Dog Dander Remedies

Living with a furry canine friend also means living with their shedding fur and dander. Dander refers to the small flakes of skin and fur that animals shed. For some humans, these otherwise benign flakes of skin can cause mild to serious allergies. Dander is a normal part of your dog's skin and fur; however, controlling the dander of a pet does help control allergies.

  1. Grooming

    • Keeping a dog's coat clean and groomed greatly cuts down on dander that is shed. You can bathe dogs every two to four weeks; more often, and they may produce more dander. Brush short-haired breeds weekly and long-haired breeds daily to remove the dander from their skin before it flakes off. Serious allergy sufferers should consider having their dog groomed regularly by a professional; that way, the dander that is removed does not end up inside the house. Moisturizing shampoos for dogs, such as those that contain oatmeal, help keep the skin soft and reduce flaking.

    Medical

    • A dog that seems to shed a lot of dander, also known as dandruff or scaling, may have a medical condition that requires veterinary treatment. Parasites such as fleas or mites are one cause of dandruff. Food and environmental allergies and systemic diseases can also cause scaling. Systemic diseases, such as Cushing's disease, diabetes and liver or kidney failure, require blood and other tests to diagnose. Only a veterinarian can properly diagnose and treat your pet's excessive dander in these cases.

    House Cleaning

    • Regular vacuuming, dusting and washing of dog bedding removes the dander from the household environment. Hard-surface floors are better for homes with dogs, because these do not hold dander like carpeting does. Using a HEPA air filter removes the dander from the air. You should change air filters throughout the house, where dander gets trapped, monthly.

    Dietary

    • Providing high-quality dog food and supplements (as per a veterinarian's recommendation) keeps the fur and skin healthy and moisturized. This reduces the dander shed by dogs. Supplements for treating dander include adding a few drops of flaxseed oil to dog food daily or giving other fatty acid supplements made for dogs, such as Vitacoat. In some cases, these supplements are also used to treat allergies and other skin conditions.