Home Remedy Relief for Dry Skin
Does your dog have dry flaky skin? If you’re not sure, lightly rustle or part the fur along your dog’s spine. Don’t fret if a few flakes surface. We have great tried and true home remedy relief for dogs with dry skin right here!
Causes of Dry Skin on Dogs
Dogs naturally lose their undercoats in spring and fall to prepare for the upcoming season. During the spring, dogs shed their thick winter coats, which is logical. They need to prepare for hotter temps. It’s the fall shedding process, which leaves most pet owners scratching their heads. To prepare for winter, dogs must first shed their thinner shorter summer coats to make way for their longer and thicker winter coats. With all these coat changes, this can easily cause most dogs’ skin to dry excessively, which causes flakes. During the cooler months, the lack of humidity combined with home heating systems contributes to our dogs’ dry skin too.
Home Remedy Relief
Remove Undercoat
Removing excessive fur is the first step to ensure home remedy effectiveness for your dog’s dry skin. Using deshedding tools, begin brushing your dog in small sections and sectioning even smaller sections with your fingers. When you brush in small sections, you’re removing all of the dead hair, which means less hair on the sofa. 🙂
Weekly Bathing
Use a colloidal oatmeal-based shampoo, as you bathe your dog weekly, to remove dead skin. Plus, colloidal oatmeal will soothe dry and irritated skin left behind while cleaning the coat. I highly recommend Nature’s Specialties Colloidal Oatmeal Shampoo. This is some good stuff!
RELATED: Does Aromatherapy Dog Shampoo Really Work?
Oil Treatments
Oil treatment works really well for moisturizing dry flaky spots. Allow me to introduce you to Jojoba oil. This stuff is fabulous! Jojoba oil is an odorless and non-greasy oil that softens and smooths dry patches quickly. After bathing, warm the oil by applying a few drops to your finger tips. Massage warmed oil along dry areas, repeating the warming process before applying oil to larger areas. Trust me, a few drops go a long way. Too much will leave a greasy residue, which you want to prevent. Repeat after weekly baths until dry skin disappears.
Supplements
Supplements address dry skin from the inside out. Add fish oil to your dog’s daily meals, which provides much needed fatty acids. Before reaching for any fish oil, it’s vital to provide the right balance of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids for maximum power so I reach for wild salmon oil. Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil by Grizzly Pet Products is the best out there. Check out their website for benefits of their wild caught oil! When adding oil to your dog’s diet, add small amounts slowly to prevent gastric upset.
When to See the Vet
Contact your vet if your dog’s skin is inflamed, oozing, putrid smelling or covers a large portion of his body. When in doubt, rule it out with your vet. 🙂
What home remedies have you used for dogs with dry skin?
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