Doggie dandruff treatment: Dog Dandruff: Treatment & Causes

Dog Dandruff: Treatment & Causes

You may have noticed that your pup is leaving a trail of white flakes behind them as they explore the house or play, but did you know that this can be caused by doggy dandruff? Our South Plainfield vets offer information about dog dandruff including why it occurs, what signs to watch for and how you can help relieve your pup’s symptoms.

Dandruff in Dogs: Does This Really Occur?

Surprisingly, dandruff in dogs can actually occur and cause your dog’s skin to flake off at a higher rate than usual leaving white flakes everywhere and causing your dog to feel itchy and scratch more frequently. In dogs, these dry flakes tend to accumulate on the back (particularly near the tail), and you might even notice them when you’re petting or scratching your dog. 
 
Just like your own skin, your dog’s skin has glands that produce iul (sebum), which helps to keep the skin hydrated and supple. If the glands overproduce sebum, this can lead to imbalances and dandruff. Dogs can experience both forms of seborrheic dermatitis: seborrhea sica (dry) and seborrhea (oily). 

What Are The Causes of Dog Dandruff?

Any breed of dog can experience dandruff, which can stem from several causes including genetic conditions (e..g primary seborrhea, seen in Basset Hounds and Cocker spaniels), but is often caused by factors impacting the dog’s environment or health. 

Here are some of the potential causes of dandruff in dogs:

Dry Air Affecting the Moisture in Their Skin

Dogs are more prone to dry skin in winter months, just like their human families; in areas where central (‘forced’) heat is the main source of warming the home, the issue can be worsened. If your pooch seems to be flaky in the winter, dry air could be the cause. 

External Parasites Causing Skin Irritations

Dogs might itch from dry skin, but there are also a number of external parasites that can live on your dog’s skin and make them very unhappy indeed. Infamous parasites Cheyletiella mites are large enough to see without a microscope and look very much like white flakes of dandruff – hence the moniker ‘Walking Dandruff. ‘ If your dog’s ‘dandruff flakes’ are moving on their own – get to your vet for parasite prevention right away. Some parasites (like mites) are easily transmitted to other pets living in the household. 

Nutritional Concerns Creating an Imbalance

An unbalanced or improper food or overall diet can affect your dog’s skin and coat. To keep your pet’s skin and hair in good shape, foods with fatty acids (e.g. omega-3s, omega-6s) are important – but only your veterinarian is qualified to let you know if your pet requires supplemental nutrients. 

Skin Infections Which Damage the Skin

Skin bacterial and fungal infections can also be the cause of dandruff on your dog, as they are adept at taking advantage of damage or weaknesses in your pooch’s skin. These underlying conditions must be treated appropriately to address the dandruff issue. 

Allergies Irritating Your Dog

Skin problems are usually one of the first signs of an allergic reaction to food or something in your dog’s environment. Dogs with allergies may be flakier and itchier at different times of the year, and dandruff usually appears alongside other symptoms like recurring ear and skin infections. 

Hormonal Conditions

Diseases like Cushing’s or hypothyroidism can affect your dog’s skin health, which, along with a compromised immune system, can make them more susceptible to secondary infections.

Idiopathic (Spontaneous) Seborrhea

If the cause of your dog’s dandruff can’t be determined, it may be classified as ‘idiopathic,’ which means that while treatment for symptoms of dogs with dry, flaky skin can be effective, the underlying cause might not be identified. Your vet will be able to give you more advice on the management of your pet’s condition.

Although dandruff is annoying and can be uncomfortable for many dogs if it is mild or seasonal it is usually not a cause for concern. If, however, your pet exhibits signs of dry, flaky skin along with these symptoms, head to the vet for a physical examination:

• Itchiness
• Skin odor
• Excessive dandruff
• Loss of hair/fur
• Irritated, red skin
• Excessive licking of paws or legs
• Signs of feeling unwell or being uncomfortable

Your dog’s symptoms and your vet’s findings will determine the next course of action, which could include further diagnostic testing to confirm any issues such as underlying health problems, allergic reactions, or potential parasites.  

Treatment Options For Dogs Experiencing Dandruff

Luckily, most milder cases of dog dandruff can be treated at home with a combination of instructions and guidelines from your South Plainfield vet, and these helpful tips:

• Groom your pet regularly to ensure their skin isn’t overly oily and removes dead hair. Check with your vet before using grooming products on your dog.
• Bathing your dog can help with dandruff outbreaks and bacterial and fungal skin infections. Your vet may prescribe a medicated shampoo for your dog; follow the instructions carefully. Don’t over-bathe your dog, as this could make dandruff worse!
• Supplements can be helpful, but be aware that many commercial supplements are not heavily regulated for pets. Ask your South Plainfield vet for recommendations.
• Use a humidifier in your home if the air is dry. During winter, your dog (and your family!) could find this helpful for preventing dry skin.

Note: The advice provided in this post is intended for informational purposes and does not constitute medical advice regarding pets. For an accurate diagnosis of your pet’s condition, please make an appointment with your vet.

