I was concerned about my five-year-old Maltese, Heidi, because her skin seemed dry and flaky, and her coat did not seem as full and silky as usual. Her condition did not alarm me at first because I thought it was just caused from the dryness in the house during the winter months. But it did not clear up. In fact, it got worse. Dog Pain Relief

When doing our usual snuggling routine together while watching the evening news each night, she seemed to jump off my lap every now and then to scratch, settle down, then respond to another itch again. It is really hard to get a full-night’s sleep if your baby is suffering from pain!

When I mentioned Heidi’s irritation to our veterinarian, Dr. Ava Frick, at Heidi’s appointment, she asked if I might possibly be bathing Heidi too often or using the wrong shampoo. I use a very mild shampoo and do not bathe Heidi too often although both reasons are common for a dog to experience skin irritation.

Fleas were out of the question, as I am diligent about preventing them from ever becoming a problem. She only goes outside to play for a bit each day and to relieve herself, and I am careful to have the yard treated in order to prevent fleas.

With those possibilities out of the way, Dr. Frick and I had an interesting discussion about how essential fatty acids are the key to a dog’s healthy coat. I was quite worried about the possibility of Heidi having deficiency in her diet albeit I have the thinking of making the best choices when buying her food and treats.

I have learned that healthy fats are essential in keeping a dog’s coat in good shape. Low-quality commercial dog food do not provide the proper nutrients to support healthy skin and coat. The same thing with improperly balanced homemade dog foods, they often lack proper nutrition.

Omega-3 also provides benefits to dog’s skin for its anti-inflammatory effects. They are beneficial to dogs with allergies or other inflammatory skin diseases. They are great since they can also lessen itchiness as most dogs irritate their skin by excessive scratching.

Dr. Frick provided some changes to Heidi’s diet, which includes addition of supplements. She said that I should start to see some improvement in Heidi’s skin and coat within about six weeks of starting Omega-3 supplementation, and she was exactly right.

My dog’s skin and coat are more beautiful than ever. And, best of all, Heidi doesn’t have to deal with the irritation that led her to scratch so often that it seemed like it was driving her crazy. Pet Chiropractic