Having a healthy skin and shiny coat is a good sign that your dog is in excellent health. Dog owners are especially delighted when they see that aside from having lustrous coat, their pets are also comfortable and full of vigor. But other dogs suffer from itchy and flaky skin. More than making a dog’s coat look dull, unhealthy skin may also be a sign of underlying nutritional problems or an indication of lack of proper care.

A balanced diet. Fortunately, there are many reputable brands of dog food today that can provide your dog with the necessary nutrition he needs to be healthy. Basically, you would want to feed your dog with food that has a proper balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, and essential vitamins and minerals. If you prefer preparing homemade dog food, make sure to consult your pet nutritionist or veterinarian first before creating some recipes.

Regular grooming and bathing. Whether your pet is a short-haired or a long-haired dog, regular grooming is important to keep his skin and coat healthy. Combs can detangle matted long hair while brushes can get rid of dead skin cells and dander. Regular brushing and combing also helps to distribute the skin’s natural oil to moisturize your dog’s entire body. Bathing also helps to clean your dog’s skin and fur but make sure to use only shampoo and conditioner that have been formulated for pets. Products made for people tend to be too harsh for your pet’s skin or contain ingredients and fragrances that may cause allergies.

Watch out for parasites. Make sure that you get your dog dewormed because internal parasites like parasitic worms can deprive your dog of the nutrients which his body needs. This will make his skin unhealthy and his coat lackluster. External parasites like ticks and fleas, on the other hand, may transmit diseases by biting on your dog’s skin, as well as make him feel itchy. They can make your dog’s skin susceptible to infection when it breaks because of constant scratching.

Nutritional supplements. Essential fatty acids also help in nourishing your dog’s skin and, by extension, in making his coat beautiful. Vegetable oils like safflower oil and sunflower oil have omega-6 fatty acid while flaxseed oil and fish oil are good sources of omega-3. A teaspoon per meal of any of these omega-3 and omega-6 sources can help to bring back the luster to his coat, as well as replace the lost oils on his skin. Conversely, you can also try nutritional supplements like RenewTrients Skin & Coat, which blends together high-quality ingredients like natural oils, herbs, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins to effectively reduce non-seasonal shedding in dogs and provide a healthier and shinier coat.

Related article:

How to Keep Your Dog’s Coat Tangle-Free