If your dog is endlessly biting at its tail, scratching its ears, or licking its paws – they obviously have something going on with their skin.
It’s only natural that you are going to want to do everything you can to help relieve their suffering.
Itchy skin can be a huge pain for your dog. Unfortunately, it is not always an easy task to get to the root cause of the problem.
According to the SPCA of New Zealand,
“There are hundreds of different diseases that affect the skin of dogs. Since the skin can only react in a limited number of ways many of these diseases look very similar, which can make skin disease difficult to diagnose accurately.”
– SPCA of New Zealand
Before you make any changes to your dog’s diet, plan a trip to the veterinarian.
Your vet may do some testing or a physical exam to determine the cause of your dog’s symptoms.
Once you have a diagnosis and a treatment plan, you can think about other ways you can help improve your dog’s itchy skin.
Only then should you think about what the best food is to help your dog keep itchy skin at bay.
What are the Main Causes of Itchy Skin in Dogs?
According to the experts, there are quite a lot of possibilities about why your dog may be experiencing severe itching and shedding.
Not all of them have to do with your dog’s diet.
Here are some of the main causes:
- Atopic Dermatitis: This condition is fairly complex and requires treatment for various factors. Environmental allergies to pollen, dust, mold, and mites are common. These allergies manifest themselves through skin reactions that can develop into painful secondary infections.
- Flea Allergic Dermatitis: This happens when your dog develops an allergy to the saliva from biting fleas. This doesn’t necessarily develop because your dog is infested with the critters. It can happen even if you don’t see any visible fleas.
- Otitis Externa: If your dog has an obsession with scratching his ears, this may be the cause of the problem. Is your dog is sensitive to the touch around the ear area? Are the ears red and inflamed? If so, they could have a condition much more serious than a simple allergy.
- Mange: This terrible condition is caused by an overpopulation of tiny little mites. These live on your dog’s hair follicles and in the skin. Symptoms include hair loss, little pimple-like abscesses, scabs, and discoloration of the skin. Mange usually develops because a dog’s immune system is weak for some reason.
- Food or Drug Allergies: Dogs can suffer from food allergies or intolerances, just like people. Specific food allergies are only able to be identified by doing an elimination diet.
The only way to know what is at the root of your dog’s suffering is through a professional evaluation. Please don’t skip this step or try to diagnose your dog yourself.
How are These Conditions Treated?
There is not a single one-size-fits-all treatment for these skin conditions.
You cannot count on curing them by changing out your dog’s diet. It’s not as simple as that. The best dog food for itchy skin has nothing to do with curing a mange infection.
Your vet, once he has come to a diagnosis, will most likely prescribe anti-inflammatory medications. These should help reduce swelling and itching.
Depending on the condition, your vet may also recommend immunotherapy or desensitization for allergic-type reactions. Antibiotics, topical creams, medicated shampoos, or parasite control treatments are also options your vet may prescribe.
For certain conditions, your veterinarian may recommend supplementing your dog’s diet.
Which brings us to our next point… and the one you are most interested in.
How Can Diet Affect Your Dog’s Skin Condition?
Diet certainly plays a role in the condition of your dog’s skin.
Skin is the primary defense against allergens. It is your dog’s principal defense in protecting his overall health.
If it’s in rough shape, you may need to make changes to your dog’s diet to help them recover from one of the conditions mentioned above.
Proteins, Omega fatty acids, and certain vitamins and minerals are particularly important for your dog’s skin and coat health.
Usually, good commercial dog food will supply all that a dog needs to maintain it’s skin in great shape.
Obviously, if it is not the right food for your dog, that’s not always the case.
Some dogs (especially those with a weakened immune system), might need their diet tweaked a bit to find the right balance to get their itching under control.
So, what do the best dog foods for itching skin have in common?
1. Omega Fatty Acids
Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are really important for your dog’s health. Like, really really important.
