Health: Coat

1 comment | Leave your own comment

You can tell a lot about the general health of your dog by taking a good look at her coat and skin. A healthy dog is a beautiful dog, and a coat that's nice and shiny is a strong indicator that your pet's in peak condition.

Signs of a healthy coat

How do you know if your dog's coat is in good shape? Just use your senses.

• A healthy coat should feel pliable and smooth, even the wiry pelts of dogs like Terriers. If the texture's dry or coarse, or if the hair's brittle and broken (yes, dogs get split ends too), then you need to take action.
• A healthy coat looks good, too. Think about it the same way you think about your own hair: you want your pet's coat to be shiny and lustrous, bouncy and resilient, not limp or bristly or dull.
• The coat should smell good, even when it hasn't just been washed. In fact, if her coat's dry and well cared for, and you're washing her about once a month or so, your dog shouldn't smell bad at all. A rancid, oily, or sour odor signals that bacteria are breaking down the skin's natural protective oils. Your dog may be suffering from flea bites, or hot spots, or very dry skin.

What keeps the coat healthy

The single most important factor in growing a gorgeous coat is good nutrition, or a diet rich in fatty acids and meat, poultry, or fish. This means that the label on the package should list some kind of meat (beef, lamb), poultry (chicken), or fish as the first and most dominant ingredient--not corn, wheat, barley, or rice. For extra shine, some nutritionists also recommend mixing a teaspoonful of vegetable oil into your dog's food once or twice a day.

Grooming is another way to improve your dog's coat health. Regular brushing with a soft-bristled brush can  [Continued]