The Importance of Keeping Your Dog’s Skin Healthy

Dogs

Skin disorders are one of the most common health problems in pets and can be caused by a number of different factors. Keeping your dog's skin healthy and knowing what to look for can help you resolve any issues quickly, minimising your dog's discomfort and stress.

Examples of Common Skin Conditions:

  • Fleas
  • Mange
  • Food allergies
  • Environmental allergies
  • Dandruff
  • Stress

What Should Your Pet's Skin Look Like?

A pet’s skin should be smooth and their coat should be clean and in good condition. In order to help identify if a pet has a problem with it's skin, it is important to have knowledge of what healthy skin should look like. 

  • Their skin should be pink or black depending on the breed or their genetics.
  • There should be no itching, crusting, scaling or hot and inflamed areas.
  • A healthy coat should be shiny, quite smooth, soft and thick with no broken hairs or bald patches.

If any of the above symptoms such as itching, crusting, or bald patches are present then you should seek advice from your vet on how best to treat your dog. Grooming pets regularly will help you to spot problems quickly. It's also important to look for unusual behaviour in your dog such as excessive scratching or grooming.

Why is Keeping Your Dog's Skin Healthy Skin So Important?

The skin and coat form the single largest organ of a pet’s body and it is the first protective barrier from the outside. Together, they go hand in hand to provide protection and immunity for the body to prevent bacteria/viruses from entering the body and to ensure thermo-regulation. In addition to this, problematic skin can be uncomfortable for your dog, and can be both sore and itchy.

How Can You Help Maintain a Healthy Skin and Coat?

A diet rich in Omega- 3 essential fatty acids is beneficial in supporting your dog's skin health and coat, as well as the control of inflammation. Research suggests that Omega-3 is also important for brain and eye health in young and growing animals. At WCF all of our Lakes Heritage Grain Free dog food recipes contain Omega-3 essential fatty acids and no artificial ingredients. Shop the full range of dog food.