I wondered if anyone else has any anecdotal experience with Biotin dietary supplement for skin irritation/itchiness in Labs?
I have started my Dad's Labrador Valour on daily Biotin supplement in the hope that this will help with his scratching. I discovered this clinical research study on the positive results of Biotin use in dogs with skin conditions so thought it was worth trying as part of a holistic approach to easing his itching/scratching.
Clinical study on the effect of biotin on skin conditions in dogs
He does not have broken, red or inflamed skin or 'hotspot' type areas but rather is just very itchy and scratching a lot. The Vet has suggested a course of steroids but we are trying to keep steroid use as a last resort as we have had a previous dog begin to leak urine after being treated with steroids so as a first step & with the support of the Vet we've have been gradually removing/changing all the potential causes for itchiness in Labs in the hope that we can isolate the cause.
My two Labs, who do not have skin issues or the irritation or scratching that he has and have previously walked in the same places, are following the same treatment path as him in order to be the 'control' for our trial. They live in different houses but we are keeping everything else is the same.
So far we have:
Is there anything else that we haven't considered or that has worked for others in a similar situation that we could try?
We would be grateful for any suggestions.
I have started my Dad's Labrador Valour on daily Biotin supplement in the hope that this will help with his scratching. I discovered this clinical research study on the positive results of Biotin use in dogs with skin conditions so thought it was worth trying as part of a holistic approach to easing his itching/scratching.
Clinical study on the effect of biotin on skin conditions in dogs
Clinical study on the effect of biotin on skin conditions in dogs - PubMed
In a collaborative study with small-animal veterinary surgeons, dogs with fur and skin conditions were treated with biotin (approximately 5 mg biotin/10 kg body weight/day) for 3 to 5 weeks. In total 119 cases could be treated which were reported to show symptoms such as dull coat, brittle hair...
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
He does not have broken, red or inflamed skin or 'hotspot' type areas but rather is just very itchy and scratching a lot. The Vet has suggested a course of steroids but we are trying to keep steroid use as a last resort as we have had a previous dog begin to leak urine after being treated with steroids so as a first step & with the support of the Vet we've have been gradually removing/changing all the potential causes for itchiness in Labs in the hope that we can isolate the cause.
My two Labs, who do not have skin issues or the irritation or scratching that he has and have previously walked in the same places, are following the same treatment path as him in order to be the 'control' for our trial. They live in different houses but we are keeping everything else is the same.
So far we have:
- Treated him for fleas,
- Removed his old bedding & bought him a brand new bed,
- Vigorously, regularly and repeatedly vacuumed rugs/carpet and removed vacuum contents to ensure flea life cycle is interrupted and any eggs are removed from environment.
- Changed his food to low allergen skin specific kibble initially & when this didn't work we tried changing protein source (changed from the chicken to beef and from beef to fish).
- Cut out all other food treats such as pigs ears, beef chews etc...
- Treated him with a weekly Vet-sourced medicated anti-itch dog shampoo - Malaseb Medicated Shampoo, antibacterial, antifungal and anti-itch shampoo for dogs.
- Brushing him daily to help spread skin oils and remove dead skin & shedding fur.
- Temporarily stopped taking him to outdoor exercise areas that have grass and only walking him at the beach to rule out the possibility of the grass or seed heads, bushes, trees that are currently in flower causing an allergic reaction.
Is there anything else that we haven't considered or that has worked for others in a similar situation that we could try?
We would be grateful for any suggestions.