Winter Woes - Treating Your Dog’s Itchy Skin

Wintertime is full of joyous occasions worth celebrating, like holidays and a fresh start with a new year. It’s also a season with a unique set of challenges for dog owners. To keep our dogs happy and healthy, we still have to go outside even when the weather is less than ideal. Cats, you win this one. Even if you live in a place where the temperature doesn’t dip as low as other places, the air gets dry, winds shift, and allergies can rear their ugly heads. Yuck. Thankfully, we know a thing or two about winter’s effect on dogs, and we’re here to help.

How Do I Know My Dog Has Skin Issues?

You may be wondering, “don’t dogs scratch themselves as part of just...you know, being a dog?” and you’d be right, they do. But it’s essential to look for the signs that your dog’s itching is something you need to address. Dry winter air robs your dog’s skin of essential moisture, which is as uncomfortable for them as it is for us. You may first notice signs of discomfort, like twitching, restlessness, or not wanting to be petted, dry skin that flakes, more shedding than usual, and excessive grooming. Watch for constant ear scratching, head shaking, or licking and chewing between their toes, too.

Another prevalent sign your dog is in itchy distress is a “hot spot.” Hot spots are red, wet, irritated areas on your dog’s skin resulting from excessive rubbing, scratching, licking, and even chewing on the skin. Hot spots are painful and can quickly become infected, so it is vital to take care of them right away. 

How Should I Treat My Dog’s Itchy Skin?

If your dog has developed a hot spot, you must keep the area clean and discourage your dog from continuing to agitate the area. A vet may prescribe antibiotics for an infection or steroids to reduce the inflammation to provide some relief. Your dog may even need to wear the dreaded “cone of shame” for a little while if they can’t leave the area alone. 

Once you’ve addressed the immediate problem with your vet, it’s necessary to treat your dog from the inside out. Even if your dog hasn’t developed a hot spot yet, if they’re showing signs of itchy discomfort, it’s a good idea to start them on a regimen of K9 Power® Show Stopper™. Show Stopper™ is a nutritional supplement designed to support a dog’s overall skin health. It helps to resolve skin issues from the inside out by promoting healthier skin production. The formula contains Omega 3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, which creates better skin hydration. Show Stopper™ also has heaps of antioxidants and whole egg, a natural source of biotin. 

Does My Dog Need to Use Show Stopper™ Forever?

There’s so much more that goes into a dog’s skin and coat health beyond grooming. Brushing your dog and bathing him now and then won’t solve the problem. Remember that just like humans, the skin is your dog’s largest organ. We must protect and take care of this vital bodily system. 

Treating skin problems is a marathon, not a sprint. In the beginning, Show Stopper™ usually takes a few weeks to begin showing improvement. However, it is not uncommon for some dogs to start showing great signs of relief much sooner than that. Give the supplement some time to work its magic. Once your pup starts to heal and show signs of improvement, don’t be tempted to stop using the supplements. Unfortunately, what usually happens is those issues come back full force, and then they’re more challenging to get rid of completely. We recommend continuing to use Show Stopper™ or tapering to 2-3 doses a week as maintenance to keep itching at bay.

Winter weather doesn’t have to mean excess shedding, scratching, and keeping you up all night lick, lick, licking anymore. End the winter woes with K9 Power® Show Stopper™. And hey, it even tastes like chicken!