Dogs also suffer from skin diseases. Unfortunately, the fact that our faithful four-legged friends have a coat that protects them from harmful environmental influences often prevents the timely detection of unhealthy dog skin. Skin diseases of dogs are comparable to or even identical to those of humans. These include allergies, inflammation, or tumors. Others, on the other hand, specifically concern only certain dog breeds.
Inform yourself about it, prevent it in time, and read this basic article by which symptoms you can recognize the skin diseases of your dog.
The functions of the skin:
Protection against pathogens: The skin serves as an immunological interface and keeps bacteria, fungi, and other harmful substances away from the internal organs.
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Temperature regulation: Blood vessels are narrowed or dilated, providing some protection from heat and cold.
Communication: Tiny muscles in the skin allow the coat to straighten. Fragrances and hormones are released through the skin and control the dog’s behavior towards its conspecifics and humans.
Detoxification: Metabolic degradation products and other harmful substances are excreted from the dog organism via the skin.
Coat change: In the skin are the hair follicles that form the dog’s coat of hair. Twice a year, the coat change usually takes place.
Skincare from the inside: tips for proper nutrition for your dog
Ensure the health of the skin and the beauty of your dog’s coat, it requires not only regular grooming but also a balanced diet. Deficiency symptoms often manifest themselves first on the dog’s skin and hair.
Essential fatty acids for the dog organism
Essential fat and amino acids are so-called because they are essential for the survival of the dog, but can not be formed by the dog organism itself. They must be ingested through food. The organism needs them to be able to use fat-soluble vitamins and to provide the dog with the necessary energy. A lack of fatty acids inevitably leads to metabolic disorders and deficiency symptoms, which can initially manifest themselves through dry or flaky skin, itching, and dull coat.
High-quality dry and wet food contains essential fatty acids as additives. A look at the label of your dog food clarifies: Valuable fats are cold-pressed omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, which the dog’s body needs in a certain ratio. They are obtained from fish (salmon, cod, cod) or plants (linen, hemp, rapeseed, walnut). Blanket terms such as “fats and oils” usually mean inferior fats such as frying fat, which in no case belongs to the food of your dog.
If you feed your dog through raw feeding (BARF), you should definitely pay attention to a balanced addition of both fatty acids and it is best to change the types of oil regularly.
High-quality proteins for dog skin
Most important for a beautiful coat and healthy dog skin are high-quality proteins from various types of meat, fish and plants, which the organism breaks down into amino acids. Since the dog hair consists of 90 percent keratin (fiber proteins), a deficiency of this building block inevitably manifests itself in the coat structure.
Only when several protein sources of good bioavailability complete the dog food, a high-quality diet of your four-legged friend is guaranteed. A dog that receives soy in complete food instead of quality meat as a protein supplier will sooner or later have corresponding deficiency symptoms, because soy can be used very poorly by the dog organism. The best sources of protein include eggs, offal, and muscle meat, which should make up a high-quality dog food.
Dietary supplements – when are they necessary?
Situations in which the dog has an increased need for certain substances make a targeted addition of dietary supplements useful or even necessary. This applies, for example, to pregnant. Sick and old dogs also have an equally increased need for minerals and trace elements. Well dosed, dietary supplements can help to prevent or compensate for a deficiency. It is best to give nutritional supplements after consultation with your veterinarian or after an expert dog nutrition consultation.
If the dog is healthy, his diet is fine, but the coat is still dull, it could be due to improper grooming. Because here too there are a few important things to consider – here you will find tips for grooming.
