Dogs possess three types of hair, two of them make up a dog’s coat and the third is a dog’s whiskers. The short fluffy hairs in a dog’s coat are called secondary hairs, also referred to as underfur or undercoat. The longer and stiffer outer hairs are called primary hairs, also referred to as guard hairs, outer hairs, or outer coat. The whiskers are referred to as tactile because they aid a dog’s senses. Similar to many other animals a dog’s skin is the largest organ of their body and belongs to the biological system integumentary system. The condition of a Dog’s health is readily detected via the skin, the condition of dog’s skin and coat usually indicate the state of a dog’s health. Disorders and disease will present themselves as lesions, hair loss, and redness causing a dog’s body odor to become very unpleasant. A thoughtful approach to healing your hound’s skin begins with understanding the physiology of a dogs skin and coat.
There are three layers to a dog’s skin: epidermis, dermis, and panniculus. Contained in these layers are two types of glands. The epidermis is the outer layer of the skin and contains the apocrine gland, this gland produces a fluids. The apocrine gland produces sweat in humans but has a different function in dogs. The canine gland produces pheromones giving them their distinctive body odor with the purpose of notify other dogs of their presence. The second gland is the eccrine gland located in a dog’s paws. This gland does produce a type of sweat similar to human’s body sweat. The cells that make up the epidermis are tough in structure and are glued together in stacks by fats. Dogs and Humans require very different approached to healthy skin using internal and external remedies. Human’s exposure to sun creates the most skin damage and responds best to vitamins such as c and e, while a dog’s coat vastly reduces a their exposure to the sun. Therefore the vast amount of damage to a dog’s skin is by way of their diet as opposed to exposure to the elements. An improper balance of nutrients, combined with additives, preservatives, plus other toxins tend to dry a dog’s skin, furthermore bacterial skin infections are the result of other diseases. These diseases include dermatophytosis , parasitism, allergies, endocrine (hormonal) disorders or a compromised immune system. For these reasons supplements designed to aid your dogs digestion should additionally contain nutrients that improve the health of your dogs skin and coat .
Patches of hair loss indicate the underlining skin is experiencing inflammation, itchiness and swelling. Fats benefit a dog’s health in many ways: energy, skin and coat, kidney health, heart, and reduce inflammation in the joints; therefore it is important to determine if their diet is providing the right amounts and types of fats. The omega fats are the most beneficial for dog’s, while they help suppress inflammation, which is the cause of so many of the degenerative diseases that plague your dog they also greatly benefit the skin and coat.