Dry skin can make a beagle as well as the owner uncomfortable. There are quite a few potential reasons that can cause dry skin to your dog; the most common among them is a skin allergy. So how to treat your beagle’s dry skin?
Bathing your beagle with oatmeal dog shampoo can help to treat dry skin. Applying a small amount of vitamin E oil can be beneficial too. However, it is crucial to identify the cause to resolve and prevent dry skin completely.
Causes of Dry Skin in Beagles
Dry skin can be an early symptom of some severe health complications. Kindly consult your veterinarian to find out possible causes of dry skin in your beagle. There are several problems that can cause dry skin.
Skin Allergies
Dry skin can be one of the symptoms of a skin allergy. An allergy can be triggered by a food ingredient, grain, grass, pollen, etc.
Allergy can also be trigger by flea saliva. It’s called Flea Allergy Dermatitis, and it’s quite common. The best way to avoid this problem is by keeping fleas away from your beagle. Apply anti-tick spray or bath your beagle with an anti-tick shampoo. If you think your beagle has fleas, then consult your vet immediately for flea treatment.
How to find it out if your beagle has allergies?
Few other symptoms of allergies can be excessive scratching, inflamed skin, swelling of the face, diarrhea, and even vomiting. You can read this AKC article to know more about the symptoms and treatment of dog allergies.
Parasites
Parasites like Demodex mite and Cheyletiellosis can cause the beagle’s skin to become dry. Look thoroughly on your pooch’s scalp and try to find signs of parasites. If you notice anything, consult your vet immediately.
How to Find it out if your beagle has Parasites?
If you notice that your beagle is scratching excessively, then it could be a sign of parasite invasion.
The first thing you can do is look thoroughly on your beagle’s scalp for bugs. Start by looking at his belly and under the armpits.
You can even run a flea comb on your pooch’s fur and see if anything comes out.
Infections
Infection can cause various skin-related issues, including dry skin. This can be a serious issue.
How to find it out if your beagle has an infection?
Vet needs to scrape skin and test for diagnosing infection. One of the signs of fungal infection could be loss of hair along with the dry skin.
Other Reasons
Dry skin can be a symptom of serious health problems. Few diseases that can cause dry skin in a beagle are
Just Dry Skin
If your vet has verified that your beagle does not have anything issues like parasites, or skin allergies that are causing dry skin, then it can simply be just dry skin.
Dry skin can also be caused by cold weather, excessive bathing, using harsh soaps or shampoos, or even feeding low-quality dog food to your beagle. If that’s the case, then it is way easier to treat dry skin.
Treating your beagle’s Dry Skin
If you notice signs of any significant problem, then please consult your veterinarian immediately to see treatment and better medical advice.
Now let’s look into how you can treat your beagle’s dry skin.
Step 1: Bath your Beagle with Oatmeal
Apply a mixture of oatmeal and water on your beagle’s skin and leave it there for 10 to 15 minutes. Then raise him thoroughly with water. You can even consider using an oatmeal dog shampoo.
This can help moisturize your pooch’s skin and reduce dry skin. It will also make your beagle’s fur shiny and healthy.
Step 2: Apply Vitamine E Oil
Use fish oil (as it has Vitamine E) and apply it on your beagle’s skin. Then brush his fur to spread the oil on his coat evenly. It helps a lot to relax his skin irritation and treat dry skin.
Step 3: Look for any Signs of Allergy
Try to assess if your beagle has any skin allergy. If your beagle’s skin recently became dry, then try to find if there’s something new you fed your beagle.
Environmental factors can also trigger an allergy. Observe your beagle and notice if he itches his skin or acts uncomfortable after returning from walks.
If you think that your beagle has an allergy, then take him to the vet immediately for treatment.
Step 4: Inspect your Beagle for fleas or mites
Spread a white bed sheet on the floor and place your beagle on it. Now brush his fur with long gentle strokes. Fleas and mites prefer dark places where sunlight cannot reach, so gently brush his belly and armpits too. Look for white, black, or copper-colored grain like insects. It will be easy to spot them on a white sheet.
If you suspect that your pooch has fleas or mites, then you will have to treat your beagle as well as the entire house. Consult your vet to treat fleas and mites on your beagle.
To make your house flea-free, you will need to spray anti-flea solution in all the nooks and corners of your home.
Step 5: Use Conditioner
Bathing your beagle can remove essential body oils from its skin and make it dry. Dog conditioners moisturize and nourish the skin as well as the coat of the beagle.
Apart from that, it also makes the dog’s fur soft and shiner. I would highly recommend this conditioner as it contains oatmeal, which is excellent for dry skin.
Step 6: Scheduled Grooming
Excessive bathing your beagle can stripe away essential body oils and make his skin dry. So it is necessary to bath your pooch at regular intervals. Brushing your pooch removes dead hair, dirt, and debris from the coat and prevent dry skin.
Having a proper grooming schedule can help on track for everything.
Final Thoughts
Treating dry skin of your beagle depends on the problem. Consult your veterinarian if you suspect any serious problem that’s causing dry skin. Don’t worry, most of the problems that cause dry skin in beagles are treatable.