Just because your furry friend is itchy, does not mean he has fleas. Many times, pet owners revert to believe their animal has fleas at the slightest sign of an itch. However, if you aren’t seeing red spots or hair loss that is common with a flea infestation, your dog or cat may just have dry skin. Having dry skin is not something that should be overlooked, however. Your dog or cat may be suffering just as much as if he had fleas. Dry skin can be extremely irritating and can cause flakiness or, in extreme conditions, patchy hair. There are many different causes for dry skin, but many times it is just a hormonal imbalance or season changes, just like us! However, if extensive hair loss is visible or the animal shows pain while scratching, something more serious, like mange, may be occurring and you should see your vet as soon as possible. Thankfully, you can help your dog or cat’s dry skin with a few simple, natural solutions.
How to treat your pet’s dry skin
When bathing your pet, use an oatmeal-based shampoo to sooth dry and irritated skin. Many oatmeal shampoos that you will find in pet stores may also contain aloe, which has additional soothing elements that will further help your pet’s dry skin. If you have a cat, they may not enjoy bath time too much. You may want to opt for a spray-on oatmeal conditioner, which will work in much the same way that a regular oatmeal shampoo will. However, remember to not give your dog or cat a bath TOO often. Bathing too often can actually counteract the oatmeal shampoo and can actually make the dry skin worse.
See Also – Best Dog and Cat Shampoos
Another option is to start giving your dog or cat Omega 3 and 6 supplements, which promotes healthy skin and fur. Other than giving them supplements, try to find a dog or cat food that is salmon-based, as salmon has a lot of Omega-3 in it. Giving your dog or cat food that has preservatives and artificial ingredients should be avoided as this can further irritate their skin. Avoiding canned foods is also a good step to soothing your pet’s dry skin as wet, canned food contains more preservatives than bagged food does.
How do you usually treat your pet’s dry skin?
Sources:
http://www.halopets.com/pet-education/pet-articles/dry-skin-in-pets.html
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/skin-problems
Image: iStockPhoto
[…] skin, you may notice dry, flakey patches (much like the type that humans get) on your pet’s body. Remedies to try are changing your pet’s shampoo to an oatmeal one or changing their diet to one rich in […]