Your dog’s coat and skin can provide important information about their overall health and wellness. Dogs often have problems with skin irritation, which can make it difficult for them to maintain a healthy coat. Most dogs experience skin irritation from allergies, which happen when their immune systems overreact to foreign substances.
Some dogs have skin problems leading to itchy skin year-round, resulting in dry, scaly skin, while others only experience it during certain seasons. Whether your dog experiences the occasional itch or is in need of something to improve their skin regularly, there are several skin and coat supplements available.
Dog Supplements for a Healthy Coat
A healthy coat is an important indicator of overall health in dogs. It can be affected by everything from genetics to hormones to diet. If your dog’s coat looks dull or dry, it may be time to add a supplement to your dog’s diet to help maintain healthy skin and fur.
There are several supplements that can be used to improve your dog’s coat health and maintain healthy skin. These include hemp extract, glutathione, CBDa, and balm. We will discuss the available skin and coat supplements that Earth Buddy offers in further detail below.
#1: Full Spectrum Hemp Extract
Hemp extract provides your dog with omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids, like those found in fish oil. Essential fatty acids are important for maintaining healthy skin and coat. The essential fatty acids found in hemp oil also support skin health and provide nutritional support for healthy coats. And, unlike fish oil, the compounds aren’t likely to go rancid quickly due to oxidation.
Earth Buddy offers three strengths of hemp extract: 250mg, 500mg, and 1000mg. The dosage necessary for each pet is unique, which is why there are varied strengths. If you have never used hemp extract with your pet, start slow and increase gradually. You can increase or decrease the dose at any time. The general guideline for a starting dose is 1-3 mg per 10 pounds of body weight.
#2: Cellular Support Hemp Extract
Cellular Support Hemp Extract is formulated with high amounts of CBG and low amounts of CBD at a ratio of 4:1. CBG, also known as cannabigerol, is derived from plant varieties found on Earth Buddy’s farm in Longmont, Colorado. CBG can enhance the body’s immune response, which promotes healthy skin and a shiny coat.
Like cannabidiol, CBG works with CB1 and CB2 receptors in your dog’s body promoting a healthy inflammatory response. In addition to promoting skin health, CBG has the following benefits:
- Enhances the immune response
- Helps support proper digestion and bowel health
- Helps maintain physical and mental well-being
- Provides antioxidant support
#3: Glutathione
Earth Buddy’s Maxx-Life Glutathione provides antioxidant protection. Antioxidants have been shown to aid in the elimination of unstable oxygen molecules called free radicals. When your dog’s skin is inflamed, there are too many free radicals attacking the tissue beneath the surface of the skin. Glutathione works by supporting a healthy inflammatory response.
Glutathione is made by the body, but as your dog gets older, the amount of it in their body decreases. Dogs with health issues, regardless of age, are also more likely to have reduced levels of glutathione in their bodies.
If the dog has been exposed to environmental toxins, then this may also cause reduced glutathione production. And, if you think about it, our dogs are exposed to toxins on a regular basis. For example, the pesticides sprayed on the plants at the dog park that your dog passes through on their way to use the bathroom can easily be transferred to your dog’s skin, leading to skin reactions.
#4: Mobility CBDa: CBD
Mobility CBDa: CBD uses a high amount of a raw extract known as CBDa, also known as cannabidiolic acid, which helps maintain a normal inflammatory response. This may help with occasional or seasonal allergies in your dog.
CBDa has many beneficial properties that make it a good choice to improve your dog’s overall health and serve as an effective skin and coat supplement. Since it does help your dog’s body maintain a normal inflammatory response, they may also experience the following benefits:
- Help with discomfort associated with normal daily exercise and activity
- Help maintaining normal emotional balance
- Helps support cognitive function
- Supports and promotes long-term health
#5: Paw and Skin Balm
Earth Buddy’s Paw and Skin Balm provides a topical option for promoting healthy skin and coat in your pet. This means the balm can be applied directly to your dog’s skin rather than provided internally. The balm is generally used on their nose, skin, and paws. All the ingredients found in the balm are edible, so they won’t affect your dog if they decide to start licking the areas where it was applied.
This balm combines full spectrum hemp extract with organic coconut oil, organic mango butter, and organic beeswax. The hemp extract supports a healthy inflammatory response in the dog’s skin and paws. Coconut oil and mango butter supply nutrients for a healthy coat. And, the organic beeswax promotes the body’s innate resistance to pathogens.
Providing a Quality Diet
Skin irritation isn’t only caused by environmental allergies but also by food allergies due to a dog’s immune system reacting to ingredients in their food. In most cases, this is found in kibble and is often a reaction to one specific ingredient. A quality diet is necessary to maintain a healthy coat.
Although your dog’s skin and coat may improve, without a healthy diet, you may still notice irritation, a dry coat, and other related problems. Even though they can be beneficial, skin supplements can’t replace a high-quality diet. Instead, they should serve as added nutrition for optimal benefit.
Pet parents often choose to switch their dog’s diet to raw if they’re experiencing allergic reactions, seeing dry skin, or seeing a dull coat. Cats’ raw diets are very similar since they’re strict carnivores, but since dogs are omnivorous, their diets vary. If you choose this route, you will need to conduct your own research to determine which diet type best suits your dog.
Raw meal options generally include the ancestral raw diet, the BARF diet, and Prey Model Raw. Ancestral raw contains muscle meat, raw meaty bones, seafood, liver, and other secreting organs. The PMR diet involves feeding the entire animal as whole prey. This includes the organs, fur or feathers, and blood. The entire animal, or a part of the prey animal, is offered as food with Prey Model Raw. Finally, the BARF diet is similar to the ancestral diet, but includes low-sugar fruits and vegetables.
Raw Dog Food and Vitamin E
In addition to being more closely related to their native diet, raw dog food also contains higher concentrations of vitamin E. Vitamin E is known to promote normal inflammatory pathways, which makes it a good choice for dogs who suffer from allergies. In kibble, this vitamin is often destroyed due to high heat levels.
Despite the differences among raw diet types, they all have one thing in common: They all provide your dog with variety. Variety in diet may fill any existing nutritional gaps, thereby improving your dog’s skin and coat.
Choosing a Supplement
When you’re choosing a supplement, don’t forget to look for the lab results or certificate of analysis to determine what’s actually in the product. Regardless of where you choose to purchase a supplement, it’s important to do your research to ensure it’s a quality product. Supplements are highly unregulated, so it’s the customer’s responsibility to check out each product individually. Earth Buddy provides lab results for every product, so you can view every ingredient each product contains.
For further reading, we recommend:
You Might Also Enjoy
Your dog’s skin is their largest organ making dog skin care a crucial part of…
Like us, our dogs, and other mammalian species, cats have an endocannabinoid system. This system…
Learning how to calm a dog down is an essential skill to have in your…