Our pets skin is an indicator of
their overall health. What a stressful issue it can be for pet and parent. We
have all been there… finally dozing off to sleep and then slurp, slurp,
scratch, scratch, slurp! Oh no! Does my muffin have fleas? Dry skin? Both?
The condition of our dog’s skin
and coat start from the inside out. Feeding your dog a proper diet is essential
for a nice shiny, healthy coat. Without a proper diet, your dog’s coat is
lifeless, dull, and just looks dirty all the time. If your pets coat is too dry
you could also add fatty oils found in pet stores to their food. During the
Winter months, our pets skin dries out just like ours does so you could also
give them special dog treats formulated specifically for skin care. There truly
is a great selection of products these days to help prevent dry skin for any
type of coat our dogs may have.
Regular groomings for your pooch
not only makes our dogs more huggable but it is also important for their
overall well-being. Brushing helps stimulate skin and distribute natural oils
throughout the coat. If we do not brush out the dead hair, it can cause matting
which is very uncontrollable for our pets. Talk to your groomer about what type
of brush you should be using for your dog breed.
Cleanliness is also very
important. With all of the gentle natural shampoos available we can bathe our
pets regularly without the worry of the dry skin or irritation. As a groomer,
in the Winter I used to have chafed hands, arms, and cracks on my fingers. However,
a few years ago after switching to all natural shampoos and conditioners, I
noticed that I no longer had painful cracks or chafing. Therefore, I would
highly recommend a good natural shampoo and conditioner for your dog. How often
you bathe your pooch depends on lifestyle, breed, etc. I would bathe my long
coated show dogs once a week with no dry skin from over-bathing. There are
shampoos available to aid in skin repair if your pet has hot spots or other
skin conditions. If your pet has any skin conditions, you can follow up with
your vet as they may be able to prescribe a specially formulated shampoo to
meet the needs of your pets skin condition and help treat it.
Fleas and other bugs show no
mercy on our pets and sometimes they are hard to find. Look around the base of
the tail and the inside of the back legs where hair is thinner. Sometimes I won’t
see a bug but instead it will look like someone sprinkled black pepper in these
areas, this is an indicator of fleas and out comes the flea shampoo! There are
many topical treatments you can give your pet to stop the flea cycle. They are
applied once a month between the shoulders of your pet. If your pet is infested
check with your vet about an oral medication such as a “capstar” to get the
flea situation under control!
Skin conditions can be caused by
food allergies which can be quite frustrating to figure out. Normally the vet
will change your pet to a special diet for 6-8 weeks, and then they will
introduce certain ingredients back one at a time to try and figure out what the
culprit is. Our pets can also suffer from allergies to pollen, dust, grass and
more, just as we do. Your vet can also do allergy testing if this is the case
for your pooch. A skin disorder can
sometimes be a sign of an underlying health problem. If skin issues continue to
be an issue, consult with your vet about other possible causes.
Bacteria, yeast, ringworm, and
mange are other concerns that can affect our pet’s skin. If any of these occur,
your vet can do a skin test to determine the problem and will then prescribe
special shampoo or antibiotics to get their skin back into their usual huggable
condition!
If you have any concerns about
your pet’s skin, do not hesitate to ask your groomer or veterinarian! It is
incredibly important to remember that our pets need proper grooming regularly
so that they can look and feel their best. As a pet lover, it is hard to see
your pet unhappy so it is good peace of mind knowing that these skin concerns
can generally be fixed or prevented.
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