Dog Skin Health
What most owners do not realize is that this is your dogs largest organ



Dog skin health is often overlooked by most owners and if you were to stop and think about it, it is the last thing that should be overlooked.

Your dog’s skin is their armor, their protection, their appearance, as well as whom they really are. It is not only the largest of their organs; it is the most important one.

This statement surprises most people as they do not think of the skin as an organ, but it is.

The skin that surrounds your dog plays several important functions other than just defining who they are by their breed.

It helps protect them from environmental hazards as well as environmental swings.

However it also helps them to fight off attacks from parasites as well as several infections, but only if it is at full operating strength.

DOG SKIN HEALTH IS CRITICAL

Your dog’s skin also preforms several other key functions such as maintaining their internal body temperature as well as preventing the loss of body moisture, which is critical to their overall health.

Just like our skin it is made up of several key components including cells, lubricating glands, nerve and blood vessels, as well as hair follicles.

While hair follicles are considered to be the major component of your dog’s skin, they could not function without all the rest of players.

They must all be contributing and they all have to be healthy and functioning properly.

Adorable puppiesDog skin health must have fatty acids

Dog skin health starts with the cells which control both the inner and outer layers of their skin and the outer layer is referred to as the epidermis that is made up of older cells.

If these older cells are not feed properly during the formation and growth, they cannot protect your dog adequately.

As they begin to naturally erode as they end their jobs, they are replaced with newer cells that will help place a protective coat around your dog.

In several places of their hair coats this layer will be very thick and tough but in other areas it will be very thin.

If some of the thicker areas of your dog’s skin if these cells are a bit weak the others can help out as they die off. 

However, in the thinner layers of their skin if these cells are not operating at full strength, it may invite infections and parasites to attack your dog.

THE DIFFERENT HAIR TYPES

Dog skin health in all cases will begin with the birth of your dog. While a lot of owners assume that a puppy is born without hair, nothing could be further from the truth.

In fact, if you look real close you will see that while it is extremely short, it is visible and very, very soft.

As your dog begins to age, it will begin to become much more noticeable as well as more defined. However, it is important to note that there are certain variables that will come into play.

The first is the breed of your dog as this will obviously determine how fast and long the hair is growing and the second is the environment.

While this may surprise some owners, your dog’s hair, just like your hair, will grow much faster in humid and warm climates.

However, perhaps the most important aspect about dog skin health is a knowledge of the three different types of hair that they have; primary, secondary, and than the all important whiskers.

The outer covering of hair on your dog is referred to as primary and it is the first defense against foreign attacks.  

The very soft furry hair under their belly is the secondary type, and the third is their whiskers.

Although the whiskers on a dog are often overlooked, if you watch them very closely, you will see them in action immediately.

When you let your dog outside or let them loose, they go into full work mode and begin to sense.

This “sense” should not be confused with smelling, but something much broader.

As they are part of your dog’s largest organ, they can sense danger and immediately send messages throughout your dog’s body and alert the immune system.

For this reason alone, you should treat dog skin health seriously and keep it fully nourished.

HOW DOG HAIR GROWS

The next step in keeping this organ at full strength is the knowledge of how it actually grows.

Another fact that most owners do not know is that while the growing process is repeated on a daily basis throughout their lifetime, the initial distribution happens only one time.

Every piece of hair on your dog’s body is grown from a very small opening in their skin called a hair follicle. When birth does occur, your puppy comes with every hair follicle they will even have.

Because of this fact, this is yet another reason to keep the process as healthy as it can possibly be.

As your dog starts to age and the hair changes in color, length, or texture, these processes all originate within each individual hair follicle.

As your dog’s hair shaft is produced and performs its functions, it will eventually die and be replaced.

This is what is referred to as shedding and it is a huge misconception that some breeds do not shed. In fact, it is impossible.

However, all breeds are different and some breeds will naturally shed more than others, but the environment and aging can again play a major role.

