Natural Treatments for Dry Skin in Dogs

Dry skin in dogs is common and can be caused by allergies, fleas, anxiety, chemicals, infection, foods, and more. When dogs have dry skin, they are itchy and often not themselves. Fortunately, there are a number of natural remedies you can use to help soothe your dog's dry skin at home.

Dry skin can occur at any time, but often occurs in winter because of the indoor heat the dog is exposed to. Most of the time, scratching is the most prominent symptom of dry skin, but you should also check your dog's skin for dandruff or general flaking, redness, or rashes that could be signs of dry skin.

Treating your dog at home eliminates the traumatic trip to the vet. It can also save you money, as you'll just need to buy oils, spices, or supplements. If you can treat your dog's dry skin with natural remedies, you can rest assured that you won't have to give your dog chemicals or drugs that are often in prescription remedies you might get from your vet.

For general dry skin, you might try bathing your dog with a soothing wash. Mix a teaspoon each of sage and thyme and a pinch of Epsom salt in with the dog's bath water, or rinse your dog with cold Chamomile tea. You can also try adding oil, a natural skin hydrant, to your dog's food. Try peanut, sunflower, or corn oil. For patches of itchy skin, try applying a little Aloe Vera. Aloe is a natural skin soother, and since it has a bitter taste, dogs won't lick the itchy patch. For dandruff, rinse the dog's hair with vinegar. If the cause of your dog's dry skin is a skin allergy, your dog may have a zinc deficiency. In that case, buy 10Mg zinc supplements, crush, and mix in with your dog's food once a day.

The best course of action against dry skin is prevention. To avoid dry skin, don't bathe your dog too much. Over-bathing strips your dog's skin of its natural oils and can cause itch. Brush your dog regularly to remove dead skin cells and shedding hair and encourage blood flow to all parts of his body. When it is time to bathe your dog, use a hydrating shampoo that's formulated especially for dry skin. Try to avoid feeding your dog foods that commonly cause allergies, like beef, carrots, corn, oats, pasta, wheat and yeast. This can help reduce itchy skin that is caused by food allergies.

Sometimes, natural remedies won't work because they often do not get to the root cause of dry, itchy skin. You should always check with your veterinarian before starting a home remedy to make sure that your dog doesn't have a more serious problem and that the home remedy you have planned will be healthy for your dog.