A few weeks ago, I saw a dog whose skin was red and extremely itchy and losing a lot of fur. Their owner brought them into our groomer, Sam, who explained that skin irritations and loss of coat was a very common problem with many pets; and in many cases, a good diet and regular grooming can solve the problem.

Skin and hair play an important role in a dogs health and well-being - they stop water and heat from leaving the body; and help to keep viruses and bacteria out.

A dogs' coat is mostly made up of protein. That’s why it’s so important to have enough good quality protein in the dog food they eat. Also, not enough, or poor quality protein can cause your pup's hair to fall out and their coat to be in a poor condition.

Healthy fats and quality vitamins and minerals also play a big part in keeping a coat and skin healthy; and it can also help with aching joints. There are also certain ingredients in pet foods that can cause an allergic reaction – this includes, but isn’t limited to, beef, chicken, pork, fish, eggs, dairy, grain and a few other artificial things like colouring, additives and preservatives. Even simply changing your dogs' diet can trigger a skin reaction and cause hot spots.

There are many other possible reasons for itchy skin and loss of fur such as ticks and fleas, change of season, allergies; or it could simply be down to life-stage. Having a white coat also makes dogs more prone to skin irritations from spending too much time in the sun and unfortunately skin cancer in dogs is a common problem. Try using the Petkin Sun Mist to protect your dog on sunnier days. If your dog's coat is irritated, you may wish to try a specially formulated dog food for sensitive skin or consult your vet who may recommend a prescription diet.

We carefully go through the coat and look for ticks, fleas, mites, and any other concerns just to be absolutely certain. Make sure you are always up to date with flea treatments, as these nasty pests can cause your dog's skin to become itchy, raw and irritated. Try WashBar's Flea And Freshen Daily Spritzer or Manuka And Kakadu Itch Soothe Topical Spray which both provide 100% natural relief from itching.

We suggested to this particular owner that they change their dogs' diet to a premium pet food - one that had high quality ingredients, and to come back for another medicated bath the following week. If there was no change to the dog's condition, or it was getting worse, then a visit to the vet would definitely be in order to check for allergies or some other possible cause.

As it turns out, after switching to a new quality premium pet food and a second groom, the dogs' skin was no longer itchy and their coat was looking great.

Having a kind groomer that is experienced, knowledgeable and cares for your health and well-being is so important – just as important as being on a quality, healthy diet!