If your dog is constantly scratching, licking or shedding, then their skin is probably telling you something important. From dry, flaky skin to persistent itchiness and recurrent ear infections, food can have an impact on skin health. Just like human skin, a dog’s skin is their largest organ, and it relies on critical nutrients to stay hydrated, soft and resistant to environmental irritants.
Here we’ll share the signs associated with skin conditions in dogs, potential causes, and how your pup’s nutrition affects their skin health.
Signs of Skin and Coat Conditions in Dogs
While dog skin conditions are never fun, they’re typically easy to spot and therefore can be treated early. Depending on the cause, there may be several signs that something’s off. These may include:
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Gastrointestinal issues (such as excessive gas, appetite changes, or diarrhea) may occur alongside other skin signs if the dog has a food sensitivity
If you notice any of these signs, it may be an indicator that something more serious is going on. Make an appointment with your veterinarian to get an accurate diagnosis for your pup.
Causes of Dog Skin Conditions
Your dog’s skin has lots of exposure to outside elements, so even though it’s resilient, it can still be affected by certain conditions and diseases. Because some signs can have several different causes, it’s important to talk with your vet to get to the bottom of any health concerns you have about your dog.
Here’s a partial list of some of the more common dog skin conditions that veterinarians look for:
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External parasites (fleas, ticks, mites, and lice)
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Infection (bacterial, fungal, viral, or protozoal)
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Behavioral disorders (such as acral lick dermatitis or other self-trauma due to excessive, anxiety-induced licking)
As you can see, there are a lot of things that can affect skin health, and narrowing down the signs to just one cause or even a few contributing factors takes a professional diagnosis. This is why it’s important to work with a vet to get an accurate diagnosis and treatment.
How Nutrition Affects Skin Health
The skin needs complete and balanced nutrition to maintain and repair itself. If there are nutritional deficiencies, the skin is usually the first to suffer. If your pup isn’t absorbing the nutrients they need from their food, or if there are ingredients that are triggering an allergic response, it can mean their skin (and likely, other parts of their body) is not getting what it needs to stay healthy.
If your dog is showing signs of a skin condition, your vet might recommend a therapeutic dog food. Therapeutic dog foods are typically formulated to support pets diagnosed with a specific medical condition, such as kidney disease, gastrointestinal problems, or osteoarthritis, among others. Compared with complete and balanced dog foods, therapeutic dog foods are often clinically formulated with precise levels of nutrients—such as proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals—tailored to address the specific needs of a particular condition, which may include the skin.
Therapeutic foods are often supported by rigorous research and clinical trials that demonstrate their effectiveness to manage the intended medical condition. Therapeutic nutrition is intended to support pets with health concerns and is only available with a vet’s recommendation.
The right balance of nutrients can help support a healthy skin barrier, minimize scratching, reduce inflammation, and maintain a shiny coat. In addition, nutrients must be bioavailable, meaning they can be easily and effectively absorbed and used by the body.
When looking at a label, here’s what to look for:
High-Quality Protein
Protein is beneficial to support healthy skin and fur. Look for food that provides the balance of amino acids and other nutrients that pets need—this may include a combination of animal proteins (such as beef, chicken or turkey) alongside plant-based protein.
Balanced Essential Fatty Acids (Omega-6 and Omega-3)
Fatty acids are necessary for skin barrier integrity and hydration, which means fewer skin infections and allergic reactions. Omega-3 fatty acids also have an anti-inflammatory effect, reducing the risk of an allergic response. Vets typically recommend a dog food that contains optimal levels of key nutrients like omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids and vitamin E.
Prebiotics
The gut-skin connection is stronger than most people recognize. Having a healthy gut can play a big part in having healthy skin, and prebiotics are beneficial to this system.
Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth or activity of bacteria currently living within the GI tract, in a way that benefits health.
On the label, look for ingredients such as cellulose, flaxseed or pea fiber. If you aren’t sure what you are looking for, ask your vet.
Vitamins and Antioxidants
Vitamins and antioxidants play a big part in keeping your dog’s skin soft and their coat vibrant. They help repair damaged cells, protect against environmental stress, and fuel the natural processes that keep their skin and fur healthy. Most complete and balanced foods will include the nutrients your dog needs.
These vitamins are essential to skin and fur health:
Minerals
Minerals play a quiet but critical role in keeping your dog’s skin healthy. They help the body repair damaged skin, maintain the strength of the hair, and support the immune system.
Specific minerals necessary for skin health include:
Feed the Skin, Fuel the Shine
Maintaining a healthy skin and coat is an important part of caring for your furry friend. By combining complete and balanced nutrition with regular grooming and vet support, you can ward off many of the skin diseases that plague our canine companions. And when their skin is comfortable and their coat is shiny, it’s not just a sign of good health—it’s a reflection of the love and care they get every day.
References
Dr. Sarah Wooten is a well-known international influencer in the veterinary and animal health care spaces. She has 16 years of experience in private practice and over 15 years experience in veterinary media work, and is a certified veterinary journalist.
She is also passionate about helping pet parents learn how to better care for their fur friends, and has written thousands of web articles and filmed hundreds of videos about pet care and the human-animal bond. She has appeared on radio, podcasts, and multiple television news broadcasts across the country in her role as a veterinary expert, and has been featured in several magazines in the same role.
Dr. Wooten speaks to veterinary continuing education audiences about leadership, client communication, and personal development. She is also a co-creator of the wildly popular veterinary card game Vets Against Insanity. To see what else she has up her sleeve, visit drsarahwooten.com.
