A guest post by Susanne Postill of Eco-Pup’s Blog and Eco-Pup Dog Clothing. Image Source.
The winter weather can be fun for you and your dog but also very damaging to your pet’s skin and paws. Significantly dropped temperatures, low humidity and snow/ice accumulation on fur can cause very dry skin. The salt used on sidewalks and roads can cause severe dry and cracked paws which can lead to infection if left untreated.
Here are some tips on how you can help keep your dog’s skin and paws safe and soft this winter.
Your dog’s skin and coat
The most common skin problem for pets in winter is dry flaking and itchy skin. This is usually caused from lack of moisture in the air as we often keep our pets indoors more during the cold winter months. The exposure to dry heat from furnaces indoors and lower humidity outdoors causes an unbalanced environment which leads to skin sensitivities and problems.
A few things you can do to help prevent and aid your pet’s skin…
- Brush your dog more often. This helps to remove dander and any loose/shed hair.
- Put a warm weather-appropriate winter coat on your dog before heading outdoors.
- “Feed your dog a high quality diet. Be sure to consult your veterinarian before drastically changing your dog’s diet and/or using supplements or adding oils to the food
- Reduce the amount of times you bathe your dog during the cold winter weather. Bathing your pet removes essential oils from the coat and skin which can increase the chance of your dog developing dry flaky skin. If you must bathe your dog often and cannot cut back on bathing during winter, use a soothing and moisturizing natural shampoo and conditioner appropriate for their fur and skin condition.
Your dog’s paws
During winter when it snows there is typically a lot of melting products (such as salt) used on the ground. The salt, sand and ice can get lodged in your pet’s paws, in the fur and up in between their paw pads. If left to build up in your pet’s paws this can cause them to become severely dry and cracked, and possibly infected. The melting products can also be ingested by your pet when they lick their paws, which can cause illness and/or fatal poisoning.
A few things you can do to help keep your pet’s paws safe and soft…
- Trim the hair between your dog’s paw pads. This will help minimize the chance of any ice, salt and/or sand building up in the paw fur.
- Rinse off your pet’s feet after each walk with clean warm water. This will help remove any ice, sand and/or salt that your pet may have picked up during the outing. Keep a bucket with warm water and a towel next to your door so it’s ready to use on your dog’s feet when you get home from your walks.
- Another option is to put petroleum jelly (Vaseline) on your dog’s paw pads before going for a walk outdoors. This helps create a safe protective barrier on your dog’s feet so the salt won’t severely dry out your dog’s paw pads. Boots are also a good option for foot protection – if your dog doesn’t mind wearing them!
What are some methods that you use to help protect and maintain your dog’s skin and paws during the winter?
I'm a dog guardian to Sweety, my 15 year old Border Collie & Zeus a stray American Pit Bull Terrier that I rescued in October of 2009. I write about canine health and nutrition focusing mainly on topics relating to feeding a raw meaty bones diet.
