Dog Has Dry Skin? | Having a dog around is a joy unmatched by most others. A furry friend, wagging its tail, wanting your attention, willing to do anything you ask (or at least in the context of dog), render the saying a dog is a man’s best friend valid.
But sometimes, your best friend can go under the weather. Most dogs show symptoms of severe conditions a few weeks before the onslaught. While it may be challenging to catch, and you won’t find out what it is until you visit a vet, dry skin is relatively easy to detect. Common symptoms include dandruff, scaling, odor, flaking, itchiness—and worst of all, inflammation.
So, what to do if your dog has dry skin?
In this blog, we will let you in on some tips to take care of your dog should it have dry skin.
Vitamin E is often the best way to rehydrate a dog’s skin. This does not need to be administered via food intake. You can apply vitamin E oil directly to your dog—in the affected area, that is. Be both gentle and generous with the massage. We recommend a soak in a bathtub full of vitamin E oil. This targets dry skin and the entirety of your furry friend, which is good for its luscious fur.
However, if you cannot spare the time for such a bath, giving vitamin E via food intake is not such a bad idea. However, beware. There are some breeds of dogs that should only be given unique dosages of vitamin. Consult with your vet or other dog owners to see which dosage category your dog qualifies for.
While olive oil is often recommended to us by our doctors, vets also recommend it for pet dogs because it has shown some great benefits for many dog breeds. Olive oil most certainly should not be administered physically or directly on the affected area on the dog’s skin. You must always put a tablespoon or two in your dog’s food. You will start to notice changes within three days; the dry patch of skin will have healed itself within a week from the day you began.
Omega 3 fatty acids are also known to provide good results in curing your dogs of dry skin.
It is always the little things that get you. Or your dog, in this case. Dogs are, by nature, too playful for their own good. You will often find dirty paw prints all over your floors and a too dirty yet somehow innocent dog. “I’m a dog being a dog, hooman,” you might hear them say—even though it is not your dog saying this but you visualizing them saying it. Constantly groom your pet. If left for too long on your dog’s skin, Dirt can build up more problems with sweat and oil, causing a number of animal skin conditions (dry skin being one of them).
Brush the coat of your dog’s hair on a daily basis with a good brush. Do baths every other day (if feasible). Make sure you have matting removed as it leads directly to dry skin.
You need to keep an eye out for both inside and outside weather. Dry skin is known to worsen with low humidity. It won’t be a bad idea to keep your dog indoors during winters, especially at night. And, of course, it goes with saying keeping your dog indoors during summer nights. Indoor weather can be equally dry sometimes. If you find yourself checking out this box, then it would be wise if you sat down to think about investing in a good humidifier to help your dog with its skin problems.
Humidifiers are suitable for people, too.
Everybody wants a nice, clean dog. But some people may end up overdoing it. Discuss with your dog’s vet or other dog owners how much you need to bathe your dog according to the dog’s need. Take a look, next, at the shampoo you use. Remember, dogs have thicker skin than you, and the wrong pH level can result in a dreadful number of skin conditions for your pet. You should also opt for an after-bath conditioning spray that goes a long way in softening and moisturizing your dog’s hair and skin. Make sure both the products go well with your dog and that nothing causes allergies and whatnot. You will want to go for prescription shampoo to avoid precisely this.
With dry skin comes itchiness. And with itchiness comes the scratching. Sometimes, when the dryness isn’t that serious a concern, dogs may worsen it with all the scratching if it can quickly go away on its own. Now, unlike a toddler or a baby sibling, you cannot chastise a dog in the same way. You need to creatively take your dog’s mind off the scratching. Chew toys, playing with your dog, giving them your company, and even that of another dog can keep your dog distracted long enough for the urge to go away.
Remember, be creative. Dogs are intelligent, and they will see right through your master plan. So don’t be too obvious.
Mostly, dry skin is the aftermath of bad weather, too much bathing, and undernutrition. You need to create a schedule for your dog so that you don’t end up over-bathing them. Keep a humidifier in your house so that dry air does lead to dry skin. Omega 3 fatty acids, vitamin E, and olive oil should make good additions to your dog’s diet.
If you find yourself repeating these remedies and still have no result, you need to consult your vet immediately.
by Maria A Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™ .
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