The Best Medicated Shampoos for Seborrhea in Dogs

Understanding Seborrhea in Dogs

Seborrhea is a common skin condition in dogs that causes flaky, greasy skin that can become inflamed and itchy. The condition is also sometimes referred to as seborrheic dermatitis. Seborrhea can occur in any breed, but some breeds are more prone to developing seborrhea including English Setters, American Cocker Spaniels, Basset Hounds, English Springer Spaniels, German Shepherds, Irish Setters, Labrador Retrievers, Shar-Peis, and West Highland White Terriers.

Seborrhea leads to an overproduction of skin cells and oil (sebum). This excess buildup of skin cells and oil typically presents as dandruff. In mild cases, the dandruff may be dry and flaky. In more severe cases, the dandruff is greasy and yellowish. Areas most commonly affected by seborrhea include the dogs back, underside, tail base, fold of the ears, armpits, and groin.

There are two main types of seborrhea in dogs:

• Seborrhea sicca - Also called dry seborrhea, this leads to dry, flaky skin without inflammation.
• Seborrhea oleosa - Also called oily seborrhea, this leads to oily, greasy skin that is prone to becoming inflamed and infected.

Seborrhea can occur for many reasons. Primary causes include:

• Genetic predisposition - Certain breeds are genetically prone to seborrhea.
• Allergies - Dogs with skin allergies or food allergies often develop seborrhea.
• Endocrine disorders - Hormonal imbalances related to conditions like hypothyroidism can trigger seborrhea.
• Fungal or yeast infections - Secondary infections with Malassezia yeast can cause seborrhea.
• Bacterial or viral infections - Secondary skin infections may contribute to seborrhea.
• Parasites - Mites like demodectic mange can cause seborrhea.
• Nutritional deficiencies - Lack of essential fatty acids, vitamin A, zinc, or biotin may be linked to seborrhea.
• Skin trauma - Damage to the skin from things like sunburn or grooming trauma can trigger seborrhea.

Dogs with seborrhea often have very itchy skin. The itching leads to trauma as dogs excessively lick, scratch, rub, and chew at their skin. This self-trauma further damages the skin barrier leading to recurrent skin infections.Treatment is aimed at managing the underlying cause and controlling symptoms. Your vet will likely recommend a multi-pronged treatment plan that includes:

• Medicated shampoos and rinses
• Antibiotics or antifungals (if secondary infections are present)
• Anti-inflammatory medications
• Allergy medications
• Topical therapies like vitamin A creams or fatty acid supplements
• Hormone therapy for endocrine disorders
• Parasite control
• Dietary supplements

Bathing and grooming are a critical part of managing seborrhea in dogs. Frequent bathing helps remove scales, resolve secondary infections, reduce inflammation, and moisturize the skin. Using a high-quality medicated shampoo made for seborrheic dermatitis is ideal.

Choosing the Best Seborrhea Dog Shampoo

With so many dog shampoos on the market, it can be tricky to select the right one for managing your dogs seborrhea. Here are some tips on what to look for when choosing a medicated shampoo for seborrhea:

Key Ingredients

The active ingredients in a seborrhea dog shampoo are important. Some key ingredients to look for include:

• Coal tar: Coal tar is an effective antiseptic and keratolytic agent that helps soften and loosen crusty skin scales. It reduces scaling, flaking, redness, and itching.
• Salicylic acid: This beta hydroxy acid acts as a keratolytic to break down scales. It also has antibacterial and antifungal properties.
• Sulfur: Sulfur is a mild keratolytic that helps control scaling. It also has antifungal, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory effects.
• Colloidal oatmeal: Oatmeal contains compounds that soothe and moisturize the skin. It helps relieve itching and irritation.
• Allantoin: Allantoin is an anti-inflammatory that helps moisturize and promote skin healing.
• Sodium hypochlorite: This compound acts as a disinfectant and antiseptic to prevent secondary skin infections.
• Essential fatty acids: Ingredients like omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids help repair the skin barrier and reduce inflammation.

Fragrance-Free Formulas

It's best to choose a fragrance-free seborrhea shampoo. Dogs with seborrhea often have sensitive skin, and fragrances can further irritate the skin. Fragrance-free formulas are gentler on inflamed skin.

Gentle Cleansers

Seborrhea shampoos should have gentle, non-irritating cleansers. Ingredients to look for include glycerin, oat extracts, aloe vera, and allantoin. Harsh detergents like sulfates should be avoided as these can strip natural oils and further irritate the skin.

Rich Emollients

Choose a seborrhea shampoo with emollients that help moisturize the skin. Some good options include vitamin E, jojoba oil, olive oil, shea butter, and fatty acid supplements.

Optimal pH Level

The ideal pH for dog shampoos is between 6 and 8, as this matches the pH of your dogs skin. Acidic or alkaline shampoos can disrupt the skins protective barrier. Make sure to choose a shampoo designed for canine skin pH levels.

Veterinary Recommendation

Talk to your vet about shampoo recommendations tailored to your dogs specific needs. Your vet may suggest prescription shampoos if your dog has recurrent infections or more severe seborrhea.

Antimicrobial Options

If your dog has bacterial or fungal infections along with seborrhea, look for a shampoo containing antimicrobial ingredients like chlorhexidine, ketoconazole, miconazole, or ethyl lactate.

Corticosteroids

For dogs with severe itching and inflammation, your vet may recommend a shampoo containing hydrocortisone or other topical corticosteroids to help control symptoms.

