Just like us, even dogs are susceptible to dandruff. Read to find out what causes it, and how you can try to fix the issue at home.
The dry, dead skin cells get accumulated, as the skin keeps replacing the old cells with new ones. The white flakes will be visible around the neck, back, and rump area.
What Causes the Dandruff
- Poor hygiene
- Deficiency of fluids in the body
- Very low humidity in the atmosphere
- Deficiency of natural oil components
- Lack of fat in the skin
- Clean and nourished bath not being provided
- Proper brushing and massaging of the skin/scalp not followed
- Insufficient natural body nutrients
- Lack of good company
- Inadequate physical exercise
Some Home Remedies
- Due to flaky skin, your dog needs a regular bath to wash them away before it accumulates. During winters, give your dog a bath only once a month; as for summers, twice a month is a good practice. This will help take care of the dandruff.
Check the temperature of the water, it shouldn’t be very hot; merely lukewarm. Use a mild dandruff shampoo made for animals only, and massage it properly into the skin. Rinse the shampoo, and dry the coat completely.
- Make sure you don’t use the medicated shampoos intended for human usage, as they can harm your dog. Always purchase a pet shampoo that has sulfur or salicylic acid in it. Leave the shampoo in for at least 5 minutes for the ingredients to work properly.
Avoid using shampoos that contain insecticide which are present in many flea shampoos. Some flea shampoos make the skin too dry even if they contain moisturizing agents.
- The oatmeal soap, which is sometimes used by people to treat their dry skin, can be used for your dog as well. The soap works wonderfully for dogs that have dandruff as it moisturizes their dry skin.
- Purchase and spray your dog’s coat with an oil rinse. It is available in almost every pet store and online. The oil rinse will lubricate the skin and lock the moisture in as well. If you reside in a city where there is a lot of humidity, dryness, dirt, and/or pollution, the oil rinse can be very useful.
- There are certain generic foods that don’t provide healthy amount of nutrients like vitamins and mineral which is required by your dog. Hence the maintenance of your dog’s healthy skin can be in jeopardy. Switch to a high quality brand food which will help eliminate dandruff. Consult with the veterinarian before you give your dog any sort of supplements.
Dog grooming is very important, that too on a regular basis. Frequent brushing at regular intervals can help relieve the dry, dead skin cells. Avoid harsh brushes. In order to test how soft the brush is, rub it on the back of your hand and see how it feels. If it is soft on your hand, then it will be perfect for your dog as well.
Even after following these home remedies, the itching and scratching continues, please don’t delay visiting the veterinarian. There may be some serious health issues such as allergies or infections which needs to be taken care of promptly.