If you are noticing dry itchy, flaky skin on your dog, please contact our South Plainfield vets today to schedule an examination so we can help your dog feel great again!

Dog Dandruff – How To Recognize The Symptoms & Treat At Home

Next »

< Helpful Hints

December 21, 2015

Posted in

• Expert Tips to Treat Your Dog to a Day of Pampering
• Facts you didn’t know about natural pet spa products
• Top myths and misconceptions about the perfect dog wash
• How to choose the best pet shampoo
• Treating hot spots on dogs, what you should know!

Pet’s get dandruff too. Known medically as Seborrhea, doggy dandruff is usually a result of dry and flaky skin, which irritates your dog and causes them to scratch intensely. The dead skin then falls off and can be seen on the surface as white flakes.

Dandruff is an uncomfortable experience for your dog. The first sign you will likely notice, apart from the visually obvious white flakes, is the irritation your companion is going through. Seborrhea is a mild problem, but still causes a lot of scratching.

In severe cases, your pet’s hair will thin or bald as a result of the itchiness. You may also notice scabs, bumps, or pimples on the surface of your dog’s skin, although this is not always the case.

Some breeds of dog, such as Doberman and German Sheppard get oily skin when they have dandruff, whereas others, like Basset Hound and Cocker Spaniels, get very dry skin.

Pet dandruff can happen for a number of reasons. A low humidity or poor diet can contribute to the dry skin problem, but sometimes an underlying allergy might be the cause. In this case, you will need to consult a vet and deal with the root cause. However, in most cases your pet’s dandruff can be treated very simply at home. 

Treatment For Doggy Dandruff

In order to prevent dandruff, and treat it if your dog already has it, you just need to bathe your dog regularly, groom them, and use the right products to keep their skin moisturized.

• Grooming and bathing your dog regularly will help to keep their fur and skin healthy and dandruff free.
• Bathing them more frequently with the right grooming products.
• Use the right shampoos. Shampoos and conditioners from Soos Pets help to lock in moisture, and are full of nutrients like sulphur, a common preparation for dandruff and others that help your dog’s skin to stay healthy. Try our Deep Cleansing Shampoo, or our Hypoallergenic Shampoo for sensitive skin.
• The magic of oatmeal! It cures dandruff. Our Hypoallergenic Shampoo, Tearless Puppy & Kitten Shampoo and our Mineral Enriched Mud Shampoo all contain colloidal
• Give your dog a high quality diet and consider supplements such as Omega oils.
• Visit your vet if your dog seems to suffer from chronic dandruff, despite being regularly bathed with natural products. Also see your vet if you suspect underlying allergies.

How Often To Bathe Your Dog?

If your dog has dandruff then you will need to treat this by increasing how often you bathe them. If it is severe, then this could be as often as every other day for the first week. Once the majority of the dandruff is gone, you could go down to twice a week, and then to once a week.

It is essential that you use the right shampoos and products during this time. You don’t want to bathe your dog too often while using a heavy chemical product, as this will draw the essential oils out of their fur and skin. Instead, try to use gentle natural products.

Soos Pets offers a wide range of kind and healing products that can help to rid your dog of dandruff, and keep their fur and skin healthy for life.

Yemina Kaiman

Author

Dog dandruff



Dandruff in a dog

Alien computer

Access the site via

EliteDoggy Kennel » Dog Health » Dog dandruff

Dog health
32 504

Pictures of dandruff in dogs

Not only humans, but also dogs suffer from dandruff. Only, unlike quadrupeds, bipeds are aware of the solution to this problem from many primary sources, take television for example.

If you have a lapdog pet that has been living with you for many years, then you have experienced the problem of dandruff. And be sure to face the future owners of puppies breeds Yorkshire Terrier, Pomeranian, Chihuahua, etc., as there are many factors that are the reason.

What is dandruff?

For both humans and animals, it is natural for skin cells to die and be replaced by new ones (cell replacement). Such a process is considered the norm if it occurs imperceptibly to the human eye. If the dying process is faster, 9 appears0022 DANDRUFF.

Dandruff is the flakes of the upper keratinized layer of the skin – the epidermis.

Types (varieties), signs of dandruff in dogs

• Dandruff can be of different colors (scales of yellow, white, gray and even black).
• Smell possible.
• Dandruff may occur in isolated areas and may be spread over the dog’s entire skin.
• The size of the flake can be different (it can be small like flour and large like flakes).
• Wool discoloration.
• Hair loss.
• Itching, redness of the skin.
• Dandruff scales can be both dry and greasy.

Causes of dandruff in dogs

There are many factors that can cause dandruff: stress, allergies, hormonal imbalances, parasites, malnutrition, etc., so there is no single cure for dandruff. It is necessary to find out the reason for its occurrence. Dandruff is not a disease, but a symptom of it.

• Dog dandruff due to stress.

  An absolutely healthy dog ​​may also develop dandruff after experiencing a stressful situation (crowded people, screaming, changing housing, exhibitions, etc.) In this case, dandruff occurs instantly (snowfall) right before your eyes, but as soon as the dog calms down, dandruff disappears after a few minutes (rarely hours).

