Having a dog with dry and itchy skin can is quite common and can become very painful for the dog. Most pet owners use a high quality dog shampoo, or give their dog supplements to fix the problem which we discuss below.

There are a few ways to quickly tell how bad your dog’s dry and itchy skin is. To begin with, if you notice that your dog has dandruff on a regular basis (especially visible a day or two after a bath), then chronic dryness of the dog skin exists and the best long term solution would be to use a pet shampoo with Omega-3, Aloe, and Lavender; as well as feed your dog organic dog food or supplements.

Another cause for dry, flaky and itchy skin on dogs are fungal infections. Ringworm and yeast infection, perhaps being the two most common. These micro-organisms not only affect the overall body of the dog, but also affect the other pets as well as the human members of the family. The fungal infection constantly irritates from the moment the lesion is formed on the body, and look painful. If you suspect ringworm or yeast infection, go immediately to the veterinarian for treatment. Also be sure to keep your eye on other pets in the house as well as humans as these infections can be very contagious.

Subsequent to carefully looking at the dog’s skin, the vet will be able to determine if parasites are to blame. Specifically we are talking about the nasty ticks and fleas we all hate. Naturally the best approach here is prevention by using a high quality flea and trick treatment. Also, look for fleas and ticks inside the house and on furniture. Lastly if humans living in the house have flea or tick bites on them (typically near the ankle and lower leg) then chances are good your dog has them as well.

Having said that if your pet gets fleas or ticks use a quality treatment and be sure to treat the house as well – in fact you may have to treat the dog and the house multiple times. We suggest having a professional treat the house as many on the counter products require multiple treatments and are somewhat infective.

Allergies also cause dry and flaky skin. In fact well over half of all dog dry skin is caused by allergies. Some things to look for in dry skin caused by allergies are excessive itching, constant irritation, and rashes. Pay particular attention to events leading up to dry skin.

The good news about allergies is that supplements, small dietary changes, and over the counter treatments are very effective at controlling the dry skin, itching, and scratching caused by allergies. To start with us a shampoo as mentioned above, stay away from shampoos you can buy in the pet super-center chains as they are low quality; even the ones being marketed otherwise. Never buy a dog shampoo with a water base, the base should be all Aloe.

Lastly, remember to give your dog supplements just as we do ourselves. In fact did you know that 3 out of 4 per owners give their dog daily supplements? Not only will this keep your pet healthy but you will greatly save on pet medical bills! As a minimum use a high quality vitamin and mineral supplement and an Omega 3 capsule or liquid. Good luck caring for your dog!!!

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