Reviews of the Best Seborrhea Dog Shampoos

Wondering which seborrhea dog shampoos are top-rated for effectively treating flakiness, scaling, redness, and itching? Here are reviews of some of the best medicated shampoos for managing seborrheic dermatitis in dogs.

Vet's Best Hypo-Allergenic Shampoo

Vet's Best Hypo-Allergenic Shampoo is a fragrance-free and soap-free formula designed for dogs with sensitive, irritated skin. It contains soothing oatmeal and allantoin along with salicylic acid to treat scaling and dandruff. This gentle shampoo cleans without stripping natural oils from your dogs coat and skin. Its a great option for mild to moderate seborrhea and dermatitis.

Douxo Chlorhexidine PS Shampoo

Douxo Chlorhexidine PS Shampoo contains chlorhexidine gluconate to reduce bacterial and fungal overgrowth. This antimicrobial shampoo also includes phytosphingosine salicyloyl, an anti-inflammatory and keratolytic ingredient to treat scaling. It helps restore the skins natural defense barriers. This shampoo is useful for secondary bacterial or yeast infections causing seborrhea.

Dechra DermaBenSS Shampoo

Dechra DermaBenSS Shampoo contains 2% colloidal sulfur to reduce scaling, plus 2% salicylic acid to soften and exfoliate crusty lesions. It also includes soothing oat proteins to relieve itching and inflammation. This medicated shampoo is effective for treating the scaling, flaking, greasiness, redness, and inflammation associated with seborrhea dermatitis.

Vetoquinol Sebolux Shampoo

Vetoquinol Sebolux Shampoo contains phytosphingosine, piroctone olamine, and climbazole to reduce yeast overgrowth. It also includes lipacide to restore the skins pH balance and fatty acids to repair the skin barrier. This shampoo both treats seborrhea and helps prevent recurrence. Its useful for infections related to Malassezia yeast.

SynergyLabs Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Shampoo

SynergyLabs Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Shampoo contains 3% salicylic acid, 2% colloidal oatmeal, vitamin E, and panthenol to alleviate scaling, flaking, redness and irritation caused by seborrheic dermatitis. It also includes anti- static and anti-microbial agents. This soap-free shampoo is gentle enough for frequent use in dogs with sensitive skin.

How to Bathe a Dog with Seborrhea

Once youve selected an appropriate seborrhea dog shampoo, follow these bathing tips and guidelines for best results:

Brush Before Bathing

Use a soft slicker brush to gently brush your dogs coat before bathing. This helps loosen and remove excess dandruff and scales.

Avoid Hot Water

Bathe your dog using lukewarm water. Hot water can further dry out the skin. Cool to lukewarm water is gentler on sensitive, inflamed skin.

Work Shampoo into Coat

Thoroughly wet your dogs coat, then massage the medicated shampoo deep into the skin and coat. Let it soak for 5-10 minutes before rinsing so the active ingredients can start working.

Rinse Completely

Rinse all of the shampoo out of the coat. Leftover residue may continue to irritate the skin. You may need to do multiple rinses to remove all the shampoo.

Dry Thoroughly

Gently pat your dog with a towel to soak up excess water, then use a blow dryer on low heat to fully dry the coat. Damp skin can allow yeast and bacteria to overgrow.

Brush After Bathing

Once your dog is fully dry, use a soft brush to remove any remaining loose hairs and scales.

Repeat Often

For best results, bathe your dog with a medicated shampoo once or twice a week. Frequent bathing helps control scaling and prevents recurrence of secondary infections.

Use a Conditioner

Using a moisturizing conditioner after bathing helps prevent the skin from becoming excessively dry. Look for conditioning formulas with emollients like vitamin E or omegas.

Avoid Irritants

In between baths, keep your dogs skin protected. Avoid plant oils, perfumes, wool, and materials that may further irritate the skin.

Home Remedies for Seborrhea in Dogs

In addition to using a medicated shampoo, there are some home remedies that may help soothe skin and manage mild seborrhea symptoms. However, always consult your vet before using any home treatments.

Oatmeal Baths

An oatmeal bath can help relieve itchy, irritated skin. Grind plain oatmeal into a fine powder, then stir it into warm bath water. The natural colloids in oatmeal have soothing, anti-inflammatory properties.

Apple Cider Vinegar Rinses

Mix a 50/50 solution of water and apple cider vinegar. After bathing your dog, pour the rinse over your dogs coat. The vinegar helps restore proper pH levels on the skin to control yeast overgrowth.

Coconut Oil

Rub a small amount of virgin coconut oil into your dogs skin to moisturize dry patches. Use this between baths to help soothe inflammation. The lauric acid in coconut oil also has antimicrobial effects.

Essential Oils

Some essential oils like lavender, chamomile, and tea tree oil have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties. Ask your vet if these are safe before using. Dilute appropriately and apply sparingly to affected areas.

When to See Your Vet

While using a medicated shampoo and home remedies may help manage mild seborrhea symptoms, its important to have your dog properly diagnosed by a vet. Schedule an appointment if your dog has any of these signs:

• Excessive scaling, flaking, or greasy skin
• Red, inflamed skin
• Hair loss
• Recurrent skin infections
• Intense itching and scratching
• Rubbing face and ears on the floor
• Skin odor
• Changes in skin pigmentation

Your vet will perform diagnostic tests to determine the underlying cause and rule out other skin diseases like allergies, ringworm, mange, autoimmune disease, and thyroid disease. Proper treatment depends on getting an accurate diagnosis.

Seborrhea can be frustrating for both dogs and pet parents. But with frequent bathing using a high-quality medicated shampoo, as well as following your vets treatment recommendations, most dogs see a significant improvement in their skin health and quality of life.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.