• The occurrence of dandruff in dogs due to malnutrition.

  Dogs often develop dandruff due to improper or unbalanced nutrition, food allergies. If you choose cheap food for your pet’s diet, which contains chemical additives, preservatives, flavorings, then with such nutrition, the appearance of dandruff is inevitable. Switch to the best quality food – premium – or natural food. A more effective way is natural nutrition, reaching the goal in 2-3 weeks. It is very useful and necessary to include fresh vegetables and fruits in the diet, especially those with vitamin A content. Vitamin A relieves dandruff and skin inflammation.

• Cosmetic problem of dandruff in dogs.
  • Occurrence of dandruff during shedding.
  • The occurrence of dandruff in dogs with dry skin in dogs.

• Dandruff during shedding.

Treating dandruff in dogs

• Getting rid of cosmetic dandruff in your dog is quite simple. It is enough to comb the dog every day with a soft brush, as a result, such a massage stimulates blood flow to the skin. And in order for the blood to feed the skin, it is necessary that your pet consumes a complex of vitamins and minerals and a healthy dose of fats.
• In Pomeranian dogs, for example, dandruff occurs during the shedding period, after which it disappears.
• During the heating season, use your pet’s moisturizers or a humidifier.
• To reduce the amount of dandruff and remove it from the dog, use special dandruff shampoos. It is necessary to bathe your dog 2 times a month – during the warm season and 1 time per month – in the cold season.
• There are many brands of anti-dandruff shampoos for different breeds, so choose the appropriate shampoo for your dog’s breed, so as not to get lost in the choice of brands – consult your veterinarian.

Did you like the article? To say thank you, click on the buttons:

Information

Visitors in the group Guests cannot leave comments on this publication.

Seborrhea in dogs | Apicenna

Synonyms: “dandruff”, seborrheic dermatitis.

Seborrhea (lat. sebum (fat) and Greek ρεω (leak)) is a skin disorder due to certain diseases, environmental factors or other causes.

There are 3 types of seborrhea – oily, dry and mixed. It is only a symptom that accompanies the underlying disease.

Causes of seborrhea

• food allergy;
• “dermatitis”;
• diseases of internal organs;
• autoimmune disorders.

A common cause of dandruff is food allergy that occurs when the food is not properly selected, giving “snacks” or food from the table (cheese, sausage, chocolate, etc. ). This problem is solved by changing the diet and eliminating allergens from food. To alleviate the condition and reduce itching, antihistamines are administered orally, which are often combined with topical treatments. It is important to remember that an accurate diagnosis and treatment are prescribed by a veterinarian after examining the pet.

The second reason is dermatitis. This is the general name for inflammation of the skin, which can be caused by external and internal factors. Most dermatitis begins with dandruff, greasy skin and coat, often accompanied by itching. Since there are a lot of skin inflammations and the causes that caused them, only a veterinarian can make an accurate diagnosis after an examination and a number of necessary tests (blood test, smear imprint, histology, etc.).

The main causes of seborrhea in dogs include: autoimmune disorders and diseases of the internal organs, food allergies and dermatitis.

Yury Lizvinsky Veterinarian, Head of Training Department, Apicenna LLC

Unfortunately, many dermatological problems cannot be completely eliminated and can only be maintained in a generally acceptable condition of the pet. Often, special shampoos for topical treatments are prescribed for maintenance therapy. For some more serious skin conditions, hormonal drugs and immunosuppressants are prescribed.

You can learn more about skin diseases and their treatment in our article “Dermatitis” and “The dog itches, but there are no fleas.”

Another common cause of seborrheic dermatitis is diseases of the internal organs. “Dandruff” is often a secondary symptom of an underlying, more serious disease associated with a malfunction in the internal organs. The most common problems among both dogs and cats are disorders in the functioning of the hepatobiliary and genitourinary systems. In other words, these are problems from the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, bladder. Often, any of the three forms of seborrhea is also found in endocrine disorders, such as diseases of the thyroid gland, adrenal glands, etc. In such a situation, it is necessary to treat the underlying disease, due to which “dandruff” appeared. A veterinary specialist will help with an accurate diagnosis and prescribing the right treatment.

Treatment of “dandruff” in dogs

Recently, autoimmune diseases in domestic animals, including dogs, have become more frequent. However, they are still very rare. One of their symptoms is seborrhea. The clinical picture may vary, and only a veterinarian can help with an accurate diagnosis.

It is important to know, , that before going to the veterinarian, it is strongly not recommended to treat the affected areas with any medication 5-7 days before the planned visit. It is also undesirable to self-medicate a pet, which will subsequently blur the true picture of the disease and make it difficult to make a correct diagnosis.

Treatment of seborrhea in dogs, depending on the underlying cause, may include systemic medications as well as topical shampoos. Chlorhexidine 4% shampoo is increasingly preferred in the treatment of seborrheic dermatitis, which has a broad spectrum of activity against bacteria and yeast-like fungi and is the most convenient form of application for dog owners.