Hi. My huskies, my wife and my little boy are my universe. My dogs bless my life beyond my ability to explain and I love them fiercely and completely! I'm a "just do it" guy, I hate staring at a screen and always prefer to stare at the horizon and my dogs backsides! But I'm concerned and looking for some help.

My eleven year old alpha female Siberian had to be completely shaved, except for her head and tail, due to a chronic dermatological condition. I KNOW IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED TO SHAVE DOUBKE COATED BREEDS, THIS WAS A MEDICAL NECESSITY!

The infection is gone, which is great. Now I'm really concerned about her coat growing back properly. Large areas that had to be shaved to the skin are covered with ground in dirt/grime that I can't scrub off. Other areas are growing back well, hair silky soft and gleaming with health.

Here's what I'm doing-

Nessa's summer diet is 75% boiled chicken, fish and much smaller amounts of lean red meats, plain Greek yogurt, brown rice and green beans, 25% Blue Buffalo kibble.

2000mg fish oil/600mg omega-3 geltabs daily (she was on half that dose before this issue)

Lukewarm water bathing every second day with a green tea and aloe shampoo/conditioner, using a gentle exfoliating scrub pad on the blackened areas, which is about 65% of her dermal surface.

Coppertone baby sunscreen every day to prevent sunburn.

I've never bathed her or any of the pack more often than once or twice a month in spring-summer and maybe two times for the whole fall-winter season. I've never visited a groomer before last month.

Nessa is in excellent overall health and extremely tough.

Her name is Countessa, Nessa for short. She is NOT a show dog. None of my dogs are possessions or status symbols. They are beloved family and my constant companions on the trail, literally and metaphorically. My only concern here is her health and comfort. I learned long ago that the best way I can tell her and her packmates "I love you", is to give them TONS of exercise, playtime, socializing and playtime. And exercise. We never miss a day and hike 25-30 miles a week. Anyway, thought it would be rude if I didn't put in some background, plus I never get tired of talking about my canine family.

Any experiences and knowledgeable suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated!

Lol I lI've the way my dogs look from the front too! I just see their backsused a lot because we spend so much time hiking.
Those fluffy tails are always in my foreground!

Lovely post.....I really do not know where to help you....some pics of your pack would be nice, since we love pics here, lol.....Anyways, back to your girl, is the diet going to be a full time diet? It isn't 100% balanced, and that is why I am asking. Blue Buffalo was just recently recalled, and they are having some major legal issues, so I would double check and see if what you are feeding was recalled. If you don't mind me asking what was her skin issue? That may be helpful to understand in order to give any advice. My one suggestion is to use coconut oil, there are so many reasons to use, but 1 teaspoon a day and can workup to around a tablespoon is hugely beneficial, it has anti fungal, anti bacterial, and antimicrobial properties to it, you can also rub some into her sorer spots or all over as well, after being done with the day, wouldn't recommend using in the hot sun.

Anyways, a little more info would help, and hopefully others who know more about how to help a shaved husky will chime in tomorrow! And welcome to the forum.

I wonder about the sunscreen.... they sell dog brand sunscreen, just google it. i wonder if that is part of the caked on dirt issue. would wearing a long sleeved shirt over her be better sun protection so you are not putting human stuff on her.

for the fish oil, i know you are giving it, but my vet told me to use this for my boys skin issues and for my girl to help with the hair after surgery.
http://smile.amazon.com/Nutramax-Welactin-Nutritional-Supplement-Liquid/dp/B001FB6ECQ?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

MiyasMomma wrote:

Lovely post.....I really do not know where to help you....some pics of your pack would be nice, since we love pics here, lol.....Anyways, back to your girl, is the diet going to be a full time diet? It isn't 100% balanced, and that is why I am asking. Blue Buffalo was just recently recalled, and they are having some major legal issues, so I would double check and see if what you are feeding was recalled. If you don't mind me asking what was her skin issue? That may be helpful to understand in order to give any advice. My one suggestion is to use coconut oil, there are so many reasons to use, but 1 teaspoon a day and can workup to around a tablespoon is hugely beneficial, it has anti fungal, anti bacterial, and antimicrobial properties to it, you can also rub some into her sorer spots or all over as well, after being done with the day, wouldn't recommend using in the hot sun.

Anyways, a little more info would help, and hopefully others who know more about how to help a shaved husky will chime in tomorrow! And welcome to the forum.

having trouble posting by phone, will try again on PC tomorrow. Thanks for the advice about diet and coconut oil. Nessa had dermal Staphylococcus.