Let’s start with this: what is pet dandruff? Basically it’s dry skin. And what makes skin dry?
Dryness. Dry food. Dry environment. Dry skin. Winter.
What you really want to know is how to fix it and ultimately the fix comes from the inside. But first – outside fixes: Bathing your pet frequently. Like maybe every 2-3 days.
Does this sound extreme? It might because you’ve heard that frequent bathing dries out a dog’s skin. But that rumor was a marketing ploy from 50 years ago. I bathe daily and it actually prevents dandruff. Apply this to our dogs.
What should you use for the bath? Plain old shampoo (for dogs I suppose). No chemicals. No perfumes. No dyes. No disinfectants. No oatmeal. Plain old soap.
Rinse really well.
You can put stuff on the skin – like coconut oil. There’s nothing wrong with coconut oil, but be warned: my dogs get greasy if I put on coconut oil. Then my blankets get greasy because the dogs lay on the bed.
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Now for the inside fixes:
- Fresh food. Not dry food. Dry food makes dry dogs.
- Sometimes fish oil helps (see my post about fish oil).
- Sometimes it takes a bit more effort – maybe some herbs for the skin. Sometimes we have to work on digestion.
Sometimes dandruff becomes a huge challenge, fortunately not always. But start with the outside. Give that flaky fur baby a bath.
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Still seeing patients in Tampa, Clearwater, and virtually.