Most people do not know that the food they feed their dogs plays an essential role in the health of their dogs’ coats. If you meet a dog with skin that has bumps or flakes and dull hair, then chances are they need dietary improvements.
A dog with a shiny coat that is smooth and soft is usually healthy. Dogs with shiny coats are fed nutritious and healthy foods that benefit them. However, it is essential to note that you should not depend only on food if you want to give your dog a shiny coat.
Other things, such as grooming, are also crucial in determining the health of your dog’s coat.
So what should you feed your dog for a shiny coat? Before then, how does diet affect your pet’s skin and fur?
How diet affects your pet’s skin
Dogs need protein for healthy hair and skin. The best proteins are the highly digestible ones that come from high-quality sources. This allows the gastrointestinal tract of your dogs to not only digest but also absorb the proteins.
Fatty acids also affect your dog’s hair and skin development. If you get the right quantities of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, you can easily manage skin irritation and itching, ensuring that your dog has a shiny coat.
One of the best ways to manage your dog’s coat is by getting probiotics. They play an essential role in improving the health of your dog’s coat and skin, maintaining healthy bacteria, getting rid of disorders associated with yeast, improving breath, reducing intestinal gas, and reducing allergies.
Here are some foods to feed your dog for a shiny coat;
Cranberries
Cranberries have several bioactive components, including phytochemical ellagic acid, anthocyanin, and proanthocyanidins antioxidants. Supplementing your dog’s food with anthocyanins helps to avoid damage to blood vessels and inflammation.
Proanthocyanidins antioxidants are also crucial in giving your dog a shiny coat. However, depending on your dog, you should ensure that you get the portions right. Phytochemical ellagic acids prevent skin cancer in dogs. They can also be used to treat eczema and skin wounds.
Almonds
Almonds are known for their richness in vitamin E. They contain tocotrienols and tocopherols, the significant components in vitamin E. Dogs lacking vitamin E often develop dermatological disorders.
You will also find vitamin B, bioflavonoids, zinc, magnesium, manganese, traces of omega 3, and copper in almonds. These nutrients are all essential in giving your dog a shiny coat. However, almonds are only safe in limited quantities.
Dogs can struggle to digest whole almonds. They can also lead to intestinal distress and upset your dog’s stomach. You should use a blender to grind almonds to powder or get almond meal from grocery stores.
Sweet potatoes
Due to their beta-carotene level, sweet potatoes are some of the best foods for your dog’s coat. Beta Carotene is a form of vitamin A and is considered among the best vitamin E sources.
They also contain vitamin C. The content of their vitamin C increases as you cook them. It plays a role in producing collagen, supports wound healing, decreases photodamage, and improves photoprotection.
Eggs
Eggs are rich in proteins, and almost everything dogs need for a shiny coat. First, they are rich in vitamin A, which is necessary for cell turnover. Second, zinc is required for skin health, connective tissue formation, wound healing, cell division, and protein synthesis.
The yolk is a vital biotin source and helps in dry skin, itching, and seborrhea treatment, standard with dogs with skin allergies.
However, you should not feed your dog raw eggs. This is because they have an avidin substance, which interferes with amino acids, glucose, fats, and biotin metabolism.
Liver
The liver is also essential in giving your dog a shiny coat. You should, however, get liver from animals that feed on grass. The liver contains nutrients such as vitamins A, C, D, and E, copper, zinc, iron, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium.
It also contains several B vitamins, including biotin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin.
Give your dog a shiny coat
Your dog’s health is essential.
You must ensure that your dog gets the right food for a shiny coat. Consider adding the foods discussed in this article to help give your dog a shiny coat.
Nadine Westwood helps her clients achieve phenomenal results by combining nutrition, fitness, and fun! She believes primarily in living a happy life and focusing on happiness above all else. She has created bespoke plans that stand the test of time because, above all else, she wants her clients to have fun.