The thing about Omega fatty acids is that your dog has to eat them to get them into their body. Dogs, like people, don’t spontaneously produce them from breaking down other fats.
When it comes to picking out the best dog food for itchy skin, it is important to check the omega-3 and omega-6 concentrations on the label.
For healthy dogs, a fatty acid ratio of between 2.6:1 and 26:1 Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids should be adequate to maintain their skin and fur in great shape.
There is a lot of room for variation in that range.
This recommendation comes from the National Research Council and takes into consideration that no two dogs are alike.
It does not take into consideration the dose of omega fatty acids your dog needs if it is suffering from some kind of acute dermatitis.
If you are trying to help your dog recover from itchy skin, consider finding food with a lower Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio. Basically, you want to increase your dog’s Omega-3s.
On a side note, it’s best to leave the Omega-6s steady. They are important, but too much of a good thing can cause other health problems down the road.
EPA and DHA are the two specific Omega-3s that are most therapeutic for reducing inflammation and help to ease skin conditions.
Experts recommend that your dog receive 50mg-75mg of combined EPA and DHA Omega-3s per kilo of body weight (FYI – one kilo is equal to 2.2 lbs.) if you are supplementing for therapeutic purposes.
If your current dog food does not provide this level of Omega-3’s, you may decide that adding an Omega-3 supplement or switching foods is a good idea.
2. Vitamins and Minerals
Just like your dog needs Omega-3s, they also need plenty of specific vitamins and minerals that help them maintain healthy skin.
Zinc, along with vitamins A, C, and E are generally regarded as a good “skin maintenance” combo.
Zinc is crucial to keep your dog’s skin in good shape. Unfortunately, a lot of dogs suffer from a zinc deficiency that puts them at risk for various health problems that go beyond itchy skin.
This mineral plays a fundamental role in the functioning of your dog’s immune system.
Many times, skin problems are the first symptoms a dog will show if they are lacking zinc in their diet.
Certain breeds, like the Siberian Husky or the Alaskan Malamute, are really susceptible to developing deficiencies. Other large, fast-growing breeds like the German Shepherd are also prone to it.
Why do dogs develop a zinc deficiency?
It’s theorized that these dogs have a hard time absorbing this mineral because of deficiencies in the small intestine.
The ability for a dog to digest and absorb zinc is also affected by other compounds in their dog food. Plant-based antioxidants and calcium can bind to zinc and make it difficult for the dog to absorb.
What about those other vitamins I mentioned?
Vitamin A is important for a healthy immune system. Vitamin C reduces inflammation. Vitamin E is essential for metabolizing fats.
Remember, boosting your dog’s immune system is important to help them overcome skin conditions. Reducing inflammation reduces itching.
And those fats that the vitamin E will help metabolize?
Those are the added Omega-3s that you’re making sure your itchy dog gets.
3. Proteins
According to Veterinary Practice, 25% – 30% of the protein your dog consumes goes directly towards maintaining his skin and fur.
When proteins are digested, they turn into different kinds of amino acids.
If your dog can’t produce enough of the right kind of amino acids because of a lack of the right kind of proteins – it shows up as scaly and crusty skin.
You may also notice that your dog doesn’t heal very quickly from wounds. This is because your dog’s immune system is suffering.
Your dog should be eating at least 18% protein in their daily feed. If you are trying to help them improve their skin health – you can up that to around 30%
It is highly recommended that the proteins be from an animal source. This ensures that the proper amino acids can be produced to support all of the functions of healthy skin.
Unfortunately, proteins are also the number one food allergen in commercial dog foods.
Dealing with Food Allergies
It is easy to assume that because your dog has itchy skin, it must have something to do with their dog food.
Sometimes that’s the case.
If your vet doesn’t diagnose any other condition relating to your dog’s itchy skin, then it is a safe bet that there is something going on with his food. Your dog might have a full-blown allergy.
Allergies typically show up as excessive itching and scratching in dogs. They particularly affect the area around their ears.
