A dog’s skin is very sensitive. Though the natural oils of the skin will protect it very well, the dog can still be affected by various things like parasites, excessive bathing etc. These can make the skin go dry and rough. And this will obviously give your dog a very unpleasant look. To ensure that the skin of your dog always remains healthy and in good condition, try out the following tips.
- Proper Grooming
If your dog is not groomed very well, they will be at risk of suffering from skin issues like allergies that can make them constantly scratch their skin. As a result, they can develop hot spots and lesions. A proper grooming regimen will involve the right amount of baths, combing and moisturizing the coat at regular intervals, cutting the excess hair on the dog, caring for the eyes, and so on. If you follow such a strict grooming regimen, your dog will have a healthy skin.
- Regular Vet Visits
You should also make it a habit of taking your dog for regular visit to the vet. Ideally, this must be done once every six months. The vet will be able to do a full diagnosis of the dog, watch out for any problems on the skin, and recommend a course of action that will help you resolve the skin issues. If you skip visiting the vet at a regular basis, then it is very possible that your dog will develop certain skin problems without you ever knowing about it.
- Watch Out For The Parasites
Parasites that live off your dog are also harmful to its skin. For example, parasites like lice and flea will inevitably make the dog bite and scratch on its skin. And as a consequence of this, the skin will have scratch marks on the surface. Reddish spots can also develop that can make the skin look unappealing. And if there are any rashes on the skin, then you can be sure that hair fall is next. To avoid such things, it is necessary to completely remove these parasites from the dog’s body.
- Avoid Too Many Baths
One of the easy ways to take care of your pet dog’ skin is obviously by bathing it regularly. Unfortunately, some dog owners make the mistake of making the dog undergo too many baths. This is not good. Excessively bathing the dog can dry out its skin. In addition, the hairs might also end up being rough. Usually, a dog only needs a proper bath once a month. However, this will obviously differ depending on the type of dog you own. So, consult with a vet and they will be able to tell you exactly how many times you should bathe your dog every month.
- Healthy Diet
Your dog’s diet will also determine the quality of its skin. It is recommended that you provide your dog with meals that is rich in protein. This can be done by offering high-quality meat like beef, chicken, turkey, and so on. In addition, you should also feed your dog with food rich in fatty acids since they are known to promote healthy skin. Excellent sources of fatty acids include fish and nuts. In addition, it is also a good idea to sprinkle some olive oil or coconut oil on the meals before serving it to the dog since it will contribute to the health of the skin.
- Sunscreen
The hairs on the body protect the dog’s skin from UV rays. As such, it is better to leave the hairs as it is not shave them off. However, if you do have to shave off the hair, make sure that you apply sunscreen to the skin. And make sure that these are sunscreen specifically targeted to dogs and not humans. However, do make sure that the sunscreen you buy does not contain any zinc oxide since it can be poisonous for the dog. In addition to sunscreen, it is also a good idea to use light clothes on the dog, specifically the loose, airy ones. These will be more suitable to keep the dog cool and avoid any damage to the skin.
- Backyard Shade
Finally, if you have a backyard space where your dog loves to play, make sure that you build up some shade for them. After all, being constantly exposed to the sun is not good for the dogs. And by providing them a shade where they can cool off, you will help them avoid being affected by the sun’s rays.