Guest post by Roger Dutta

Beauty in humans might be reflected only on their skins, but for a dog, beauty goes much deeper than that. The state of your dog’s skin and coat can tell you a lot about its overall health. Healthy dogs usually have a perfectly shiny coat without any signs of dandruff or oiliness. However, if your dog’s health is not well, that will reflect on its hair and skin. Dogs with health problems tend to have a coarse and greasy coat with signs of flaky and crumbled skin. That is why you would need to take a much more comprehensive approach if you want a perfect shine on your pooch. 

Proper Nutrition

If you thought we were going to start the list with shampoo and conditioner, you are mistaken. The first and foremost necessity for maintaining a dog’s skin and coat is a proper diet. You need to give your dog a complete and balanced diet, which must include adequate quantity and quality of proteins, carbs, fats, vitamins, and minerals. Optimal levels of proteins and fats help in promoting the desired body composition for your dog, and the vitamins and minerals provide antioxidants that help in developing a strong immune system.

That is why we recommend Purina Pro Plan Savor Lamb and Vegetables canned food for dogs that give your dog the perfect nutrition based on quality and wholesome ingredients. It provides perfect nutritional balance with adequate amounts of vitamin A and Omega 6 fatty acids that are essential for the foundation of healthy skin on your dog. 

Lamb is an excellent source of protein, which is essential for the formation of skin tissues and repair of damages. Lamb is also rich in essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 and Omega 6, which attributes many health benefits in dogs, including the maintenance of healthy skin and shiny coat. Omega 3 nurtures the skin and helps in stopping the growth of many bacterias on a dog’s skin as well as controls various kinds of skin allergies. The vegetables also provide many vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin B6, potassium, and magnesium, which are beneficial for a dog’s overall health.

Lack of proper nutrition can cause many forms of skin-related and other kinds of illness in a dog. Improper food intake can lead to many types of skin allergies and chronic infections that can not only affect your dog’s skin and health but also cause unnecessary itchiness and distress to your dog. Constant itching will force your dog to scratch itself, which can result in skin wounds and infections. If such problems arise, immediately switch to a proper and balanced diet to rectify the issues. 

Grooming

It might not be the most important thing, but the use of good quality shampoo and conditioner is necessary to maintain a gleaming coat and healthy skin on your dog. Most dogs enjoy baths so you can give your pooch a lovely scrub every once in a while. Different breeds need to get bathed at different intervals. Make sure that you stick to the schedule. Also, different hair types need different types of shampoos. Ask a professional groomer for recommendations on shampoos for your dog’s breed and skin type. If your dog has dry skin, an oatmeal-based shampoo works best since it can give your dog’s skin a soothing effect and provide proper moisturization to prevent dry and itchy skin. For dogs that are suffering from fleas or ticks, a mediated anti-tick shampoo would work best. There are other kinds of shampoos as well, such as:

• Puppy shampoos
• Deodorizing shampoos
• Shampoos with natural oils
• Shine boosting shampoos

Make sure that you use a fast-drying towel or use a hairdryer. You can also take it out in the sun for some time to get your dog dry. It works if your dog doesn’t roll around in some dirt and spoil all of your efforts. 

Regularly brushing your dog’s coat can help in improving the circulation of blood flow under the skin and also remove hair and dead skin. Most people don’t realize it, but brushing in both directions can brighten the hair and make the coat shinier. 

Visit the Vet

Regular visits to the vet can prevent any serious skin related problems for your dog. Vets can detect any early onset of health issues that might affect your dog’s skin or its health. Regular visits can not only ensure healthy skin and coat, but it can also prevent other diseases such as hormonal imbalance, digestive problems, or any pathogen related issues.