9 Natural Home Remedies for Your Dog

Dry, itchy skin can leave your dog feeling miserable and you going crazy over your dog’s incessant scratching. All this scratching can be unbearable to watch and give you the itches.

To remedy the situation, try these easy, safe and natural remedies to soothe dry, itchy skin and give your dog some relief.

1. Vinegar & Water

Vinegar and water is a great option for DIY itchy skin relief. Calm the itch by mixing a solution of half vinegar and half cold water in a spray bottle. Then, spray the affected areas as needed. This works well on dry, itchy skin or poison ivy but do NOT use on open cuts or raw skin. Vinegar has antifungal properties and is effective in killing bacteria and microbes.

Another home remedy for an itchy dog is to put a half cup of oatmeal in a quart of water, bring to a boil, strain, and let it cool to room temperature. Pat the mixture on the itchy spots and let dry.

Alternatively, you can draw a warm bath and sprinkle in raw oats. Let your pet sit in the water for ten to fifteen minutes.

3. Olive Oil & Lavender

Oils can be used as a home remedy for dry, itchy skin. Mix ½ cup of olive oil with ½ teaspoon of lavender essential oil. Dip a cotton ball in the oil mixture and rub on the itchy areas.

You can also add a little bit of olive oil to your dog’s food. One tablespoon of olive oil a few times a week should help your dog’s skin and coat. Omega-3 fatty acids are great for getting rid of dry skin.

Another option for DIY itchy skin relief is with fish oil. Apply fish oil directly to the skin and coat, or put a bit of the oil in your dog’s food once or twice a week. You can also give the supplement as a fish oil capsule. Consult a vet for proper dosage.

Aloe Vera soothes and moisturizes dry or itchy skin. Cut open some leaves from an Aloe Vera plant and strip out the pulp. Gently massage the pulp and juice into your dog’s skin. Make sure that your dog does not ingest the Aloe Vera as it can be toxic. If your dog does eat any Aloe Vera, monitor them closely for side effects and call your vet if your dog vomits, has diarrhea, or stops eating.

6. Coconut Oil

Not only is coconut oil a great natural moisturizer, but it is also antibacterial and antifungal. Take some chilled, solid coconut oil and massage on affected areas of your dog’s skin and coat. Chilling the oil slightly will provide some added itch relief.

The antifungal and antibacterial qualities are great for dogs suffering from itchy skin conditions such as eczema, yeast infections, or insect bites and stings. For dogs that are prone to itchy, dry skin, look for shampoo products that contain coconut oil.

7. Chamomile or Green Tea

If your dog is itchy all over, steep a warm bath with several chamomile or green tea bags for several minutes. Remove the tea bags and let your dog soak for 5-10 minutes. Herbal teas have properties that soothe irritated skin.

Consult your vet if itching is persistent and does not get any better. This could be a sign of something more serious.

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1. Vitamin E Oil for Healthy Skin

Vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight aging, says Dr. Judy Morgan, a holistic veterinarian based in New Jersey. (Antioxidants prevent free radical damage, which scientists believe contributes to aging.) While your dog couldn’t care less about maintaining her youthful glow, she can still benefit from Vitamin E oil. Morgan says it adds protection against UV radiation, which is especially beneficial if your dog spends a lot of time outdoors.

It can also be used to moisturize your companion’s dry skin. Morgan recommends massaging Vitamin E oil on your dog’s coat. “Vitamin E capsules can also be broken open and used on warts, calluses, or dry spots,” she says, adding that there is no cause for concern if your pet licks off the small amount of the oil.

2. Electrolyte-Replacing Liquids for Diarrhea

Flavorless electrolyte-replacing liquids (such as sports waters or pediatric drinks) not only help athletes to rehydrate and babies to recover from illness, but also can supply your sick poochs body with much-needed fluid and electrolytes if he’s suffering through a bout of diarrhea.

“Dogs lose fluids and electrolytes when they have diarrhea, so offering them a drink that contains both can be appropriate, particularly if their appetite hasn’t fully returned to normal,” says Dr. Jennifer Coates, veterinary advisor with petMD.

Consult your veterinarian as to the appropriate dosage before giving these types of liquids to your dog and to determine whether additional treatment is necessary.

Symptoms of Dry Skin in Dogs

There are several ways to improve the quality of your dogs skin, as well as ways to treat his or her preexisting dry skin. Before we get started, lets talk about problems that can develop in a dog with untreated dry skin.

Flaking: Although this occurs in all dogs to some degree, it should not be noticeable in a dog that has normal skin. Flaking occurs when dead skin falls off of your dog; it is usually noted on the belly or underarms.

Dandruff: Similar to flaking, dandruff will come off in pieces. You may notice white flakes of dead skin anywhere that the dog has chosen to lie down.

Scaling: With this condition, the skin comes off in large sections, not just flakes.

Shedding: With most cases of dry skin, the hair loss is all over the dogs body, as seen in shedding. In some cases, the dog will have spotty or patchy areas of missing hair.

Pimples: Pimples appear as small, red bumps. If they are on the chin, especially if you have a short-haired breed like a Rottweiler or Pug, your dog might actually have canine acne, which is unrelated to dry skin.

Scabs: When pimples swell, they may eventually break open when your dog itches. They might scab up before you even notice them.

Redness: Red skin is a sign of inflammation. If your dog has dry skin, it is more likely to become infected and inflamed.

Odor: Dry skin can begin to stink in the presence of a bacterial or yeast infection. If you ignore dry skin when it is just flaking and scaling, it can lead to a more serious problem that causes odor.

Itching: A lot of times, an owner will not notice dry skin until the dog becomes itchy. Since the dog does not have allergies and will not respond to steroids, it will continue to scratch and need to be treated as described below.

The most important change you can make for your dog is switching him/her to a real diet.

The Most Important Change for Dry Skin Is Dietary

The most effective remedy for your dogs dry skin is to switch his diet to real food. Dont be deceived—the largest retailers of dog food sell the most dog food compared to other brands because their product is cheap. Unfortunately, cheap dog food diets are lacking in many nutrients that would otherwise keep your dogs skin from drying out. Even if you do not buy the cheapest brand of dog food, other dog food brands that are able to sit on the shelf for months are not what your dog needs either.

6 Dog Dry Skin Home Remedy Options

Most of the over-the-counter products you will find to treat itchy skin contain oatmeal. Studies have shown that the properties in oats have a positive effect on itchy skin. You can make your dog an oatmeal bath at home to help heal dry or itchy skin.

Add 3 cups of colloidal oatmeal to a bathtub filled with about 6 inches of warm water. Put your dog in the bathtub and use a cup to apply the oatmeal water generously to his coat. Massage the mixture in to the skin with your hands. Try to allow the oatmeal bath to sit on your pup for 20-30 minutes (if he will stay in the tub long enough).

7 DIY Home Remedies for Dry, Itchy Skin

Oils can be used as a home remedy for dry, itchy skin. Mix ½ cup of olive oil with ½ teaspoon of lavender essential oil. Dip a cotton ball in the oil mixture and rub on the itchy areas.

Another home remedy for an itchy dog is to put a half cup of oatmeal in a quart of water, bring to a boil, strain, and let it cool to room temperature. Pat the mixture on the itchy spots and let dry.

1. Vinegar & Water

Oils can be used as a home remedy for dry, itchy skin. Mix ½ cup of olive oil with ½ teaspoon of lavender essential oil. Dip a cotton ball in the oil mixture and rub on the itchy areas.

7. Chamomile or Green Tea