Looking for products to help improve your dog’s dry skin? When our skin is dry, we turn to lotion. But, how do you soothe dry skin in dogs? Can you put human lotion on your dog? No, you cannot use human lotion as they may contain ingredients that are harmful or reactive to dogs, plus dogs can ingest human lotion when they lick them. And they will lick them! Thankfully, there are several companies that make sprays, shampoos, and other cleaners that can help relieve your dog’s itchy skin.
Shampoo for dogs with dry skin
Oftentimes, the shampoo we use on our dogs – along with how often we bathe them – can actually affect their skin and coat. Earth bath has a Oatmeal and Aloe Vera Shampoo and conditioners are specifically designed to relieve dry skin, says Yvonne Roth, Earthbath’s head of marketing. She explains that colloidal oatmeal binds to the skin forming a protective barrier that holds in moisture to act as a skin protectant. Colloidal oatmeal and soothing aloe vera can help relieve dry skin along with some uncomfortable skin conditions, such as: canine atopic dermatitisYvonne adds.
Swedencare also has a shampoo made with oatmeal and aloe vera. Lyxvara Shampoo Aloe & Oatmeal Contains emollients to restore skin’s natural moisture and is hypoallergenic. It is also a soap-free formula and can be used as often as needed and will not strip the coat.
Vetericyn FoamCare Pet Shampoo Also good for dogs with dry skin. It’s paraben-free, plant-based, and formulated to help dogs retain essential oils in their skin. Vetericyn is formulated for dogs with thick, even coats.
Treatment of dry skin for dogs
Vetericyn Plus Antibacterial Hotspot Product Treat your dog’s dry skin and hot spots. These products provide quick relief from scratching, licking and chewing, and kickstart the wound healing process, explains Geoff Hamby, marketing director for Vetericyn. They also help relieve the symptoms of skin allergies.
What causes dry skin in dogs?
“Allergies and sensitivities to foods can have many symptoms, but they often manifest as itchy skin,” said Dr. Angie Krause, owner of Boulder Holistic Vet in Colorado. Environmental allergens can cause similar skin symptoms. She explains that dogs with food allergies are also often allergic to the environment.
Other reasons for dry dog skin include:
- Food allergy
- environmental allergies
- Parasites
- skin condition
- Emphasize
Supplement for dry skin on dogs
There are supplements that can help your dog’s skin and coat. They often contain omega-3 fatty acids and fish oil.
Some of our favorite supplements for your dog’s skin and coat:
Can I apply Calamine lotion to my dog’s dry skin?
Do not use Calamine lotion for dogs. Dogs often lick anything that is applied to them, and Calamine lotion containing zinc oxide is not safe for dogs to eat.
Veterinarians do not recommend homemade dog lotion for itchy skin. Figuring out the cause of itchy and dry skin is the first step before trying products that soothe your dog’s dry skin. And don’t forget that skin health starts from within, so change your dog meat source, which is often the cause of skin allergies, or trying a skin and coat supplement, can help. Combat your dog’s dry skin with supplements and hair products to help keep your dog from itching.
