Foods to Cure Dog Dandruff

Dog dandruff is similar to dandruff found in humans. Dandruff is a collection of dead skin cells that can occur as a result of dry skin or disease. While regular bathing and brushing may be able to control the flaky problem, it is best to fix the problem at the source. By putting your dog on a healthy diet, you may be able to cure the dandruff. Consult your veterinarian, however, before drastically changing your dog’s diet.

  1. Highly Nutritious Dog Food

    • There are many types of dog food (especially cheap dry food) that do not contain a healthy mix of vitamins, minerals and high-quality protein that your dog needs. Some of these low-quality foods are full of processed corn and wheat. Since dogs are genetically predisposed to digest raw meats, this is not a proper diet. Check with your veterinarian to ensure your dog is getting the highest quality food as his main food source.

    Flaxseed Oil

    • Another food that contributes to dogs' well-being is a healthy source of fats like flaxseed oil. This oil contains a type of omega-3 fatty acid that may help to add moisture to your dog’s coat and prevent further outbreaks of dandruff. Pour a tablespoon of oil over your dog’s food once a day to improve your dog’s health (larger quantities of oil may cause loose bowels).

    Raw Food

    • Raw food is food that has not been processed or cooked. This makes the food a double-edged sword of sorts: it contains more nutrients, but also is more likely to contain bacteria. Some owners have touted the benefits of raw food for improving a dog’s coat and relieving dandruff symptoms. Most domesticated animals are not used to raw foods, so you may want to slowly start supplementing their diet with over-the-counter raw food to ease them in.

    Fruits and Vegetables

    • To more rapidly improve your dog’s health, supplement her diet with fruits and vegetables. These are high in vitamins and can help a dog digest food more fully while absorbing more nutrients in the process. As with raw meat, you should add these items to a dog’s diet slowly but surely. Fruits and vegetables that are healthy for dogs include apples, cabbage, parsley, celery, cucumber and cooked/baked potato skins (raw skins are toxic).