All dog owners, in my opinion, are very protective and caring about their dogs. Taking special care of their darling little sweethearts is not an easy task and requires their constant attention. And the love and affection that these dogs provide them in return is really priceless. So, what happens when you find out that your precious dog has developed dandruff in its luscious coat? A difficult concept to fathom, there is such a thing called dandruff in dogs. Those annoying, unsightly white flakes on their beautiful coat can be heartbreaking for any dog owner.
It is a common phenomenon. The dried and dead skin cells get accumulated as the dog's skin is forever replacing the old cells with new ones, dandruff comes into being. The white flakes will be visible around the dog's neck, back, and rump. Since, the appearance of dog dandruff is similar to human dandruff, you won't have any problem with identifying it. The following article will show you what causes the dandruff and how you can cure it.
What Causes the Dandruff
Before we can start treating dandruff and understand proper care, we need to know what are its main causes in the first place. This will help you understand and learn what can be avoided or done so that the dandruff doesn't return. Besides the dry, dead skin cells, other causes of excessive dandruff are:
- 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.
Now that you have understood what causes dandruff, let's take a look at some home remedies as well. To keep your precious dog away from hideous dandruff, comply with these suggestions.
- Due to the flaky skin symptom, 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 clear the dandruff problem. 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 his/her 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 dandruff 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.
Even after following these home remedies for dandruff if the itching and scratching continues, please don't avoid to visit the veterinarian immediately. There may be some serious health issues such as allergies or infections which needs to be taken care of promptly.
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