicillin dose for a dog 40lbs would be about 200mg every 12 hours. I would recommend seeing a vet though for appropriate antibiotic therapy recommendations. Topical therapy should also be considered. I typically recommend using a shampoo such as Douxo PS chlorhexidine combination shampoo and bathe twice weekly until the infection is resolved. I also recommend using welactin omega 3 fish oil and essential 6 spot on by dermoscent. Malacetic conditioning spray is also a good option to spray isolated areas on the body where infection is present. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. I am also available via consultation if needed.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to skin allergies mostly due to the fact that it started after moving. Adding fish oil can be considered regardless to help with the dry skin. You can use the commercial kind for dogs. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

I would not advise giving your pet human doses of amoxicillin. Mainly because this kind of pulse therapy can actually create resistant bacteria on your pets skin and create an even bigger problem. Also you aren't treating the fungal infection at all, so the itchiness and irritation will still be there. There are also stronger antibiotics for skin out there that can help reduce the chance of creating resistant bugs and also are more effective. Here are some financial resources that I hope can help you afford to take Ruger in to your vet for proper treatment of his skin. Red Rover: https://redrover.org/find-financial-assistance-veterinary-care Best friends: http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets AVMA: https://www.avma.org/public/YourVet/Pages/Financial-assistance-for-veterinary-care-costs.aspx HSUS: http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html PAWS: https://www.paws.org/cats-and-dogs/other-services/help-with-veterinary-bills/ Your dogs friend: http://yourdogsfriend.org/we-recommend/need-help-paying-vet-bills/ AFRP: https://www.animalfriendsrescue.org/financialassistance.html Speaking for Spot: http://speakingforspot.com/?p=Financial%20Assistance%20for%20Veterinary%20Care 3 options for financing include www.carecredit.com, www.scratchpay.com and www.vetbilling.com. The first two companies have low interest APR rates (starting at 5%) and allow you to pay for a vet bill over 6-24 months. The last company offer a billing option for veterinary clients through automatic bank account drafting on a predetermined date at the time of service. Care Credit checks your credit but Scratch Pay does not, making it a good choice for owners who may have been declined for Care Credit in the past. Hopefully one of these will work for you and your pet Ruger. In the meantime it is best to just wash his skin in an antiseptic shampoo, such as Duoxo shampoo that helps reduce both bacteria and yeast on the skin. Here is a link --> https://www.amazon.com/Ceva-DOU03604-Chlorhexidine-Climbazole-Shampoo/dp/B07B18LYLY/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1545821460&sr=8-4&keywords=duoxo+shampoo Best wishes with Ruger and his skin. I hope it improves soon! Take care.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Dry, flaky skin alone is not a sign of allergies. [Allergies](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-tell-if-your-pet-has-allergies/) more often involve scratching, hair loss, skin and ear infections. Dry, flaky skin alone can be a result of diet, weather (heat being on inside) and in certain endocrine conditions (low thyroid, Cushings) or other dermatological conditions like Seborrhea. I would start with bathing with a medicated shampoo once weekly. Leave the lather on for 10 mins before rinsing. Keratolux from Virbac is an excellent product, but really [any mild shampoo](https://www.petco.com/category/dog/dog-grooming-and-bathing/dog-shampoos-conditioners-sprays/dog-shampoos/dry-skin-dog-shampoos) will do. Just be sure you rinse it well; I suggest that you rinse with warm (not hot!) water for at least 10 minutes to ensure that all of the residue is gone. I would also consider adding in Omega 3 fish oils. Choose a high quality brand that is made specifically for dogs. I hope this helps!

I would give him fish oil in the diet to improve the coat. I recommend an aloe and oatmeal moisturizing shampoo, and make sure you are using a flea control product as having fleas causing excessive itching will irritate the skin. Also as he’s a puppy please make sure he’s been treated for internal parasites which can cause a poor hair coat. To control the itching you can use Benadryl. There is a recommended dosing schedule elsewhere on this website. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Arjun.

I really fish oil supplements. They can help with dry skin. Check out this link for dosing help: http://csu-cvmbs.colostate.edu/vth/small-animal/sports-medicine-rehabilitation/Pages/fish-oil-dosing-chart.aspx