{"id":9182,"date":"2020-06-10T11:06:43","date_gmt":"2020-06-10T16:06:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/?p=9182"},"modified":"2025-11-18T11:13:01","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T17:13:01","slug":"sensitive-skin-shampoo-for-dogs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/blog\/health\/how-to-choose-the-right-dog-dandruff-shampoo\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Choose the Right Dog Dandruff Shampoo"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you notice your dog itching and leaving white flakes all over the couch, it might have you wondering, \u201cCan dogs get dandruff?\u201d The answer is yes! Dandruff is a skin condition that dogs can develop. However, before you go out and buy an anti-dandruff dog shampoo, make an appointment with your veterinarian first \u2014 dandruff may not be the problem.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Is it Actually Dog Dandruff?<\/h2>\n

Dogs can get both the dry (seborrhea sicca) and oily (seborrhea oleosa) forms of the dandruff, which results in dead skin cells flaking off. However, many factors \u2014 environmental allergies, food allergies, external parasites, poor-quality dog food, overly dry air, skin infections and the wrong shampoo \u2014 can cause or intensify skin sensitivity. So, dog dandruff may not actually be the problem.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If your dog\u2019s skin condition hasn\u2019t been evaluated by your vet, your first step should be to schedule an appointment. Your vet can determine if it is dog dandruff or another underlying condition that\u2019s causing your dog\u2019s skin issue, and prescribe an appropriate treatment, which may include <\/span>medicated shampoo therapy<\/span><\/a> or a change in your dog\u2019s diet that promotes healthy skin. They can also provide guidance on cleansing your pup\u2019s skin and fur with a medicated shampoo.<\/span><\/p>\n

Can I Use My Dandruff Shampoo on My Dog?<\/h2>\n

No. There are many different types of shampoo for humans, and the labels may make it sound like what your dog needs: preserve the natural oils! Moisturize dry, flaky skin! Cleanse oily skin! However, you want a shampoo, and possibly a conditioner, that\u2019s specifically formulated for dogs (or dogs and cats). Appropriate products will say that they\u2019re pH-balanced for dogs or that they \u201chelp maintain skin barrier integrity\u201d as part of the label.<\/span><\/p>\n

The reason for using a dog shampoo has to do with the <\/span>differences that exist between dog and human skin<\/span><\/a>, including their skin thickness, pH, glands and hair follicles. The average pH of canine skin ranges between 7.0 and 7.5 on the standard pH scale of 0 to 14, although an even broader range has been reported.<\/span>1<\/span> In contrast, the pH of human skin runs around 5.2 to 5.5. A shampoo designed for human skin and hair may be too acidic for dog skin, which may disrupt the pH balance and dry out your pet\u2019s skin.<\/span><\/p>\n

In an emergency \u2014 your dog is covered in mud, and you\u2019re completely out of pet shampoo \u2014 you can use your own shampoo to clean up your pup. Typical human shampoos aren\u2019t toxic to dogs, but they can be irritating or drying to sensitive dog skin, so you don\u2019t want to use them routinely to bathe your furry friend.<\/span><\/p>\n

Choosing a Dog Shampoo for Dry Skin<\/h2>\n

All dog shampoos are not created equal, which can make finding the right shampoo for your dog particularly tricky. When your dog has sensitive skin, you want to be especially careful when choosing a shampoo because the wrong product can make existing skin conditions worse or cause new problems.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Shampoos for dry skin contain moisturizing ingredients to help keep skin hydrated. Some of these products will be labeled with descriptors such as \u201chydrating,\u201d \u201cmoisturizing\u201d and \u201crestoring\u201d and they may contain essential fatty acids.<\/span><\/p>\n

The two main types of moisturizing ingredients used in shampoos are humectants and emollients.<\/span><\/p>\n

Humectants work by pulling moisture up from the deeper skin layers to rehydrate the surface. Examples of humectants include natural moisturizing factors (e.g., carboxylic acid, lactic acid and urea), sodium lactate, propylene glycol, glycerin and polyvinylpyrrolidone.<\/span><\/p>\n

