Is your dog suffering from dry skin and even dandruff? Patches of dry skin may be a discolored portion of hair, but dandruff will be pretty easy to spot since they should be white little flakes that come at you in large amounts. In addition, there will be a good deal of scratching, so please keep a lookout for this type of behavior.
Through my experience with dandruff, I may know an inkling of what your dog is going through. First, it starts as an irritation sensation (usually happens in your hair), and when you start to scratch through your hair, the irritating sensation grows, and small white particles start to fall off your hair.
Causes Behind Dandruff and Dry Skin
Even though it is not a serious skin condition, it can be embarrassing and kind of difficult to treat. In the cases of dogs, the causes may abound, but I will try to explain each cause to you with their respective form of solution. The range can be quite broad and the symptoms similar, so you might need to be patient along the way.
Example of Dry Skin on Dogs
Dandruff & Dry Skin on Dogs
1. Environmental & Diet Reasons
Dry skin and dandruff can be caused by environments with low humidity. If your home is in an environment with low humidity or very warm, moisture will quickly evaporate from one’s body, which results in dry skin, chapped lips, and itchy skin. You probably would have the same symptoms too if you are living at your home with your pet.
To prevent such environments, many hospitals have used humidifiers, which are little machines that spout out mist into the air to neutralize low-humidity environments, and if you suspect that your home is low in humidity, make sure to try these little machines to ensure the skin health of your dog and also of your own!
If you have overcome the issues related to humidity, you need to consider the factor related to your pet’s diet. A good overall diet contains high amounts of protein and fats since protein & fats are key ingredients for skin care and hair development for dogs. Also, don’t forget to include minerals and vitamins along the way.
If your dog is under a poor diet, it can lead to dry patches of skin, low haircoat quality, and even possibilities of hair loss. If these symptoms have appeared after changing your dog’s food to a new brand, you need to suspect poor nutrition on their part and keep in mind that growing dogs need larger amounts of protein and fats.
2. Allergies & Skin Infection
Almost always, the factors behind dry skin and dandruff cause a great amount of scratching, which can lead to skin peeling (dandruff) and irritated skin (scabs). Being one of the most common factors, allergic reactions can lead to all sorts of skin irritation, which can lead to dandruff and dry skin on dogs.
Even though the causes behind allergies may vary, the symptoms due to allergies are not limited to skin irritation since they tend to disrupt the body as a whole. Other allergy-related symptoms are respiratory problems (wheezing, sneezing, coughing), runny noses, eye discharge, and digestive problems (diarrhea & vomiting).
If you are thinking that your dog is going through these symptoms due to allergies, you might be planning your next visit to your vet. If you really don’t have the time nor the resources for it, implementing allergy immune supplement chews into your dog’s diet might be your best bet in this scenario.
Other major factors can only be caused by a bacterial infection or through a fungal infection. A bacterial skin infection can be caused by untreated wounds and even by pests (which we are going to cover in-depth in our next section), and skin conditions related to fungal infections are caused by a growth of yeast on your dog’s skin.
Symptoms of bacterial and fungal skin infections are quite similar since they ultimately lead to red, inflamed skin which leads to skin irritation and a great deal of scratching. For wounds, you need to use a medicated product with antibiotics, and for everything else, medicated shampoo with antibacterial & antifungal properties would be best.
3. Parasitical Infections
Even though we did cover a lot of information, we still have half more to go! Being the next one on our list, parasitical infections can also cause dandruff and dry skin on dogs, and you will see the reasoning behind all these symptoms as I explain them to you in-depth in our next paragraph.
Pests such as mites, fleas, and ticks cause skin irritation, scabs, and swellings by leeching off your pet’s blood, and due to this action, your pet will start to scratch that particular spot to get rid of the pest that is bothering her. As the number of parasites grows, her irritated actions will reach a whole new level.
If you suspect any form of parasites, you need to check the confines of your dog’s hair to see if any parasites are lurking around. If you can’t spot it in her hair, check her living quarter and her favorite resting spots around the house for any signs of parasitical infestations (eggs, larvae, and even adult pests).
For external pests, you need a medicated topical treatment for mites, ticks, and fleas. However, if you don’t want a topical med, you can opt for an oral medication as well. In addition to external pests, you might be worried about internal pests such as worms, and if that is you, check out this dewormer made just for dogs!
4. Bodily Disorder & Immune Deficiency
If you have read through all three sections and have found that those causes were not the culprit, then it is probably the time that you visit your nearby vet. Sometimes, dandruff and dry skin on dogs can be caused by an internal disorder such as a problem with the immune system.
Dog with impaired immune systems tend to have troubles with dandruff, and even hereditary diseases can be the culprit behind this skin condition. If you have tried your best and your solutions are not working, you need to get professional assistance on this case since they might know something that you don’t!
Conclusion: Need Pro’s Advice?
You might be at a crossroads regarding this decision since you don’t really know which action would be the best to take. However, you already know that answer since you have already prepared financially for the road ahead of you. Similar to your car insurance, you can also get pet insurance for your canine companion.
If you are faced with a serious health condition of your pet, you might consider giving her up due to the financial burden, but if you really do care for her, you might be willing to pay that absurd amount to get her back. Whichever the case, Petplan plays a similar role to your life insurance in this regard.
By paying a monthly membership, you will gain access to a lifetime worth of warranties and health benefits. Veterinarian visits will be covered, pet check-ups will be paid, and medical treatments will be cared for. If you have any concerns or questions, go to their homepage for answers and solutions!
As always, thank you for reading through our entire post, and if you have questions or comments, make sure to include that in the section down below! If you have found this information helpful, be sure to share this site with people around you since sharing helps us a lot!
