Summer Itch

 A dog with itchy skin is a common problem faced by pets and their owners.

Just as in humans, itchy skin can have many causes, such as nutritional deficiencies, allergies or parasites. 

The most common allergens are environmental such as pollens, dust mites, flea saliva, weeds & grasses.  In addition to this, dogs can have food allergies, just as we would. 

Nutritional deficiencies can cause itchy, poor quality skin.  Diets lacking enough essential fatty acids will be evident with dry, flaking skin and a dull coat.  The correct balance of omega-3 & 6 fatty acids help maintain healthy skin and promote a strong immune system.

 A wide array of parasites wants to feast on your dog, like fleas, ticks, mites and even flies.  Using preventative treatments for fleas, heartworm and intestinal worms year-round will also control the home environment of flea eggs and larvae. This makes a huge difference in maintaining healthy skin.

Yeast, ringworm and Malassezia are all common fungal infections. They are often easy to identify as they can present as oozing sores, lesions, scaly with obvious irritation.  Veterinary attention is required to medically treat these conditions.

Seborrhoea is a skin condition characterised by flaky and/or greasy skin with a foul-smelling coat and excessive oil production.  It is essentially caused by skin cells that die too fast, leading to a build-up of visible dead skin cells.  Seborrhoea can be either genetic or related to allergies and nutritional deficiencies. 

Warm weather will see these conditions worsen.  Working from the inside first – feeding quality formula food, specific to a condition, can give long-term results.  Quality food acts as a preventative as well.  When feeding quality food, these skin conditions may not flare, also meaning it may alleviate the need for Veterinary attention for antibiotics etc.

Many skin conditions are triggered by environmental allergens which can be difficult to control.  Dust mites, pollen, weeds & grass, seeds and fleas are the more common.  Prescription skin foods can support these conditions in reducing the inflammation and providing a skin barrier, making it more difficult for allergens to penetrate.