Emollients moisturize skin by providing oil to coat the surface and fill the spaces between cells of the outer skin layer. Examples of emollients are oils (e.g., almond, corn, cottonseed, coconut, olive, peanut, Persea [avocado], safflower and sesame), animal fats (e.g., lanolin) and hydrocarbons (e.g., mineral oil, paraffin and petrolatum).<\/span><\/p>\n

Choosing a Dog Shampoo for Sensitive Skin<\/h2>\n

These shampoos include skin-soothing ingredients to help reduce irritation and itching and provide some relief for your dog. Oatmeal (colloidal oatmeal), aloe vera and pramoxine are added to shampoos designed for dogs with sensitive skin specifically for their anti-itch properties. Often, the labels of these products will highlight these soothing ingredients.<\/span><\/p>\n

The use of oatmeal evolved out of folk medicine. It\u2019s thought to decrease skin inflammation by inhibiting the production of hormones (i.e., prostaglandins) that play a key role in inflammation. However, the exact way that it works isn\u2019t known.<\/span><\/p>\n

Aloe vera contains two compounds known to reduce itching and inflammation. One substance blocks the production of a hormone associated with pain and inflammation. The second chemical interferes with the production of histamine, a chemical released by cells during <\/span>allergic<\/span><\/a> and inflammatory reactions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pramoxine is a topical local anesthetic that numbs the skin by stopping nerves from sending pain signals. If you choose a shampoo that contains pramoxine, you\u2019ll want to consider wearing gloves when bathing your dog.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes, It\u2019s What\u2019s Not<\/i> in the Shampoo<\/h2>\n

For some sensitive-skinned dogs, your shampoo choice is as much about what\u2019s <\/span>not<\/span><\/i> in the product as what is. Dogs with easily irritated, itchy skin can benefit from a soap-, fragrance- and dye-free shampoo. Some shampoo products may contain phrases such as \u201csulfate and paraben free,\u201d \u201calcohol-free\u201d or \u201csoap-free formula.\u201d They may also be labeled and promoted as hypoallergenic formulas.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shampoo Is Just One Part of a Successful Bath Time<\/h2>\n

The shampoo you choose for bathing your dog with dandruff or sensitive skin is just one <\/span>\u201cbath factor\u201d<\/span><\/a> that can affect your dog\u2019s skin. Other parts of the bathing and grooming process, such as frequency of baths, water temperature, thoroughness of rinsing and the drying process, can either improve or worsen your dog\u2019s skin condition.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you have any questions or concerns about your dog\u2019s dandruff or irritated skin and which shampoo to use, be sure to discuss them with your veterinarian. Your veterinarian can provide recommendations specific to your dog and their skin condition.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. <\/span>Meyer W, Neurand K. 1991. Comparison of skin pH in domesticated and laboratory mammals. Arch Dermatol Res 1991;283: 16\u201318. doi:10.1007\/bf01207245.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you notice your dog itching and leaving white flakes all over the couch, it might have you wondering, \u201cCan dogs get dandruff?\u201d The answer is yes! Dandruff is a skin condition that dogs can develop. However, before you go out and buy an anti-dandruff dog shampoo, make an appointment with your veterinarian first \u2014 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":57577,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"How to Choose the Right Dog Dandruff Shampoo","_seopress_titles_desc":"Learn how to choose the right dandruff shampoo for your dog to relieve itching, soothe sensitive skin and keep their coat healthy, shiny and flake-free!","_seopress_robots_index":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_searchwp_excluded":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[28],"tags":[134,10,776,793,792,54,150],"class_list":["post-9182","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health","tag-diamond-pet-foods","tag-dog","tag-dog-bath","tag-dog-fur","tag-dog-grooming","tag-dogs","tag-sensitive-skin"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9182","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9182"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9182\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/57577"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9182"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9182"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.diamondpet.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9182"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}