What fatty acids should you give to a dog that suffers from itching or eczema?

Problems that dogs have with their skin are often due to dryness. Problems caused by dry skin include itching, dandruff and dull coat. Dogs need essential fatty acids for the well-being of their skin. Dogs’ bodies are not able to manufacture these fatty acids, instead they need to be obtained from food. 

Which essential fatty acids do the dog’s skin need to fight itching and eczema?

Dogs need omega-6 linoleic acid to maintain the protective barrier of the skin. Lack of linoleic acid makes the dog’s skin dry and flaky, it increases hair loss and risk of bacterial and fungal infections. Linoleic acid can be obtained from plant seed oils. These oils also contain alpha-linoleic acid (omega-3 SDA) that works with linoleic acid to strengthen the barrier function of the skin.

Dogs with skin problems need a supplement that contains selected essential fatty acids (linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic acid) from vegetable sources. Nutrolin® SKIN & COAT is a patented oil supplement that contains both linoleic acid and alpha-linoleic acid. In addition, Skin & Coat is complemented with natural tocopherols (alpha-tocopherol, that is, vitamin E, and beta-, gamma- and delta-tocopherols) that boost the oils’ effects. Nutrolin® Skin & Coat oil supplement enables dogs’ bodies to build ceramides and other constituents of healthy skin.

Nutrolin® Skin& Coat maintains the protective barrier
of the skin

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Salmon oil and other fish oils do NOT help with skin problems

Salmon oil and other fish oils do not improve the moisture balance of the skin, nor its natural protective barrier. Fish oil contains very little linoleic acid, which the skin needs. Actually, the fatty acids in fish oil may reduce the effectiveness of the fatty acids of plant seed oils in the dog’s metabolism. 

Nutrolin® SKIN & COAT is a unique, patented fatty acid supplement for the skin’s needs. It contains no fish oil.

The fatty acids in fish oil have other important uses (in order to be safe and effective the oils have to be fresh and protected against oxidation). For example, the development of puppies, and healthy aging of senior dogs can be supported with omega-3 fatty acids of fish oil. Actually, all other Nutrolin® products except for SKIN & COAT are based on fish oil and protected against oxidation. Our guiding principle is: Visible results with the right fatty acids.