Nutrition for skin

Your pet’s skin provides protection, regulates body temperature, prevents dehydration and creates vital nutrients, making healthy skin essential to the well-being of your pet.

If you have a pet that is prone to itchy skin, there are special nutrients and specifically designed diets that can help soothe that scratch. 

Protein

Your pet’s food should provide optimal quality and quantity of protein, while also being highly digestible. Protein is important for skin and hair growth and regeneration. If a poor-quality diet is fed, the skin can lose its protective barrier function and become more susceptible to infections. You will also see impaired or slower wound healing, hair loss and dull, dry, brittle coats. Some anti-allergy diets have ‘novel’ proteins or proteins that are broken down into smaller parts so that the body does not recognise them and react to them.

Fatty acids

Essential fatty acids are another key ingredient that impact skin health. Essential fatty acids need to be present in the correct ratios and form to maintain the barrier function of skin and prevent loss of water and other nutrients from the body. Good quality essential fatty acids are included in some diets to help reduce itchiness in pets.

Minerals and vitamins

Minerals in the food interact with one another, so ensuring appropriate levels of different minerals is essential for skin and health in general. Appropriate vitamin levels are also important. If there are deficiencies or excesses of minerals or vitamins, we can see changes in the skin, hair or health of pets.

Skin is a metabolically active organ that is affected by the nutritional status of the animal. Having adequate, good quality fat and protein content, appropriate nutrient digestibility and the correct level of vitamins and minerals is essential for maintaining normal healthy skin in our pets.

Talk to your veterinarian about optimal nutrition for your pet that is tailored to their age, breed, lifestyle and health needs.