Home Remedies for Puppies With Dry Skin

Dogs experience dry skin for reasons that include everything from diet to weather conditions. Prescription shampoos and skin treatments frequently help the problem, but puppies often require milder treatments than adult dogs. There are several home remedies you can use to ease your puppy's itching, while being gentle on its delicate skin.

  1. Bathing and Grooming

    • Bathing your puppy too often can cause dry skin by stripping its natural protective oils. The ASPCA recommends bathing your dog about every three months, unless it spends a lot of time outdoors, especially during the summertime, or is in an environment where it gets especially dirty. Between baths, try wiping off your puppy with a wet towel or a moistened wipe designed for pets. Frequent brushing can also improve skin health, by stimulating blood flow and distributing body oils across the skin's surface. Many breeds require a thorough brushing everyday.

    Oatmeal

    • Humans have long used colloidal oatmeal to soothe dry and itchy skin, and it's just as effective for dogs. Because it's gentle, it works well on puppies and can be repeated as needed until your puppy's skin clears up. You can mix oatmeal with water to form a paste, apply it to the skin, leave on for 10 minutes and rinse. You can also mix oatmeal into your puppy's bath water, and follow with a moisturizing rinse.

    Supplements

    • Fatty acids provide oils which are necessary for healthy skin and coat, according to Dr. Race Foster, a veterinarian and cofounder of Drs. Foster and Smith veterinary supply company. Fish oil supplements contain omega-3 fatty acids, which can be applied topically or given orally. To apply topically, pierce the fish oil capsule and rub on your puppy's skin, applying generous amounts to dry patches. To administer orally, add the capsule to your puppy's meal. Most dogs like the taste of fish oil, or may not notice it's been added to the food. Vitamin E supplements also nourish and moisturize the skin, and can be applied topically to affected areas or added to your puppy's food.

    Topical Treatments

    • Many health food stores carry natural and homeopathic remedies you can apply topically to help heal dry and itchy skin. Calendula is an herbal preparation available as a cream and used since the days of ancient Greece to soothe problem skin. You can apply it to dry patches on your puppy's skin or rub over its entire body. Colostrum, the first milk produced by lactating mammals, may also have a soothing effect. It's most often available as a powder, which you can mix with water to form a paste to apply to your puppy's skin.