How to Prevent Winter Dry Skin, Flaking in Pets
Avoiding Dandruff and Dryness in Cats and Dogs During Cold Weather
Nov 29, 2008
Pet owners who live in a cold climate are probably familiar with the drying effects of the cold, dry winter air. Well, pets - dogs, cats, rats, livestock - are prone to developing dry skin too during the dry, cold winter months, but fortunately, there are measures that pet owners can take to prevent pets from suffering from dry, flaky and itchy skin.
Recognizing the Signs of Dry Skin in Dogs, Cats and Other Pets
Recognizing the symptoms of dry skin in pets is the first step to treating and preventing this uncomfortable and even painful condition.
Symptoms of dry skin in dogs, cats and other pets include:
- Flaking Skin or Dandruff
- Cracked Skin (which can lead to skin sores and infection)
- Itchy Skin and Frequent Scratching
- The Pet Bites and Licks His Skin
- A Scaly, Rough Appearance to the Pet's Skin
How to Prevent and Cure Dry, Flaky Skin in Pets
There are several things that pet owners must do to preventing and curing a pet's dry, flaky and itchy skin. Consider the following advice, offered by Dr. Michael Levine, DVM:
- Rule out other causes of a pet's skin flaking, itching, or scaling. Fungal infections and skin parasites can cause a dog, cat or other pet to frequently itch and scratch. Parasites and fungal infections in pets can also cause skin scaling, dryness, flaky skin and a condition similar to dandruff in dogs and cats, so these pet skin problems must be ruled out because treatment for dry skin will be ineffective if the skin problem is actually due to parasites.
- Treat any skin infections or skin sores on the dog's, cat's or other pet's skin. This may require twice-daily disinfecting and prescription antibiotics.
- Avoid frequent bathing for dogs and small animals. During the dry, cold winter months, pets should only get a once-monthly bath. The warm water and dog shampoos strip the natural oils from the dog's skin, exacerbating and worsening dry skin and itching.
- Keep the house humid. Humidifiers will add moisture to the dry winter air, thereby reducing the drying effects on the pet's skin. Humidifiers are especially helpful in homes with forced-hot air heating systems, which tend to be especially drying to a pet's skin.
- Give the dog skin and coat supplements. Purchase a good quality skin and coat supplements for dogs, cats and other pets. These skin supplements are available in the form of a thick oil that can be added to the pet's food or given directly.
- Provide olive oil supplementation. For severe cases of dry skin, soak a piece of bread in olive oil and include this with the dog's meal. For cats and other pets, give the oil directly by mouth or mix the oil in with the pet's food. This will help to heal the pet's dry skin from the inside out. A small of olive oil can even be massaged into the pet's skin. The oil is moisturizing for a dog's or cat's skin (and other pets too), and it's non-toxic and edible in the event that the pet ingests the oil when licking the fur or skin.
Dry, flaky skin affects many cats, dogs, and other pets throughout the winter months in many colder climates. Proper care and preventative measures will help keep a pet's skin and coat healthy and moisturized, thereby combating the severe itchy skin and even skin infections that some pets can develop during the winter months.
Another common winter problem involves dry, cracked paws and paw pads in dogs and even cats. Check out How to Prevent Dog Paw Pad Injuries in Winter for tips on how to avoid paw pad cracking, paw pad infection and paw injury.
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