Dog Dry Skin - What Is Making Your Dog Itch?

Is your dog suffering from dry skin? About two weeks ago, my dog Maddie suddenly began scratching, itching, licking and acting as if she had lost her mind. At first, I considered the usual suspects - fleas, parasites, mites etc. but upon inspection, I realized she was suffering from a serious bout of dry skin.

With winter coming on, it brings dryer weather to our area. It is the kind of dryer weather where you cannot keep your humidifier full of water. I could not stand to see her suffer, so I was immediately on the hunt for a remedy. I learned quickly that there is much more to diagnosing a dog's dry skin than watching a dog scratch.

It seems that dog dry skin is a common problem and the more we integrate dogs into our human lives, the more they are subject to the same issues we are. It's of course important to rule out the above issues including some type of infestation, bacterial infection or even dandruff before you start working on a dry skin cure.

Once you have ruled these out, you need to find the unseen cause of the dry skin. Often you can directly contribute dry skin to a poor dog food diet, so begin by assessing your dog's food. Commercial dog foods tend to lack the necessary fatty acids and vitamin E necessary to properly supplement a dog's diet. Without enough essential oils, a dog will exhibit dry and flaky skin. A quality dog food and supplements will correct the deficiency.

Frequent bathing and shampooing your dog can strip the essential natural oils from your dog's skin. Although we all want a clean dog, regular bathing is generally unnecessary. Instead, switch to an all-natural shampoo and a less frequent bathing schedule and consider using a cream rinse or conditioner. Better yet, substitute regular brushing to help your dog stay clean and it will also stimulate the oil production in their skin.

The next culprit could be nature itself. If your dog is spending large amounts of time outdoors, they could be having an allergic reaction to plants, grasses, flowers, and mold. Depending on the time of year, the dry air of winter itself could be contributing to their dry skin. Without putting your dog through a regimen of allergy test, determining what your dog is allergic to can be a complicated task and unless you move to a high humidity area, it is unlikely you can control the weather.

To counter the dry winter weather, run a humidifier in your home to help moisturize your dog's skin and limit their time outdoors during periods that their allergies seem more severe. You can also treat your dog with an allergy medication to help with the itching. Make sure you are keeping their bedding clean and vacuum regularly.

Once you have determined what may be causing your dog's dry skin, it is time to find a viable treatment. There are a few good home or natural remedies that you can try if your dog is not in severely suffering.

Oatmeal - Try giving your dog a warm (not hot) bath with oatmeal in it or make a paste and apply it directly to the affected areas. If you use the paste, place a warm towel over the area for fifteen to twenty minutes and then remove the excess paste. You can use this treatment every day twice a day for relief.

1. Oil - Use edible oil like vegetable, canola or olive oil and add a cap full into their dog food each day for two weeks. By this time, you should see a noticeable improvement and you can lower the oil usage to two or three times a week. If the dry skin returns, simply add more oil back into their daily diet.


2. Dog Food - Make sure you are feeding a quality dog food and if necessary add a quality coat supplement.


3. Bathing - Stop bathing your dog frequently and use an oatmeal or moisturizing shampoo instead of a harsh shampoo or human shampoo.


4. Brushing - Use regular brushings to clean your dog's fur and stimulate oil production in the skin.

I have been using a combination of all of these solutions to treat Maddie and she showed immediate relief and has had no recurring dry skin problems. However, if after trying the at home treatment methods, you are not seeing results or your dog becomes worse, contact your veterinarian immediately to rule out a more serious issue.