Bathing schedule is all wet

Dear Dr. Forsythe:

I wondered how often I should give my dog a bath.  Lately I have bathed her every three to four days because I love the way she looks and smells when I’m done.  But her coat has gotten greasy and she even has some red spots now, which she never had before, so I’m afraid maybe the shampoo is actually hurting, not helping. What do you recommend?

Bert, Sonoma

Dear Bert:

You have probably been over-bathing your dog.  Sometimes too much of a seemingly good thing can lead to problems.  Bathing a dog too frequently can strip the natural oils off the skin, and the result is that the oil glands can actually respond to the constantly “oil free” skin by going into hyperdrive and making increased amounts of oil to compensate.  The result is a condition called seborrhea oleosa, which roughly means skin that smells like it is smeared with rancid margarine!

Skin with a layer of rotting oil on it is a perfect environment for staph bacteria to grow and flourish, so the red spots you are seeing represent small colonies of bacterial growth that cause itchiness and discomfort.  I suggest you see your veterinarian to get a good soap-free shampoo that won’t strip the oils off your dog’s skin. Use this shampoo no more than once a month while the skin is treated with an antibiotic to clear up the infection.

Remember those teenage years when so many of us had faces covered with pimples that looked like the lunar landing?  We don’t want to cause that miserable situation for our pets, do we?  Using a monthly flea treatment faithfully, bathing at reasonable intervals with a product that will not completely strip all the natural oils off the skin, and a good course of antibiotics will undoubtedly improve your pet’s situation and may even get him a date to the prom after all.

Dr. F

Dear Dr. Forsythe:

How often do I need to feed my Ball Python?  She is about 3 feet long now and it is really hit or miss with her.  Anything you can suggest to help?

V.V., Sonoma

Dear V.V.:  I feed my son’s Ball Python, Lenny, a medium to large sized live rat about once a month.  He has a hearty appetite and loves it; eating is never a problem for him.  However, appetite in snakes can depend on whether or not you feed fresh or frozen mice/rats, activity level of the snake, size of the snake, health of the snake, and husbandry.  For instance, if the snake is not in a warm enough enclosure, their appetite will decrease.  Similarly, if your snake gets mouth rot or any infection, he won’t want to eat.  Conversely, if you keep the enclosure an appropriate warm temperature and have a healthy, robust snake, they generally want to eat every two to four weeks.  I hope this helps!!

Dr. F.