The dying out of skin cells and replacing them with new ones is a completely natural process. As a rule, this happens unnoticed. That is why the appearance of a large number of white scales can be regarded as an alarm signal.
Dandruff in dogs: causes
First let's see why the dog began to have severe dandruff. The most common cause of all is the excessive dryness of the skin. This always occurs with increased dryness of air during the heating season. In addition to this, there are a number of reasons for the appearance of dandruff in dogs:
- Strong stress (as soon as the factors that provoked stress are eliminated, everything will return to normal);
- molting (for certain species, the appearance of dandruff and molting processes are completely natural, and then again a neat coat without white scales grows);
- food (carefully monitor the quality of the pet's nutrition: dander in a dog may become a manifestation of an allergy or a reaction to chemical additives in food);
- parasites (in the presence of ticks or other parasites may well begin to peel the skin, the dog will begin to itch);
- hormonal background (with hormonal disorder or dermatitis, as well as eczema and diabetes, the animal can develop skin peeling).
If you notice that a lot of white scales appeared on the coat, immediately go to the vet. Together, you should use the method of exclusion, combined with analysis and examination, to determine the root cause of dandruff.
Dandruff in dogs: treatment
After the expert diagnoses, you can start treating the pet. Here everything depends on the etiology. If this is a simple reaction to dry air, then you can do with simple cosmetic means. Apply moisturizer to the hair and comb it with a soft brush. Such daily care contributes to the moistening of the skin and the flow of blood with nutrients. A diluted in water conditioner works. They spray the animal's hair from the spray gun.
If it is a specific disease, then the treatment of dandruff in a dog should be comprehensive and aimed at solving the underlying problem. In this case, dandruff is only a symptom, but not the underlying disease.
When dandruff in a dog arises by itself and is not a symptom, the vet will offer you special shampoos or multivitamins for the pet. One way or another, self-medication is not appropriate and even dangerous.
All owners of four-legged friends should follow simple rules, since treating a dandruff in a dog is much more difficult than warning it.
- Try to protect the pet from serious stressful situations. If necessary, consult a veterinarian about possible unpleasant situations, it will help you to choose sedative medications for the dog to avoid consequences.
- Carefully watch the food of the animal. If you prefer a ready meal, choose only high-quality premium-grade feed of proven brands. Do not give the animal water from the tap, just filtered or boiled.
- Food should not only be of good quality, but also balanced. Try to provide the pet with all the necessary trace elements. If necessary, add vitamins to the diet.
- Regular visits to a veterinarian should be the norm, as a visit to a dentist.
- Try to bathe the dog only when necessary. Even the most expensive shampoo for dogs, with frequent use, overdry the skin, especially during the heating season.
- All hair care products and additional nutritional supplements should be prescribed by a specialist and purchased at good pet stores.