if a dogs skin is dry what can make it un-dry?

Question

? an adult dog.

Answer 1

I agree that change of diet is most likely in order. Many dogs tend to have allergies to the meat or to the fillers one finds in dog foods, ie. corn. Allergies in dogs doesn't show the same way as it does in humans, often the dog will experience itchy paws, dry skin, ear infections, things which might not be seen as allergies, but as a completely different problem.

Luckily my dog wasn't allergic to grains, but to chicken, a very common allergy. You might try changing your current food to one with a different meat source, many dogs with allergies can switch to a lamb and rice formula, but there are also vegetarian meals for pooches that work well. There are also brands of food that use bison or fish. In other words there is a great variety of foods that your dog can try and enjoy, just remember to go slowly with the changes. Carefully read the ingredients list of the foods that you are considering, just like your food the ingredients are important.

There are also supplements (found at pet food supply stores), that you could add to your dogs food, I reccommend fish oil (found at health food stores), you can also give your dog a teaspoon of natural yogurt with their food.

There could also be other causes to the itching, it's possible that your dog is allergic to fleas, or there might have been a change in their environment that's causing them to scratch, have you used a stronger soap on the dogs bed or perhaps you are using a new carpet deodorizer, often it's something that we never would have thought of. I used to use oatmeal dog shampoos, but have found that it was still drying out my dogs skin, I switched to a quality baby shampoo, and it's been easier on her, you can also try Dawn yes the dish detergent, but once again any change should be introduced slowly.

There could also be other reasons for you dogs itching, such as mange, and itching can cause hot spots, patches of skin which are very irritated and can become infected. If the skin where the dog has been scratching is bald and the skin is very red it could be a hot spot and should be seen by a vet, there are two kinds of mange, and both should be treated by a vet.

Good luck and I hope that all works out for you and your pooch.

Answer 2

First of all, have a vet give your dog a check up. Dry skin is sometimes food (allergie) related. Our pets need quality pet food. Read the ingredients list and learn what the stuff on there is and what it does (or does not do) to/for our pets. A quick pet food 101. If the pet food contains corn/corn products or by products it is a poor quality food. Do not pay attention to advertising, they all say there food is great. Corn is a filler that can trigger skin problems. (allergies, skin problems, itching and excessive shedding) By products is anything from an animal not fit for human consumption, including cancerous tissue. Quality foods have meat as the first ingredient. California Natural, Solid Gold, Innova and Merrick are a few of the best brands available. If you want to learn more check out: http://www.sagekeep.com/petfood.htm www.api4animals.org/facts?p=359&more=1 http://animalark.eapps.com/animal/PetFoods.nsf/$$PetFoodsByRating?OpenForm

Answer 3

You can improve the skin by what you feed your dog. Better foods can help. Keep your dog out of the sun. There are some special lotions and sprays but ultimately feeding your dog specific foods (check with your vet) and possibly getting some type of internal medication will help. Good luck!

Answer 4

Olive Oil, Raw Egg, or Mayonaise...
or any combination thereof rubbed
into the fur. It's all edible, so, don't
worry, the dog wil clean itself up...
but do this outside, lol.
Also, try adding a bit of oil
(about a teaspoon-tablespoon)
to their food daily, so they can start
producing more natural oils.

Answer 5

Yep, you can put a raw egg in it for the coat, but you can also bathe the dog and rinse with conditioner. I keep a spray bottle with water and conditioner for itchy skin on my pug and he smells good too.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Break a raw egg into its food and mix it in... they not only LOVE the taste but it makes their coats super shiny and soft. Just be sure that if any food is left over after the feeding, that you throw it out and rinse the bowl out... good luck!

Answer 8

You can get medicated shampoos as well as conditioners from your vet or the petstore. Make sure the dog is getting enough water.

Answer 9

Cod-liver oil, a tablespoon on each dish of food (twice a day).

Start with a half-tablespoon and work up though, or your canine friend will get the squits!

Answer 10

give him a bath with oatmeal shampoo. You want to remedy this before it gets too bad. After awhile of dry skin they will get flaky skin, and after that, waxy skin.