Dogs that live outdoors and are exposed to sunlight and the vitamin D that it produces will naturally shed a lot more than a house dog.

PROTECTING THE SKIN AND HAIR

Dog skin health next step is selecting the correct supplements that can help this entire process.

While there are several very effective shampoos and topicals that you can use they will have one common ingredient; fatty acids.

Fatty acids are absolutely critical as they work on the inside out while the shampoos and topical creams only affect the outside layer of your dog’s skin and hair, making them a critical component of dog skin health.  

You need to go to the direct links in this process; the cells of the skin and the hair follicles, and feed them the most powerful nutrient you can find and that is fatty acids.

Fatty acids come in several forms, but the two that are the most powerful for dog skin health are Omega 3 and Omega 6.

Both of these forms are considered to be polyunsaturated fats which is critical, and the will target very specific molecular functions.

Summary

These molecular functions will help all three types of hair as well as the skin that it grows from.

However, more importantly, they help to focus on the all of the important tiny holes in your dog’s skin that produces the hair follicles.

If you feed your dog a balanced diet and supplement it with these two fatty acids, dog skin health is something you will not have to worry about.

Sources of Help for Dog Skin Health

Dog Vitamin Store

More Skin and Coat Conditions

Acne in Dogs

Although this condition is very similar to human cane, in dogs it centers on their hair and not their skin.

Atopy in Dogs

Usually starts out as a seasonal disorder but will than flourish into a full series of attacks against your pet.

Balding in Dogs

Allergic reactions to food or air bore irritants are a major cause of balding or hot spots.

Color Changes in Dogs

There are several diseases as well as conditions that can cause color changes and because of this, it should be taken very seriously.

Dog Dander

The key to stopping it is to treat the actual cause which is really quite simple.

Natural Treatments for Dog Eczema

There are several very effective natural treatments but there is one thing you cannot leave out.

Dog Lick Granuloma

Most all forms occur on or very near the front part of the lower leg.

Dogs Cracked Foot pads

We all know how miserable we can feel when our feet hurt and or get damaged; just imagine how your dog must feel with cracked foot pads.

Dogs Skin Odor

The most commonly affected breeds are Cocker and Springer spaniels and is also referred to as Seborrhea.

Excessive Licking

All dogs love to lick and it is a very common, however, what is not common is excessive licking which can be very damaging.

Flea & Tick Safety

Before any owner uses any one brand or method of treatment it is extremely beneficial to understand the basic ingredients.

Hair Loss in Dogs

What makes hair loss very troubling is that there are several potential underlying causes.

Itchy Skin Disease

Is most often associated with Atopy, and although this is one of the most common causes it is just one of many.

Lice in Dogs

Lice will stay on your pet unless treated and removed for their entire life cycle, which is normally between 18 and 21 days.

Natural Ways to Stop Itching

There are several very effective natural ways to stop your dog from itching

Malassezia

If it becomes severe, it can grow to such abnormal numbers that it will become extremely foul in odor.

Mange in Dogs

There is one thing that is very certain about mange; the mere mention of the term can scare the daylights out of most owners.

Pemphigus

Is a growing problem as this group of diseases can cause scaling skin, scabbiness, and lesions in your pet.

Pruritus

There are several forms that range from very mild where there is no problem, to the severe form that can lead to intense itching.

Puppy Strangles

The first reaction is that your dog has been stung by a bee or has some type of an allergic reaction as the face begins rapidly swell.

Scaling Skin

Should be treated very seriously as it could be caused by an underlying condition that could jeopardize their overall health.

Seborrhea

Usually starts to form when a puppy is between the ages of 12 to 18 months old.

Treating Hair Loss

The only successful way to treat hair loss is to first identify the actual underlying cause and then treat that cause.

Warts on Dogs

There are two basic types of warts that will effect your dog; warts that affect older dogs, and then the type that affects younger dogs.