Are the oatmeal baths safe for my dog for his dry skin? Are they beneficial?

Yes! Oatmeal baths are very safe for your dog and oatmeal has been used for thousands of years as a skin soother and scrub, it dates all the way back to the Greeks and Romans!

There are various types of oatmeal but the one which is best for skin is ‘Colloidal Oatmeal’. It contains elements which calm itchy skin, moisturise it and even balance the pH. It is useful both as an ingredient in general dog shampoo but is especially helpful for dogs with sensitive skin or allergies.

You can make your own oatmeal shampoo at home, there are various methods available on-line, but it may be better to chose a ready made commercial version. This is because, particularly with the higher quality brands, there are often other ingredients included which are beneficial to the skin; aloe vera, Vitamin E and oils, to name a few.

I generally advise my clients to bathe their dogs once every week or fortnight to prevent stripping out the coats natural oils but for very dry skin, twice weekly for a while can be helpful to really bring the skin back to normal.

Also extremely helpful for dry and flaking skin are oral skin supplements. Essentially they moisturise from the inside out and can make a real difference for some dogs! There are plenty of great branded products available but again, you can do a DIY version with Cod Liver Oil or Evening Primrose Oil. Just one teaspoon or capsule a day is enough and usually, because of their fishy and oily consistency, it is usually pretty easy to get your dog to eat them! | 08.30.16 @ 10:09