by Maple Herzog

Created on: September 19, 2009   Last Updated: September 20, 2009

A dog's coat and skin can become dry for a variety of reasons. Dogs are particularly prone to dry skin during winter when the air is dry and the indoor heating is turned up. Some dogs have dry skin due to allergies or illness while other dogs have poor skin condition due to diet and hygiene issues. For each of these reasons, there are myriad ways of remedying the situation.

The first step in preventing and treating dry skin in dogs is to look at your dog's diet. You should choose a diet that is high in protein and contains no fillers like corn, soy or wheat since these ingredients are usually allergens in dog food. High quality dog food often contains Omega-3 and Omega-6 supplements that help your dog's fur grow beautifully and help to keep skin moist.

A tried and tested remedy for dry skin is so supplement your dog's diet with fish oil, olive oil or coconut oil. Use 1 teaspoon for every 10lb of dog weight. Mix this in with your dry dog food and continue usage for at least six weeks. Other options that provide good Omega-3 and Omega-6 include anchovies in olive oil and whole eggs.

Over bathing your dog may cause his skin to become dry since dogs naturally secrete oils that help keep their fur shiny and slightly waterproof. When you bath your dog, you strip his fur of this natural oil secretion, leading to dry skin. Try not to bath your dog more than once every three weeks. If your dog gets into something stinky and disgusting, use a gentle shampoo that contains oatmeal protein. You can also make your own oatmeal protein colloidal by combining 4 cups of finely ground oatmeal to a shallow lukewarm bath. Gently bath your dog in the colloidal. Make sure you pat your dog dry instead of rubbing him vigorously. Run in some Vitamin E oil (or olive oil) and wrap him in a towel for five minutes to ensure that the oil is fully soaked into his skin.

Another method of treatment is to steep some chamomile tea in warm water, fill it in a spray bottle and spritz it over your dog to soothe irritated skin. Always make sure that your dog has adequate water, particularly during the hotter months. Dehydration can cause your dog's skin to dry out and itch. During winter, a humidifier can help prevent skin from drying out. Aloe vera has also been said to help with itching skin on dogs.

If your dog has dry skin due to health problems, his vet may prescribe a light antihistamine such as Benadryl. However, by changing your dog's diet and keeping him well moisturized, you can help prevent the most common occurrences of dry skin in dogs.

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