CommunityNews
Coat and Skin Appearance in the Healthy Dog
By Ryan Llera, BSc, DVM; Tammy Hunter, DVM; Cheryl Yuill, DVM, MSc, CVH
The general condition of your dog’ s skin and coat are good indicators of his health. A healthy coat should be shiny and smooth, not brittle or coarse, and healthy skin should be supple and clear, not greasy, flaky, or bumpy. Although health and nutrition influence the shine and texture of your dog’ s coat from the inside, regular grooming and skin care on the outside will also help keep your dog’ s coat clean and free of tangles, no matter what type of hair coat he has.
What are the types of hair coats a dog might have?
Selective breeding has led to the development of dogs with various types of coat characteristics. Some breeds have hair that grows continuously and does not shed, such as the Yorkshire Terrier, Shih Tzu, and Pekingese. These breeds require regular trips to the‘ doggy salon’ for a shampoo and cut. Breeds such as Siberian Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes, and many Retrievers have long, thick hair coats with an outer coat of guard hairs and an undercoat of fine hair that serves as an insulating layer. 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. Many short-haired breeds lack a distinctive undercoat and often shed hair at low levels all year round.
How does nutrition influence the appearance of my dog’ s hair and skin?
The skin is the body’ s largest organ, and the cells of the skin turn over rapidly. For most dogs, virtually all the skin is covered with hair, either being shed regularly or, in non-shedding breeds, is constantly growing.
“ For most dogs, virtually all the skin is covered with hair, either being shed regularly 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 number of calories to meet his energy needs. If the nutrients are not digested well and are of poor quality, not only will they be unavailable to meet the body’ s needs, but they will also cause the liver and kidneys to work harder to eliminate the indigestible waste products. The ideal diet should be individualized to your dog’ s life stage( i. e., puppy, adult, senior) and health status.
In all cases, quality and balance are the keys to good nutrition. A dog whose diet is inadequate to meet his dietary needs will have a dull, dry hair coat and often shed excessively. For more information about dog nutrition related to specific conditions, it is recommended that you consult your veterinarian.
What role does health play in the appearance of my dog’ s coat and skin?
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 will shed excessively when under stress. Some of the more common examples of diseases that can affect your dog’ s coat include hormone imbalances or other metabolic problems( hypothyroidism), digestive disturbances, such as chronic diarrhea, internal( intestinal worms) and external( fleas, ticks, mange mites) parasites, and cancer. Arthritis or obesity can cause skin problems, such as dandruff or matting, if the dog cannot groom himself.
Many skin conditions will affect the shininess and the appearance of your dog’ s coat. Allergic skin disease and seborrhea cause itching and changes in the production of skin oils, resulting in a dull coat and excessive shedding, either in patches or over the entire body. If an underlying health issue causes your dog’ s skin or coat problem, they often improve dramatically when the illness is brought under control through treatment, which may include dietary changes.
What role does regular grooming play in the appearance of my dog’ s coat and skin?
All dogs benefit from regular grooming to remove loose hairs 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 hair coats may require less frequent brushing. However, daily brushing of any dog that sheds will dramatically reduce the amount of
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