The Skinny on Winter Skin Care for Dogs

It’s no surprise that the most common reason for a vet visit is related to skin care. Our pets seem to suffer from as many allergies as humans and factors such as winter weather make our dogs just as uncomfortable as we are. When environmental humidity is low such as in the cold weather months, and we are cuddled up with our dogs inside where our heating systems are generating warm dry air, it’s an all-around recipe for “itchy.” As humans, we know exactly when our skin is dry and itchy and what to do about it, but, lacking thumbs and voice boxes, our dogs depend on us to keep them from becoming extra itchy critters. Preventing and reducing dry skin irritation will ensure your pet doesn’t scratch themselves into a skin infection.

The primary way to prevent skin irritation is to keep our dogs clean without overexposing them to soapy water. Inside dogs only need to be bathed about once a week and ensure you rinse their coat thoroughly to remove all the soap. Outside dogs should be bathed more frequently. Use a natural shampoo, especially those with oatmeal or eucalyptus, to soothe dry flaky skin as well as leave your pet smelling quite nice. When your pet comes in from being, it’s important to clean their paws. They may have picked up salt and other de-icing chemicals from the ground, which can also be harmful and irritating to the skin.

Good nutrition is a critical factor in the health of your pet’s skin and coat. After battling skin sensitive issues with Buckley, my French Bulldog, for the first 4 years of her life, on the recommendation of her vet, I move her all-natural food. I recently received a sample of the all-natural food, Fresh Pet. Buckley and I both liked it enough to make a switch. Not only does Fresh Pet keep her from getting food additives which contribute to some of her allergies and itchiness, but it didn’t cause the typical gas that the introduction of new food causes.

When skin is dry, scratching provides temporary relief, but it tends to beget more itching and added irritation. Prolonged starching can cause sores and eventually a skin infection. With Buckley, I’ve found it’s possible to break the scratch/itch cycle of madness by putting a light doggy tee shirt on her. The shirt keeps her from really scratching the itch and actually keeps her more comfortable than if she were able to fully scratch. The tee-shirt material breathes well and keeps her from getting too hot.

Ultimately, the most important factor in pet skin care, is to know your pet, pay attention to their signals, and what methods of treatment are effective for your pet. If your pet has a skin issue that is new, visit your vet to ensure the symptoms aren’t related to a larger skin condition. But for pups that are suffering from winter weather itch, consider the treatments recommended here, so you can both enjoy all the fun winter brings.

Have you found other treatments that work to keep your pet comfortable in the winter months? I’d love to hear them.