Dog Shampoo for Dry Skin: Help Your Pet Find Peace With These Tips

When dogs suffer from dry or irritated skin, it can be incredibly uncomfortable for our four-legged friends. If you're in need of a solution to the many symptoms of dry dog skin, a specialty dog shampoo can work wonders.

 

 

What Causes Dry Skin on Dogs?

There are numerous factors that can lead to a dog having dry skin, including:

 

• Allergies - Just like people, dogs can suffer from allergies to environmental factors, foods, and medications. Additionally, some dogs are allergic to flea saliva.

• Inadequate Diet - Some dog foods are missing the necessary levels of healthy fats and other nutrients needed for your dog's overall health. All dogs are different and require varying levels of nutrients, and some have food sensitivities.

• Parasites - Parasites such as Demodex mites, fleas, ticks, and lice can cause severe irritation and redness on a dog's skin.

• Overbathing - Overbathing can strip your dog's skin of its natural oils, leaving it dry and irritated.

• Climate - Excessive heat, cold, humidity, or dryness can all affect your dog's skin. Many dogs react negatively to excessive heat and dryness, which often causes rashes.

 

 

What Are the Symptoms of Dry Skin on Dogs?

Dry dog skin often causes excessive shedding. It can also be incredibly itchy, causing dogs to scratch more than usual, which leads to even more shedding. You may notice patches forming on your dog's coat where their irritation is the worst and they've been scratching most frequently.

 

Additionally, unhealthy skin leads to an unhealthy coat. Beyond shedding, you may notice your dog's coat fading in color and sheen. This signifies that they may have a skin condition, and it can also be directly related to their diet. If you notice your dog's coat is losing luster, check what's underneath.

 

You may also notice:

 

• Dandruff
• Redness
• Scabs
• Odor

 

Remember, all dogs are different and dry skin will manifest uniquely for each of them. As simple as it seems, regular brushing is one of the best ways to check your dog for dry skin or other skin conditions. It helps you keep them comfortable, safe, and clean, and it also benefits your bond with your pet.

 

 

How Do You Treat Dry Skin on Dogs?

How you'll need to go about treating your dog's dry skin depends on what's causing the problem. In the case of overheating, you may need to invest in an air conditioner. If there's something wrong with their diet, you'll probably need to switch up their food.

 

If your dog's dry, itchy skin is the result of a larger health condition, your veterinarian will need to treat both the skin and the larger issue. In almost all dry dog skin cases —mild to severe— a soothing, dog-specific shampoo is recommended to calm and hydrate their skin.

 

These shampoos are unlike the medicated flea and tick shampoos that you probably use on a semi-regular basis. Soothing dog shampoos are gentle, mild, and intended to be exceedingly restorative. They should include ingredients that are known for revitalizing dogs' skin and coats.

 

 

 

 

What is the Best Dog Shampoo for Dry Skin?

When it comes to pet wellness, we here at HolistaPet work hard to be a company that you can trust. When we created our dog shampoo, we put time, care, and research into creating a product that will truly work to relieve your dog's dry skin and revitalize their coat to its former glory.

 

The process of creating the BEST dog shampoo for dry skin and coat health began with research on the best ingredients for dry dog skin. Through our research, we found that rice quat was by far the most beneficial ingredient for relieving dry skin, so we made sure to include plenty of it.

 

Rice quat is hydrolyzed rice protein: a gentle, water-soluble rice conditioning agent. It's often included in products for people with sensitive skin and allergies because it's wonderfully mild and hydrating. It's also volumizing, so as it soothes your dog's dry skin it will also help boost their coat's appearance.

 

Beyond rice quat, we also include full-spectrum CBD oil in our hydrating dog shampoo. CBD (cannabidiol) is a non-intoxicating cannabinoid found in hemp plants that has been found to possess a number of therapeutic properties. When you apply CBD oil to the skin, it can work restorative wonders.

 

How Can CBD Help Your Dog's Skin and Coat?

CBD interacts with a body-wide network of cannabinoid receptors known as the endocannabinoid system (ECS). There are numerous receptors spread across the skin. All mammals, including dogs, have an ECS, which plays an essential role in regulating bodily functions to maintain homeostasis.

