Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 12/6/2005

Question
Dear Dr. Gotthelf,
I have a 10+ year old Lab(mix)that has a dry skin problem. She almost lose all her body hair during the summer months and has flaky skin with noticeable odor year around. She does not scratch.

Could this be a diet problem?
Thank you for any suggestions,
Drew

Answer
Yes, labs do have skin problems related to their diet.  The odor comes from skin irritation from something like an allergy that leads to increased oils on the skin.  The bacteria that are on the skin break down the oils into stinky smells. So baths to remove the oils and antibiotics to kill the bacteria often helps get rid of the odors.  Sometimes the skin is infected with yeasts.  I would advise that you have your vet look at the dog to be sure of what is going on.