Dry skin on your dog can lead them to itch themselves uncontrollably. After all, they aren’t quite as aware that their itching could break skin as you or I may be. There are a few things you should do to help your dog with dry skin. The first is to determine if it is caused by fleas. Excessive scratching should be sign for you to examine the fur of your dog. Fleas are visible to the eye, however you may have to do some digging as they will house themselves towards the root of the fur follicles. You should make sure you are providing your dog with all natural dog food. Similar to humans, their diet can impact the healthiness of their skin.
Once both of those are out of the way, you can follow some additional remedies to help sooth and heal dry skin for your dog.
Groom Your Dog
Simple upkeep on your dog’s coat can help prevent dry skin. Grooming your dog on a regular basis helps prevent skin and fur buildup that can lead to irritated and dry skin. You should bathe your dog on a consistent basis, but not daily, in order to maintain a certain level of hygiene. More importantly you should brush your dog regularly. Depending on how often your dog sheds, you can either brush them daily or once a week. Brushing your dog will remove the dead flakes of skin and shedded fur that have gotten trapped underneath their coat. These particles can cause irritation if they are left there for a long period of time.
Plain Yogurt
Plain yogurt, such as plain Greek yogurt, is actually good for your dog’s skin and gastrointestinal tract. It provides the same benefits to humans as it does to dogs which is the probiotics naturally found in it. The acidophilus helps to keep a good balance of good bacteria in the intestines while fighting off bad bacteria. Typically you would associate good intestinal health with fecal healthiness however an out-of-whack G.I. tract can harm skin as well.
Hydrate
If you’ve ever been out in the sun too long you begin to notice when you are dehydrated and when you’ve gotten sunburn. After sunburn, your skin will dry up because your body doesn’t have enough H2O to go around. Your dog’s body is similar in that any form of dehydration can affect the skin negatively, usually by drying it out. Keeping your dog hydrated is incredibly important, not just for skin health, but for its health in general.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is good for your skin and it is good for your dog’s skin. You can apply vitamin E in a few different ways. The first is rubbing vitamin E oil directly to the skin. You can either oil up your pup’s entire body or just apply the vitamin E oil to the dry area.
Another way to apply vitamin E to your dog’s skin is to draw a bath for your dog with vitamin E in it. This will help the vitamin soak into the pores of your dog’s skin.
Finally, you can give your dog a vitamin E pill which works like a multivitamin for humans. Before doing this consult with your veterinarian on the dosage you should provide your canine.
Oatmeal Bath
Another great bath mixture you can use for your dog is oatmeal. You’ve probably come across a handful of oatmeal bath bars for humans. This is because it is good for your skin. While you don’t need to buy a fancy oatmeal bath bar for your dog, you can go to the store and get generic oatmeal. Grind this up into a fine powder and mix it in with warm bathwater. The oatmeal is good for your dog’s skin and should relieve any immediate irritation they have.
Do Not Use Human Shampoo
If you are going to give your dog a bath because it will hydrate their skin, refrain from using human shampoo. Shampoo for people has a tendency to dry out your hair and skin. Take notice of how dry your skin is the next time you step out of the shower. Not in the sense of the irritable, crackly skin but rather the lack of natural oils from your skin. Most hygiene products for humans purposefully whisk away natural body and hair oils because they feel dirty to us. So in the long run, that would only worsen the dryness of your dog’s skin.
Andrew Fujii is a marketing professional with expertise in digital/web and content marketing. He is also a copywriter for multiple agencies and a contributes to the Camp Diego blog.