Are you concerned about your dog having dry skin? Dogs can suffer from dry skin, resulting from a variety of factors. However, dry skin is not a danger to your dog but a general discomfort. It can be easily spotted and treated to ensure your dog continues living its best life.
Environmental changes and poor nutrition are some of the reasons why your dog could have dry skin. Due to the weather changes, your dog can suffer from allergies which can in turn result to continuous itching. Eventually, this can lead to stripping off moisture from the skin, bringing about flakes on the skin surface.
Another reason your dog could be having dry skin is excessive bathing using non-moisturizing shampoos. Repeated exposure strips the skin of good oils leaving the skin flaky and dry. If this is a concern for you, below are ways on treating dry skin in dogs.
Use a Gentle And Moisturizing Shampoo followed by a Conditioner.
It is important to note that regular shampoos for human hair have the wrong PH for your dog’s fur. Get a vet-recommended and moisturizing shampoo and follow it up with a conditioner to seal back moisture in to your dog’s skin. Instead of using a blow dryer, use a towel to pat dry your dog and leave the rest of the moisture to dry out naturally.
Ensure Your Dog’s Food is Nutritionally Balanced
Your dog’s nutrition plays a major role in the condition of the skin. Vet recommend getting dog food that is packed with essential minerals, vitamins and fats. These are not only useful for your dog’s internal systems but also for the skin.
Also ensure that the dog food you choose is regulated by the authorities and passed as safe for dogs. Ensure the treats are heathy too and packed with useful nutrients to support skin health.
Supplement Your Dog Food
Probiotics, zinc, and fish oil help improve dry skin conditions. These are useful but check in with your vet for recommendations on the best supplements for your dog. Supply abundant fresh water to keep your dog hydrated and support the skin natural regeneration process
Try and incorporate healthy fats in your dog’s meals as they play a crucial role in keeping your dog’s skin in good condition. You can offer healthy fats such as avocado to supplement your dog’s food, but make sure your vet has run tests to ensure your dog does not have allergies.
Apply Flea-Prevention Treatments
Even if you can hardly see fleas, this remains a standard veterinary recommendation. This is because flea infestation is most likely to cause an infection that later resulting in your dog’s skin losing moisture and flaking.
If your dog has dry skin, the above tips can help you deal with the problem and start the way back to healthy dog’s skin. Most of these are easy to implement and with the help of your vet, you can treat your dog’s dry skin and support its health moving forward.