 

Some of those functions include regulating appetite, temperature, mood, and digestion. But the ECS also plays a role in managing pain responses. For example, when a dog's skin is dry and irritated, the ECS helps to manage inflammation.

 

Endocannabinoids are produced by the body to perform the function of signaling the ECS. When you apply CBD to the skin, it binds to the cannabinoid receptors and signals the ECS to take action. Essentially, CBD may increase the ECS' functionality.

 

The CBD oil in our dog shampoo contains only two ingredients: pure CBD oil and hemp seed oil. Hemp seed oil has a good amount of omega fatty acids that are known to strengthen the skin barrier, improving moisture retention. CBD oil is a soothing, therapeutic, and natural way to improve your dog's dry, itchy skin.

 

Related: Hemp Oil vs CBD Oil for Dogs: See Which One Works Best!

 

More Benefits of Our Dog Shampoo

In addition to improving dry skin and revitalizing lackluster coats, our dog shampoo smells beyond amazing. It's formulated with a natural mandarin berry scent that both dogs and humans find relaxing and pleasant. If odor has been a concern for your dog, our shampoo can definitely help.

 

 

 

 

When you soothe your dog's dry skin and leave them feeling great and smelling even better, it can dramatically improve their mental health. Living in discomfort is, well, incredibly uncomfortable. Dogs washed with our shampoo shed less, scratch less, and play and relax more.

 

How Often Should You Bathe a Dog with Dry Skin?

Again, all dogs are unique and have unique health requirements. A solution for one dog may not be beneficial for another. We recommend researching your dog's breed and learning about their general bathing requirements. Your veterinarian or breeder are also great sources for this information.

 

In general, dogs should be bathed only when they are noticeably dirty or when they begin to develop a "dirty dog" odor. If you think your dog's dry skin may be related to overbathing, simply adding our dog shampoo won't do the trick. You'll need to scale back on the frequency of their bathing, as well.

 

If your dog is struggling with dry skin for other reasons, bathing them about once a month with our gentle dog shampoo can make a world of difference. Its rich lather and soothing ingredients may help relieve itching, repair damaged skin, and improve coat appearance.

 

 

 

 

What Can You Add to a Dog's Food for Dry Skin?

As we mentioned, a dog's diet can dramatically affect their overall health, including that of their skin and coat. If your dog has dry skin, it very well may be related to insufficient nutrients in their food. Some of the best foods for dog skin and coat health are:

 

• Healthy Fats - Just like the omega fatty acids in hemp seed oil are beneficial on the skin's surface, they're also incredibly beneficial in a dog's diet. Other healthy fats to include besides omega fatty acids are chicken fat, fish oil, and olive oil. These fats improve skin health and coat sheen and work to improve heart health, as well.

• Nutrients/Minerals - Minerals like potassium, zinc, iron, and calcium are super beneficial to a dog's overall health, in turn improving their skin health. To target their skin specifically, look for foods containing the nutrient L-Carnitine.

• Vitamins - Vitamins are known to assist immune cell production throughout the body, including in the skin. Specifically, vitamin A has been directly linked to skin and coat health. Vitamin E has been linked to immune cell production.

• Natural Ingredients - Whatever kind of dog food you choose, look for all-natural, organic options. Dogs have food sensitivities just like humans, and harsh, artificial ingredients can irritate their systems and lead to dry, itchy, and irritated skin.

 

What Happens if You Do Nothing for Your Dog's Dry Skin?

If you leave your dog's dry skin untreated, it could cause more severe issues than excessive scratching and shedding. Not only is dry skin irritating, but it can also lead to a condition called atopic dermatitis. Commonly associated with allergies, about 10 - 15% of dogs suffer from this condition.

 

In general, untreated dry skin will continue to worsen. Redness, irritation, and scabs will increase, as well as your dog's discomfort level. They will continue to scratch, which will further irritate the skin conditions. If you notice symptoms of dry skin, we recommend taking action right away.

 

For more helpful care tips for dogs take a look here!

 

Final Thoughts - Dog Shampoo for Dry Skin

Adding our soothing dog shampoo to your dog's grooming routine is such a simple way to improve their skin and coat health. Plus, you don't have to wait until they're experiencing an issue to use it. Our dog shampoo is approved for all breeds and can help keep them clean, beautiful, and healthy.