Nutrition COULD be an issue but consider other factors as well.
If there is an issue elsewhere, all the good dog food in the world won't fix it.
Assess your dog's grooming routine.
If you're using a harsh shampoo on your dog's skin, it may be stripping the skin surface of essentials oils and aggravating your dog's dry skin. Choose an all natural dog shampoo with essential oils formulated for dogs with sensitive skin. You can also purchase canine creme rinses that have added hydrocortisone to relieve severe itching and reduce inflammation. One such product is Itch Stop Crème Rinse for dogs carried by Foster and Smith. This can provide welcome relief to a dog persecuted by severe itching due to dry skin or allergies.
Assess your dog's nutrition.
Nutrition can play an important role in eliminating dry, flaky skin in a dog. Be sure that you're feeding your dog a nutritionally balanced diet. If you're using commercial dog food, use a premium brand and supplement with Omega-3 fatty acid supplements. Deficiency in essential fatty acids can often present with dry, flaky skin in dogs. A balanced diet and supplementation with high quality fatty acids can often correct the problem of dry, itchy skin in dogs.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com Assess your dog's exposure to the outside.
If your dog spends a great deal of time outdoors, he may be manifesting dry, itchy skin due to an allergic reaction to various plants or grasses in your yard. Unfortunately, dogs can potentially be allergic to a variety of ornamental plants and grasses as well as mold, pollen, and a multitude of other potential allergens. Determining what your dog is reacting to may be difficult. If the onset of dry, flaky skin in your dog is of recent origin, look for any recent plants that may have been planted in your yard and reduce his exposure to the outdoors when possible.
Try the oatmeal routine.
An oatmeal paste can be quite soothing to dry, itchy skin in a dog. To make an oatmeal salve, mix oatmeal with water to form a thick paste. Apply it to your dog's skin and place a warm towel over the area. Keep your dog calm for fifteen minutes before removing the towel and the oatmeal paste. Apply this treatment every day and you should see improvement over time. You can also purchase oatmeal dog shampoos that have a soothing effect on canine skin.
if your dog is bothered by its skin then you need to get to a vet because it can be a serious disease like mange and may be contagious to humans. the vet will give you instructions or a special food or medication to put in the food that will clear up the problem and make your dog feel better within a few weeks
There isn't one. Commercial dog foods don't have what helps dry skin most - salmon oil. If your dog has dry skin, don't over-bath, especially not in dry, winter weather, and add a sufficent amount of fish oil (depending on your dog's size) to his food daily. Fish oil is also good for joints.
cant answer that unless you know the reason - the skin is the largest organ - and it is the first to show distress. The bigger question is why does your dog have dry itchy skin. That is something a vet needs to look at and give you a prognosis.
