Dog Dandruff

Dog dandruff is the white flakes that appear on your dog's coat. This page looks at some possible causes of canine dandruff, and how to use natural home remedies such as herbs and supplements to alleviate this problem.

Yes - dogs can get those unsightly, annoying tiny white flakes too!

Just like people, dog dandruff is merely an accumulation of dried, dead skin cells and it is actually a rather common condition in dogs.

Our dog's skin is constantly replacing old cells with new ones.

However, when this skin-replacement cycle is out of sync, dandruff will appear on the dog's coat, mostly around the neck, the back and the rump.

Causes of Dog Dandruff

There are many possible causes for dogs to have dandruff. The most common ones (and the easiest ones to fix) are:

Poor Diet: A diet that is not well-balanced in nutrients, especially one that is deficient in Omega-3 fatty acids, is the leading cause of dog dandruff.
Low Humidity: Low humundity in the air causing dry skin can result in dandruff in dogs. If you live in a place with extremely dry air, consider using a humidifier in the room where your dog sleeps.
Inadequate Grooming: Not brushing or bathing a dog regularly can also lead to dandruff. In particular, double-coated dogs or dogs with long and thick haircoat can easily have dead skin cells trapped in the hair if they are not groomed adequately.
Inadequate Exercise: Regular exercise boosts the immune system of a dog. Dogs with a healthy and strong immune system usually have healthy skin.

In addition to the above, sometimes dog dandruff can be caused by some underlying physical health problems. For example, hormonal imbalance (such as hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism) can lead to dry skin. Diseases that cause the dog to lose a lot of bodily fluid through excessive urination or defecation will also result in dryness of the skin, causing dandruff to appear. Such diseases include:

Dog dandruff may also be caused by some sort of skin irritation. Skin irritation usually will speed up the skin reproduction rate, causing dandruff to form. One common skin irritant is a mite that lives on the outermost layer of the skin. This mite is minute and appears as a white speck if put on black paper. It is called "cheyletiella mite" and since it moves around and looks like dandruff, it is commonly called "walking dandruff".

Other skin parasites can also cause dandruff in dogs. For example, fleas can cause dandruff over the hips, whereas scabies causes dandruff on the dog's ears and the elbows.

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Natural Remedies for Dog Dandruff

If you can rule out that your dog's dandruff is caused by some underlying health problems, then try the following to improve your dog's skin condition:

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: As a dietary supplement (and this is particularly important if you are feeding your dog a commercial diet), fish body oil such as salmon oil should be added to your dog's food to provide omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for rich healthy coat in dogs. Commercial dog food such as kibbles are typically cooked on high heat. However, omega-3 fatty acids are very sensitive to heat (and light). Therefore, during the cooking and processing of commercial dog food, the omega-3 FAs in the food are rendered inactive and they are no longer beneficial to your dog.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E is an antioxidant and can help give your dog a healthy and shiny coat without dandruff. (Dosage: 5-10 mg per pound of body weight, daily)
Herbs: Herbs that are good for dog's skin include oat, aloe vera, green tea, echinacea (or goldenseal).

Here is an excellent commercial product that can make your dog's coat shine:

Dr. Harvey's Health and Shine Dog Supplement

This formula is a combination of borage oil, flaxseed oil, fish oil and natural Vitamin E. This combination of oils provides the perfect balance of the Omega 3-6-9's and contains all the EFAs needed for healthy and shiny haircoat.

In addition, check out this natural shampoo:

Doc Ackerman's Herbal Colloidal Oatmeal Shampoo

This shampoo contains soothing herbs (such as oatmeal, aloe vera, green tea, goldenseal) and can be used for itching, dandruff, and certain types of dermatitis such as hot spots. You can also use it to regularly bath your dog to help control body odors.

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Prevention of Dog Dandruff

We can do several simple things that can prevent our dogs from getting dandruff:

Natural Diet

Feed your dog a natural, preferably home-prepared diet. Use tonic herbs on a regular basis to detox and strengthen the immune system. (Please refer to our page on Dog Skin Irritations on this topic.)

Regular Grooming

As mentioned above, regular brushing can remove dead skin cells from the dog. In addition, grooming helps distribute the oils on the dog's skin and coat. Get into the habit of brushing your dog every day. It is also a good opportunity for you spend some quality time with your dog. While brushing your dog, you can also check to see if there are any abnormalities in your dog's skin and body.

Regular Exercise

Regular exercise is also essential to maintain the dog's health and immune system. Exercise such as walking, free-running and visits to new areas can stimulate good health. When a dog is healthy, her coat will be shiny and problem-free.

Many dogs with skin problems such as dandruff also smell bad.
Don't forget to also check out our page on Dog Odor!
Also use the navigation bar on the left of this page to find more information on other skin problems and common allergies in dogs.