Dy skin in dogs

I was asked this question by Greywolf about her dogs dry and flakey skin.

Qestion;
I was adopted by my new family who love me very much, but I am still very underweight - only 31.55Kg and have had a bad bout of kennel cough and am just finishing my season. My skin has become very dry and flaky and my mum is giving me cod liver oil. Is there anything else that can be done to help my dry skin? I am a GSD about 4 - 5 years old and have long hair.

Answer;
Firstly, don´t be too worried about a slow weight gain, it is the most sensible, and safest, way for an underfed animal to put weight on. GSDs are often naturally lean and 31.5kg doesn´t sound overly light, especially not for a female. Ensure she is being fed a high quality dog food at the recommended amount and her weight will soon stabilise. Resist any temptations to over-feed her, give too many treats or give into demands for food, as this will only cause you problems in the future!
As for her coat, cod liver oil is an excellent supplement, as well as helping her with her coat it will also help with joint problems, (I noticed in your blog you mentioned stiffness and soreness on walks.) Evening primrose oil is also an excellent supplement, especially for dry coats, so I would try her on that. One capsule or one teaspoon a day should be enough. Again, a good quality diet will also help keep the skin and coat in the best possible health. If her skin doesn´t improve, or starts to bother her, it may be worth a trip to the vets for a check over. They can supply you with medication washes if appropriate.
I hope you find this helpful
Cat