Winter can be brutal on our dogs’ coat — read about the best natural remedies to keep them healthy and itch-free.
Just like humans, dogs can suffer from dry, parched coats in addition to flaky patches and cracked pads during the winter months. And while most of these issues can be handled at home, it never hurts to have a vet take a look at their skin irritations.
The Vet Set in Carroll Gardens is your local vet for all of your pets needs — from pet immunizations to preventative care — we’re here to keep your furry friends happy and healthy. Learn the best natural at-home remedies that are vet-approved in today’s post!
Dog Skin Irritations
Skin irritations are very common in dogs and can result from a host of issues including environmental factors, food allergies, and bug bites, and if you’ve ruled all of these concerns out at the vet, it may just be what’s right in front of you — the cold, harsh winter weather.
Below are some easy ways to treat dry skin on dogs, and best of all, they’re natural home remedies, meaning you won’t have to make use of your pet’s insurance plan.
Coat Sprays For Dry Skin
Sprays are an ideal dry skin solution for immediate relief. So, if your dog is itching and scratching and just looks flat out miserable, try a couple of these coat sprays.
50/50 mix of apple cider vinegar and water – Apple cider vinegar is good for so many things, not only our salads! It has amazing anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties that you can dilute and spray directly onto your dog’s itchy, red areas. Mix a bottle of one cup apple cider vinegar and one cup water to your dog’s coat or irritated paws. Keep in mind not to use this on any open wounds or raw skin as it can be extremely uncomfortable and may make the issue worse.
Essential oils – Mixing a spray bottle with soothing essential oils such as lavender, frankincense, or helichrysum, is a great way to combat dry, red, and itchy winter skin. Add fill a spray bottle up (at least one cup) with water and add five to six drops of essential oils.
Green tea and chamomile – Brew a strong batch of green and chamomile tea (steep for upwards of 15 minutes), let cool, and transfer to a spray bottle. Spray on your dog’s coat, paying attention to any extra irritated areas.
You can even treat your dog to a nice soothing bath when you add this mixture to the bath water. Let them soak for five minutes or so (as long as you can get them, really) for the best results.
Oatmeal Treatments
Just as oatmeal is soothing to us, the same is true for dogs. You can go out and buy colloidal oatmeal packets or you can make your own by grinding into a fine powder, plain oatmeal.
If your dog is a sucker for a nice warm bath, add the powder to the water and have them soak in it or rinse their coat, sprinkle the powder and massage it in, let it sit, and then rinse!
Epsom Salt
Similar to an oatmeal bath or a herbal tea soak, you can use Epsom salt to alleviate irritated skin. This soak speeds healing and is comforting to inflammation.
Aloe Vera
If you have access to the healing succulent, aloe vera straight from the source is ideal! Break a little piece off and use the gel on extra red and sore spots. Not only is it cooling and healing, but it also doesn’t contain alcohol so it isn’t drying. No aloe vera plant? No worries! Go to your natural health foods store and look for a bottle in the sun care section, but ensure there is no alcohol. You can also find an aloe vera gel in the supplement area in the stomach section — they are made for drinking, but the gel can still be applied to your dog’s coat!
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Omega-3 fatty acids are a great way to heal and prevent an itchy coat from the inside out. Not only do these fatty acids improve skin health, but they’re also great for combating inflammation and digestion concerns. Even better, dogs love the taste and will gobble it down — no hiding it in treats or peanut butter. Take a look in your local pet store for pet-specific supplements or ask your vet for the proper dosage and shop your health food store for a high-quality fish oil.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil seems to be the cure-all these days for just about everything, but coconut oil for skin and coat health is a benefit you can rely on. Massage a high-quality coconut oil onto your dog’s coat (look for organic,non-GMO, and unrefined), paying close attention to any red and itchy patches. If this is too messy or you want to really go after their dry coat, add a scoop to their food.
Vitamin E Oil
Similar to coconut oil, massage vitamin E oil into your dog’s coat, particularly the dry, itchy patches. This is very healing to the skin and moisturizing to cracked and dry paws.
CBD Oil
CBD oil is amazing for a variety of health concerns in dogs — it better calms anxiety in addition to tackling inflammation. The Vet Set recommends Canna-Pet.