How to Identify the Causes and Treat Dog Dry Skin

One of the most important aspects involved in being a responsible dog owner is being able to identify health issues, like dry skin, so that your dog can live a happy, healthy life. Bathing your dog too frequently can cause dry skin; however, there are a number of different allergens that can also cause an adverse reaction in your dog. Itchy skin, for instance, can be caused by an allergic reaction to food, mites, pollen, mold, chemicals or even grass. Regardless of what is causing your dog's dry skin, there are a number of effective solutions that you can use to come to your best friend's rescue.

Things You'll Need

  • Medicated dog shampoo
  • Dog grooming comb
  • Scissors
  • Razor
Show More

Instructions

    • 1
      It's true; dogs have allergies too!

      Determine the cause of dog dry skin. When you notice spots of missing fur or clearly irritated spots on your dog, dry skin issues are often the cause. The stressors causing your dog itchy skin must be found and, if possible, eliminated. Many dog owners are able to pinpoint airborne allergies, like pollen or mold, by taking note of the season. Similar to humans, as the seasons change, many animals become prone to allergies.

    • 2
      Your veterinarian can help to narrow down the source of dog dry skin.

      Make an appointment with your trusted veterinarian. Your vet can examine your dog to ensure that a parasite is not the cause of your dog's dry, itchy skin. You should also inform your vet of any recent pesticides, insecticides, or other products and chemicals that your dog might have come into contact with. The vet may also offer antibiotics, an antihistamine shot or a shot of corticosteroids to help relieve the symptoms of dog dry skin.

    • 3
      Ingredients in your dog's food may be the cause of your dog's skin issues.

      Monitor your dog's diet if recommended by your veterinarian. Food allergies are a major cause of dog dry skin. When you and your vet have examined all other possibilities, chances are good that your dog's itchy skin is being caused by a food allergy. Your vet may recommend that you try to go back to the basics by deciding upon one carbohydrate and one protein to feed your dog; hamburger and rice, for example. Do this for one week and see if the symptoms subside. If they do, you can slowly begin to add an ingredient or new food each week so that you can monitor the effect that each has on your dog.

    • 4
      Removing hair from the area of dry skin can allow you to easily treat and monitor the area.

      Use the comb and scissors to groom any severe areas of dry skin, clipping away especially long hair. Long hair can become easily matted when your pet is trying to relieve the itchiness that dog dry skin causes. Even short, coarse hair can cover up major areas of dry skin that you might not notice otherwise. For this reason, it is best to shave the hair away from the area with a razor so that the area is clean and easily visible for topical treatment and monitoring.

    • 5
      Using a medicated shampoo on your dog can help reduce the itchiness that is caused by dog dry skin.

      Start treating the symptoms topically. Alleviating dog itchy skin or dog dry skin can be done easily with a variety of different products; however, you should avoid the use of products that are intended for human use because those products can often do more harm than good. Medicated shampoos for dogs, like RenuPlex PLUS, can help to relieve the itchiness that your faithful companion is experiencing. If you are uncertain which product is best, consult your veterinarian.