Dog dandruff: what causes it and what to use? [Wet medicine Mariola Fuz

Dandruff in a dog

If you have found white flakes on furniture, clothes, or while brushing your pooch for some time - your dog may have dandruff.

Remember that canine dandruff can be seriously ill.

What?

You will find out from my article. I also explain what are the causes of arising dandruff in a dog, and how you can get rid of it with home remedies.

• What is dandruff in a dog?
• How to bathe a dog?
  • Dog dandruff shampoo
  • How often to bathe your dog?
• How much to comb the dog?
• Dog's dandruff and diet
• Can stress cause dandruff??
• Home remedies for dog dandruff
• Diagnostics of dog dandruff
• Treatment of dog dandruff
  • Systemic diseases

What is dandruff in a dog?

What is dandruff in a dog?

Dandruff is an exfoliated epidermis that occurs if the skin is not peeling and regenerating properly. White flakes are most visible on the dog's back and often go hand in hand with dry skin and dull and brittle hair.

What could it look like dandruff in a dog you can see in the video below

Dog with Extreme Dandruff
Watch this video on YouTube

How to bathe a dog?

The most prosaic cause of dandruff is using the wrong dog shampoo.

Only dog ​​cosmetics should be used, never human cosmetics, as they have the wrong pH.

If your dog has dandruff, these will not solve the problem and may additionally irritate and dry your dog's skin, which will only aggravate it.

Canine dandruff

Dandruff in a dog can also be caused by an inappropriate way of bathing a pooch (eg. too hot water, inadequate rinsing) or too little bath at all.

Dog dandruff shampoo

Dog dandruff shampoo

At the beginning, try replacing the cosmetic used so far with a specialist shampoo for dandruff skin, containing soothing and moisturizing substances, such as, for example, allantoin,

There are several dog dandruff shampoos on the market.

I recommend to my patients:

• Dr Seidel anti-dandruff shampoo with tar and biosulfur or with selenium (price approx PLN 25)
• Specialist Shampoo by Vetexpert (price approx PLN 30).

In the case of dry skin, it is also worth considering the use of a conditioner.

How often to bathe your dog?

How often to bathe your dog?

The dog should be bathed when it is needed ?

Some vets advise against frequent bathing, so use moderation and common sense.

Baths for therapeutic purposes:

• bathe your dog 3 or 4 times a week to see if it improves.

What how much to comb the dog?

How much to comb the dog?

Frequent brushing of your dog is very important to keep the coat in good condition.

It helps to get rid of impurities from the skin, eliminates the problem of tangles and stimulates the skin to function properly and moisturize.

So remember to brush your dog at least once a week!

Dog's dandruff and diet

Another common cause of this skin condition may be inappropriate dog food.

Poor diet is one of the causes of dog dandruff

Dandruff occurs when our dog's food is of poor quality, it has an insufficient amount:

• vitamins,
• micro and macro elements,
• amino acids,
• unsaturated fatty acids (NKT).

You should beware of popular food available in supermarkets and giving your dog leftovers from our tables.

So if your pet has dandruff, you must take a look at his food and change it to a good quality product.

It's also a great idea to add to your food daily NKT.

It can be a spoon:

• olive oil,
• cod liver oil,
• salmon oil,
• grape seed oil,
• Linseed.

There are also special supplements for dogs that contain omega acids and a complex of vitamins to support skin health (e.g. Vetoskin).

Ingredients that improve the appearance of the skin and coat include, in addition to fatty acids:

• B vitamins,
• zinc,
• biotin.

Many companies also produce pet foods with a skin component (e.g. Royal Canin).

However, you have to wait a few weeks for the effects after changing your diet.

Can stress cause dandruff??

Surprisingly for some, the reason for the occurrence of dry, dull hair and dandruff may be the pet's stress.

The reasons for stress can be different:

• disease and related visits to the veterinary office,
• move,
• new family member,
• new pet at home,
• the departure of the owner.

In such situations, the solution is to eliminate the source of the stress or try to familiarize the dog with the new situation.

Sometimes the help of a canine behaviorist can be invaluable.

Home remedies for dog dandruff

Are home treatments for dog dandruff effective?? Home treatments for dog dandruff may take no longer than 2 months.

If after this time we do not notice any improvement, we should consult a veterinarian.

You should come to such an appointment immediately if, apart from dandruff, you notice:

• intense scratching,
• intense licking,
• baldness,
• significant hair loss,
• skin changes in the form of pustules,
• skin lesions in the form of ulcers,
• skin changes in the form of a rash.

Such a picture may suggest more serious diseases and requires specialist diagnostics.

Diagnostics of dog dandruff

The first thing a doctor needs to check is the presence of skin parasites.

You should perform the so-called. scotch test.

A sample is taken very easily with adhesive tape and examined under a microscope for the presence of parasites.

Most often in this case you can detect a mite named Cheyletiella, which is popular migratory dandruff.

Cheyletiella mite - migratory dandruff | source: wikipedia

A more invasive test is collecting a skin scrap from the quadruped.

This will allow us to detect the presence of deep skin parasites such as scabies or demodex.

Another diagnostic test should be cultures for bacterial or fungal infections.

Treatment of dog dandruff

Each of the above-mentioned disease entities may manifest as dandruff and other skin lesions.

Each of them also has different treatments, so it is important to diagnose the problem and choose the appropriate treatment regimen.

However, as a preventive measure, it is always worth implementing preparations against external parasites such as fleas and ticks, which can cause itching and dandruff in the dog.

Droplets on the nape of the neck are the most suitable (e.g. Fiprex, Advocate, Advantix) which should be used at 4 weeks or specialized collars (eg. Foresto, Kiltix) that need to be replaced co 6-8 months.

Systemic diseases

Systemic diseases of the pet can also be a reason for the occurrence of dandruff.

We are talking mainly about hormonal disorders.

If the thyroid gland is underactive or the adrenal glands are not working properly, skin changes, including dandruff, develop.

To detect these diseases you need to perform a specialist Blood tests covering measuring hormone levels.

Treatment is focused on restoring the hormone balance and usually lasts for the life of the animal.

Summary

So, as you can see, there can be many causes of dandruff.

Sometimes you can try to deal with this problem on your own by changing your diet or bathing method.

However, if the problem lasts longer, is very severe or is accompanied by symptoms such as itching or alopecia, do not hesitate and consult your veterinarian who will diagnose the problem and propose the appropriate causal treatment.

Your dog has a problem with dandruff and you don't know how to get rid of it? Or maybe you just want to learn more about home treatments for your dog's dandruff?

Now add a comment under the article, I will try to clarify your doubts.

Sources used >>