The general condition of your dog’s skin and coat are good indicators of their health. A healthy coat should be shiny and smooth, not brittle or coarse. Likewise, healthy skin should be supple and clear, not greasy, flaky, or bumpy. Health and nutrition influence the shine and texture of your dog’s coat from the inside, while regular grooming and skin care help keep your dog’s coat clean and tangle-free on the outside — no matter what type of haircoat they have.
What types of haircoats could a dog have?
Selective breeding has led to dogs with several coat characteristics:
- Breeds with hair that grows continuously and does not shed, such as the Yorkshire terrier, Shih Tzu, and Pekingese, require regular shampoos and haircuts.
- Breeds with long, thick hair coats, such as Siberian huskies, Alaskan malamutes, and many retrievers, have an outer coat of guard hairs and an undercoat of fine, insulating hair. These breeds often go through two heavy seasonal shedding cycles yearly (late spring and late fall), during which much of the undercoat falls out in clumps.
- Short-haired breeds lack a distinctive undercoat and often shed hair at low levels all year round.
How does nutrition affect my dog’s hair and skin?
The skin is the body’s largest organ, and skin cells replace themselves rapidly. For most dogs, most skin is covered with hair that is shed and replaced several times yearly or, in non-shedding breeds, is constantly growing.
To maintain the skin and hair in a healthy state, your dog requires a properly balanced diet that contains high-quality digestible proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals, and vitamins and provides the appropriate calories to meet their energy needs. If the nutrients are not digested well and are of poor quality, they will not meet the body’s needs and will cause the liver and kidneys to work harder to eliminate the indigestible waste. The ideal diet should be individualized to your dog’s life stage (i.e., puppy, adult, senior) and health status.
Quality and balance are the keys to good nutrition. A dog eating an inadequate diet will have a dull, dry hair coat and often shed excessively. Consult your veterinarian for advice on choosing the optimal diet for your dog.
What role does health play in my dog’s coat and skin appearance?
Illness or stress, especially if chronic or long-standing, will affect the appearance of your dog’s coat, particularly its shine and texture. Many dogs shed excessively when under stress. Diseases that can affect your dog’s coat include:
- Hormone imbalances or other metabolic problems (e.g., hypothyroidism)
- Digestive disturbances (e.g., chronic diarrhea)
- Internal parasites (e.g., intestinal worms)
- External parasites (e.g., fleas, ticks, mange mites)
- Cancer
- Arthritis or obesity (can cause problems such as dandruff or matting if the dog cannot self-groom)
Many skin conditions affect the shininess and the appearance of your dog’s coat. Allergic skin disease and seborrhea cause itching and changes in the normal production of skin oils, resulting in a dull coat and excessive shedding, either in patches or over the entire body. If your dog’s skin or coat problem is due to an underlying health issue, it often improves dramatically when the illness is addressed through treatment, which may include dietary changes.
What role does regular grooming play in my dog’s coat and skin appearance?
All dogs benefit from regular grooming to remove loose hair and dead skin cells; keep the coat free of dirt, debris, and external parasites; and distribute natural skin oils along the hair shafts.
Dogs with long, silky, or curly coats require daily brushing to keep their hair from becoming tangled or matted, especially around the ears, in the armpits, or along the back of the legs. Dogs with short haircoats may require less frequent brushing. Daily brushing dramatically reduces the amount of loose hair and dog dander floating around the home and the amount of hair the dog swallows while self-grooming.
Regardless of the type of haircoat, you should inspect your dog’s coat every few days to ensure there are no tangles or clumps under the armpits, in the groin, or behind the ears. After a romp through the grass or in the woods, look for burrs or twigs that might have become trapped in the coat and could cause irritation. If you regularly check your dog’s coat and skin, you also have a better chance of detecting any unusual lumps, bumps, parasites, or sensitive areas on your dog’s body.
How often should I bathe my dog?
Most dogs require bathing on an occasional basis, usually when their coat becomes dirty or when they develop an odor. Non-shedding breeds with no health issues usually need a bath every six to eight weeks, during their regular grooming. Dogs with heavy undercoats benefit from bathing in spring and fall when they undergo seasonal shedding.
How often a dog needs to be bathed will depend on the dog’s age, lifestyle, type of hair coat, and whether there are any underlying health problems. For example, a young puppy that accidentally soils himself should absolutely be bathed. A dog that has had a muddy walk or a run through a dirty pond may need a bath. If your dog has skin allergies, your veterinarian may prescribe frequent bathing with a therapeutic shampoo as part of the treatment regime.
Dogs should only be bathed with shampoo formulated for use on dogs, as their skin has a different thickness and pH (acidity) than human skin. Human shampoo, including baby shampoo, is too harsh for their skin. For regular bathing, a hypoallergenic shampoo without added perfumes is best. An aloe and oatmeal shampoo is often recommended. For optimum results, a conditioning product should be applied afterward to restore any lost moisture to the skin and to minimize the development of dandruff after the bath.
If you find that your dog requires frequent bathing, consult your veterinarian. They may prescribe a therapeutic shampoo or a “dry shampoo” as part of the treatment regime, or a special therapeutic shampoo and conditioning rinse, to prevent skin problems associated with repeated baths.
Why does my dog have skin and coat problems at certain times of the year?
Some dogs suffer from skin irritation related to dry winter conditions and a lack of humidity in our homes. Dogs with allergies to tree pollen, plants, or grass may develop skin problems during pollen season, which may occur in the spring with tree pollen or during summer or fall with plant pollen. Some dogs are allergic to fleas or other biting insects and can develop a rash or patchy hair loss with a single insect bite.
If you bathe or groom your dog and the skin or coat problem returns quickly, go to your veterinary clinic for an examination. Sometimes, skin problems like excessive dandruff, unpleasant odor, a greasy coat, or excessive shedding can indicate an underlying problem. In many cases, this problem will be simple to diagnose and treat, but occasionally, the underlying disorder can present a diagnostic challenge and might even require referral to a dermatologist. Once the underlying problem is diagnosed, the appropriate treatment can be prescribed to control your dog’s symptoms.
Your dog’s general coat appearance may be the first indicator of health problems. A healthy dog does not shed excessively and has a shiny coat free from dandruff or greasiness. Before you reach for the shampoo, think about whether that lackluster coat could be telling you something else. If you have any concerns, contact your veterinarian.