Dry winter skin: The (other) white flakes of winter

I’ve written a lot about itchiness in dogs, because it’s a prevalent problem.  If you’ve read my blog posts, you know that allergies and fleas are the most likely culprits that cause scratching.  But what about the dog with no allergies that has an uncomfortable winter itch?  For the healthy, non-allergic dog living in our arid Midwest winter environment, dry skin is the predominant cause of scratching, chewing, and rubbing.

The top layer of the epidermis (the outermost layer of skin) is composed of a compact layer of dead skin cells called keratinocytes.  The keratinocytes are continually sloughing and being replaced by cells from lower levels.  So it’s normal to see some flakes of skin, especially on dogs with dark coats, where the contrast between flakes and fur is obvious.   I can’t always judge the severity of dry skin by appearance, but the client’s history usually tells the tale. 

We’ve all experienced the itching, stinging, and general discomfort of dry skin; I always have a cheap bamboo back scratcher within easy reach in my bedroom.  But our furry friends don’t have opposable thumbs to alleviate this vexation, so it’s up to us to help them.

Humidifiers are the most effective remedy for dry skin, but many dogs are itchy in spite of them.  We then tackle the problem with oral supplements and/or topical treatments.

It’s best to avoid shampooing your dog during the dry winter months, but that’s not always practical.  If washing is a must, a hydrating shampoo (with an associated cream rinse), such as Micro Pearls Advantage Hydra-Pearls Rehydrating Shampoo, Allergroom shampoo, or Hyliderm Shampoo +PS, will preserve the fatty (lipid) skin barrier and have a soothing, emollient effect.   Topical sprays such as Micro Pearls Advantage Dermal-Soothe are great for short-haired breeds.  Look for products containing ingredients such as ceramides and phytosphingosine, which help restore the fatty skin barrier.  All of these products are available without a prescription in pet stores or on the internet.

 

The cornerstone of dry-skin therapy is fish oil.  The active elements of fish oil are polyunsaturated omega 3 fatty acids called EFA and EPA.  The fish don’t produce those fatty acids; they obtain them from their diet of algae.  If you are environmentally conscious, you can buy an omega 3 algae oil supplement, which is free of the toxins often found in fish oil and doesn’t contribute to the depletion of marine life.

Although you can use fish oil products made for people, there are advantages to using ones intended specifically for pets.  They come in convenient forms, such as pump bottles and chewable tablets, and some have enticing flavors added.  Prescription diets (Iams Response FP, Hills j/d) or over-the-counter sensitive-skin diets also can be an easy way to give dogs a daily dose of fish oil.  There are potential adverse effects of fish oil; more is not always better.  But at recommended doses (read the label!) they seem to be safe, and they do help many of our patients with dry, itchy skin.

 

When I started practicing veterinary medicine (before the crust of the Earth cooled), it was popular to add corn oil to dogs’ food to help with shedding and dry skin.  The dogs that benefited probably were on diets that were too low in fat (such as weight-loss diets).  The same might be true of flaxseed and its oil.  The fatty acid in flax is ALA, a precursor to EFA and EPA.  Barely any ALA is converted to those more-active forms, yet some of my clients swear that flaxseed makes their dog’s coat shiny and helps with dry skin.  Perhaps the extra fat or other unknown nutrients contribute to its success. 

There are hundreds of pet products for itchy, dry skin.  Choose one or two that are easy for you to administer and acceptable for your canine companion, and give ‘em a try.   Ogden Nash quips that “happiness is having a scratch for every itch.”  But maybe happiness is having no itches to scratch!