Topical canine itchy skin treatments that really work!

Itchy skin is sometimes tough to support, but we have a wonderful blog article that explains why feeding a fresh diet is the key to healing itchy skin, and why you are not likely to solve itchy skin at all if your dog is eating processed food.

However, while you wait for the dietary changes to help, these are our Nutritionist’s top four topical options you can apply to your dog’s skin in the meantime to soothe redness, cool the skin, ease the itch and even kill yeast naturally too.

Number one is the classic, yet often overlooked, Aloe Vera.
Gel squeezed straight from the plant is terrific if you have some growing in your home. It is very likely though that you will need more than your plant can provide, so purchasing some is essential.

It is very tough to find a genuinely natural version as most have many preservatives added which can can be harmful to your dog if they lick the area.

We love Wonder Gel from the Mr Slobberchops range. This aloe gel is preserved only with rosemary extract, so is an excellent choice. Aloe cools and soothes redness while also helping to heal wounds and reduce the itch itself. You may need to put it on quite often, but luckily, Wonder Gel comes in a huge tub.

The second is the brilliant LUCAA+ Pet Probiotic Allergen-Free spray from Ingenious Probiotics.
This spray provides topical skin probiotics, allowing damaged or thinning skin to replenish easily and quickly. Healthy skin needs bacteria to renew: if all bacteria is stripped, the skin cannot renew itself effectively. This spray is especially useful for dogs with dust mite allergies as the ingredients counteract the dust mite spores; the dust mites become food for the probiotics in the spray so they are consumed, rather than sitting on the skin to irritate your dog.

Canine skin bacteria are made up of the same species as those in their gut microbiome, which is why these innovative probiotics also work so well on the skin of a dog with microbiome imbalances or gut dysbiosis. LUCAA+ also offers a great shampoo for itchy dogs too.

Third is an option much discussed over the years but almost forgotten now, yet it’s fantastic. It is Green Clay powder.
This powder can be dusted over your dog’s skin and coat, making sure it reaches between the hairs down to the follicles and skin of course, or made into a wet paste and smoothed onto the skin. You can even pack it between the paw pads or toes.
It is safe for your dog to lick or ingest; in fact it is likely to help their digestive system too.

The original textbooks on canine natural skin solutions would show many before and after photos of green clay’s almost magic-like qualities. It is a viable and incredibly natural option, that really does soothe itchy dogs, especially those with hot, pink or red skin. After bathing your dog with LUCAA+ shampoo, you can dust on green clay and then use aloe gel afterwards.

Lastly the most recent innovation is a skin yeast slayer that goes by the name of Propythium. Essentially a beneficial fungus, it is able to rebalance a yeasty skin by killing off the yeast at the same time as encouraging the conditions for healthy skin bacteria to flourish, reducing the likelihood of the yeast growing back. There is also an ear yeast option which has such rave reviews it’s often sold out on major pet wellness webshops.

Watch out for the long-term (more than a few times) use of either steroid creams or the topical pink-coloured liquids often prescribed for skin issues as these strip beneficial skin bacteria and are known to cause thinning of the skin if used repeatedly.

Our Nutrition Consultant is always on hand to help you with your dog’s skin issues, allergies or itchiness. With decades of experience, she is sure one of the above will support your dog while you work with the diet aspect too.