There are seven dogs at The Fat Ewe Farm, six of them livestock guardian dogs and one border collie. Ofcharka is two years old, but something went wrong at the end of winter and his fur began to thin out and his hair change colour from the beautiful shiny black to coarse white and brown. He is lacking in minerals and vitamins. The dogs were primarily fed raw meat and bones and all of them fared very well, but Ofcharka, so now they also are fed dog food. I suspect the meat and bones are not the healthiest cuts and there is simply not enough nutrition available. Ofcharka needed more.
He will not cooperate to get to the vet's or he would have been there long ago. He would not let me brush him and he definitely would not allow me to shave him. I believe he has a bacterial or fungal skin infection. First he must get healthy, so he has all he wishes of the balanced diet dog food. The only problem with dog food is it includes some genetically modified ingredients, which are not good for any living animals, however; with seven dogs, the organic dog food is not in the budget.
I was able to brush Ofcharka in two tries and remove some of the matted stinking downy clumps exposing more skin. That will help. I will try to pour 3% hydrogen peroxide on him which will kill the fungal infection, but he is not know to be very cooperative when it comes to any treatments. Giving him a pill or a shot is impossible. Even hidden in a snack, he will spit out a pill and eat the snack. He would have to be tied and muzzled in order to really treat him.
So, the steps are small with the dog food and raw meat diet and brushing. Once most of the old fur is removed, I will attempt to treat his skin. Then when he is well again, hopefully that beautiful shiny black fur will return. I love that dog.
He will not cooperate to get to the vet's or he would have been there long ago. He would not let me brush him and he definitely would not allow me to shave him. I believe he has a bacterial or fungal skin infection. First he must get healthy, so he has all he wishes of the balanced diet dog food. The only problem with dog food is it includes some genetically modified ingredients, which are not good for any living animals, however; with seven dogs, the organic dog food is not in the budget.
I was able to brush Ofcharka in two tries and remove some of the matted stinking downy clumps exposing more skin. That will help. I will try to pour 3% hydrogen peroxide on him which will kill the fungal infection, but he is not know to be very cooperative when it comes to any treatments. Giving him a pill or a shot is impossible. Even hidden in a snack, he will spit out a pill and eat the snack. He would have to be tied and muzzled in order to really treat him.
So, the steps are small with the dog food and raw meat diet and brushing. Once most of the old fur is removed, I will attempt to treat his skin. Then when he is well again, hopefully that beautiful shiny black fur will return. I love that dog.
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