Dog Dandruff

All dogs get dandruff. Dandruff is, however, more visible in the short-coated breeds. Dandruff is merely an accumulation of dried, dead skin cells. This skin scaling is a common condition in dogs and people as well.

The aging skin that is stripped away is generally discarded in small, dry flakes. In most cases it is not a health problem, just a question of how the dog looks. You may not prevent it entirely but there are ways to control the problem and make it a little less obvious.

First, wash it away. Frequent bathing, even twice a week when it is bad will wash away the dandruff before it builds. If the dandruff is a bad case, you may even want to wash the dog daily during these bad times. Bathing a dog daily for a week or so will not be enough to dry a dog’s skin. Use a specially formulated dog shampoo with moisturizers to avoid drying the dog’s skin. It is best to bathe your dog in cooler water, as this will soothe the ravaged skin. It may take a month or so of vigorous bathing to bring the problem under control and afterwards a monthly bath will keep the coat looking and feeling good.