Protein Allergies
Did you know that the number one allergen in commercial dog food is actually protein?
It might sound contradictory…
Should you be increasing your dog’s protein intake if that protein may also be the cause of the allergy?
What the heck?
Proteins are not actually the problem. It’s the source of protein that may be at the root of your dog’s skin problem.
Beef and chicken are the most common offenders. It’s not that your dog was born with a beef allergy. These tend to develop over time, especially if your dog has eaten the same brand of feed for years.
If you suspect a beef or chicken allergy is the problem, you will want to try switching to a new food. Make sure to try one that offers a completely different source of protein.
Dog foods that offer “novel” proteins are becoming really popular. These are meats that your dog has most likely never eaten like rabbit, turkey, salmon, lamb, or even duck.
Another option is to look for a dog food that offers hydrolyzed proteins. These proteins are broken down into such small particles that the body nearly never recognizes them as allergens.
If you are going to make the switch, make sure that you give your dog at least 8 – 10 weeks on the new dog food. By then you should see an improvement in symptoms.
Other Common Allergens
Proteins also come from vegetable sources. Be sure to consider a limited ingredient feed that offers just one type of carbohydrate as well. These can be legume-based like peas or lentils. There are also vegetable options like potatoes or sweet potatoes.
Wheat and corn are two common ingredients that often cause allergies. They are commonly used in commercial dog feed as both a carbohydrate base and add a source of protein. Dairy and eggs are two other common offenders.
The Elimination Diet
The only way to be sure what specific ingredients your dog may be allergic to is to try an elimination diet.
This process can take a couple of months to discover the specific ingredients your dog is allergic to.
Taking the time to do a full diet trial is absolutely worth it if you want to find out what is the best food for your dog’s itchy skin.
The Best Dog Food for Itching Skin
We want to help you find the best dog food for itchy skin for your dog. You are the only one capable of doing that because you know your dog best.
Here are the key points that you should keep in mind when making a decision about which dog food is best for your furry best friend.
- Omega-3 and Omega-6 content. Try and find a food that has a higher Omega-3 content, at least 50-75 mg/kg of body weight for your dog.
- Zinc is important. When looking at new food options, try to find one with higher zinc content.
- Make sure the dog food has ample vitamins A, C, E.
- Pay attention to the proteins. Choose a dog food with a higher protein content than your last dog food. Make sure the proteins are primarily from animal sources.
- Try an elimination diet if your dog’s symptoms do not clear up to definitively identify food allergies.
Related Questions:
Can I give my dog a “healthy skin” vitamin or supplement?
The vitamin and supplement industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. It’s no wonder they want to sell us vitamins and supplements for our dogs.
If you are purchasing high-quality commercial dog food that is labeled as “balanced and complete” you should not have to worry about any kind of deficiency in your dog’s diet.
Obviously, there are certain dog foods that go beyond the minimum recommendations. There are different formulations for different stages of your dog’s growth and development. These are all formulated based on careful research by canine nutritionists.
Read your labels meticulously. You should be able to find a dog food that addresses your dog’s health needs and provides a balanced dose of vitamins and minerals.
By adding additional supplements you can potentially do more harm than good. It is possible to give your dog too much vitamin A. You can also cause them dangerous health problems by giving them too much Omega-6.
If you have any concerns or doubts, discuss them with your veterinarian. In certain circumstances, supplements and vitamins may be appropriate to maintain your dog’s health. But they should never be given without professional supervision.
Are there other products that can help my dogs itchy skin?
It is most likely that your veterinarian will prescribe a variety of treatments to help your dog overcome their itchy skin problem.
Depending on the diagnosis, you may be prescribed hydrocortisone creams, insecticidal creams, special shampoos, or soothing lotions.
This kind of treatments are most helpful if your dog has raw patches of skin that need immediate treatment.
The only way to know which ointment or cream is the best for your dog is to speak with your vet.
