By Carrie Hyde, The Spaw Pet Life Coach | February 5, 2022

Pet hair is just one of the things you have to deal with when you welcome a dog or cat into your life. That hair is bound to get on your floor, your furniture, and all over your favorite outfit.

But at what point does shedding go from normal and expected, to a sign that your pet may be suffering from underlying health issues? The truth is, shedding is normal… to a point. Excess shedding, on the other hand, is often the first red flag you’ll see that indicates something is wrong with your pet. If you’re finding an excessive amount of dog or cat hair around your home, it’s time to do something about it. Below, we’ll show you four simple steps you can take that will reduce shedding and optimize your pet’s overall health.

Why You Shouldn’t Ignore Excessive Shedding and Dry Skin

Skin is the largest organ of the body and requires more energy to function than most of the others combined. In fact, it is estimated that about one-quarter of the protein your dog consumes is used by their skin to create new hairs and epidermal cells. Also vital to skin health is the adequate consumption and absorption of lipids, vitamins, and minerals.

Because of the skin’s high nutrient demand, it can be used as an indicator of the quality of your pet’s diet and their overall health.

A quality, biologically-appropriate diet is the first step to maintaining healthy skin and a healthy coat. The utilization of that diet relies on your pet’s ability to break down and absorb the nutrients in it. Any problem in the gut, with the gut biome, or with nutrient absorption and utilization is going to show first in the quality of their coat.

In addition to excess shedding, unhealthy skin will show other symptoms, including:

• Flaking
• Dryness
• Redness
• Irritation and hot spots
• Frequent skin infections
• Dull or brittle coat

Any one of these symptoms is likely a sign of a systemic problem and should not be ignored.

What Does “Normal” Shedding Look Like?

In order to identify “excessive” shedding, we first need to understand what “normal” shedding looks like. This can be a little difficult to discern because what is normal for one breed is different from what is normal for the next.

The type of coat and the texture of it are the biggest factors that will determine how much hair your dog will shed under normal circumstances.

There are two types of coats in the doggy world, single and double coats.

• Single-layer coats consist of a single type of hair that covers the dog’s entire body. This hair can be long or short but is consistent in texture throughout. Single coats tend to shed the least amount of the two types.
• Double-layer coats consist of two types of fur. The topcoat is made up of thick guard hairs that tend to be shiny and smooth. The undercoat is made up of thinner, softer hairs that exist in a dense layer. This layer sheds the most, especially during seasonal changes.

The texture of the dog’s hair also plays a big role in how often they shed.

• Smooth-coated dogs have straight hair. This hair can be short, medium, or long and exists in both single-layer and double-layer types. Dogs with short, double-layer smooth coats shed the most of all dogs.
• Wire-coated dogs have extra-thick guard hairs over a dense undercoat. While the top hair does not shed and must be stripped professionally to remove dead hairs, the undercoat sheds as much as a typical double-coated breed’s does.
• Curly-coated dogs have a single layer of curly hair that grows indefinitely. These dogs require a lot of maintenance and occasional haircuts to keep their coat in prime condition. While curly-coated dogs shed the least of all dogs, they do still shed.

Year-round shedding is common for all types and textures of coats. Normal shedding for a single-layered curly coat is very minimal. A scant amount of hair covering the floor at the end of each week is typical. Any more than this and you likely have an excessive shedder that needs some special attention.

Double-coated breeds will shed a fair amount throughout the year. You can expect a noticeable amount of hair to accumulate in the corners of the floor over the course of a week. Many double-coated breeds also “blow their coats” in the spring and fall. This process is necessary to allow their thinner summer coat and thicker winter coat to grow in.

During these transitions, you’ll likely have to brush your dog daily and vacuum nearly as often. But this period should only last a few weeks at most. If your double-coated breed is shedding near this volume longer than that or in the middle of the season, that’s a sign of a greater problem.A note on cats: All cats (with the exception of the rex breed) have smooth, double coats. Their shedding pattern very much mirrors the shedding pattern of smooth, double-coated dogs.

How to Reduce Pet Shedding and Optimize Health

If your pet has symptoms of poor skin health such as flaking or redness, or if they are shedding excessively, it’s time to get to work.

Below are four easy steps you can take to help address your dog’s coat health and assure their overall health is where it should be.

1. Get Your Pet Checked Out

If your pet suddenly develops skin issues or excess shedding, the first thing you should do is set up a vet appointment. There are numerous health issues that can impact nutrient absorption and result in a sudden change in skin health.

Your vet should check for thyroid issues, hormone imbalances, and parasites. More extreme conditions, such as cancer, can also cause a sudden change in coat condition. A blood test is a good place to start to rule out these causes.

2. Improve Their Diet

If your pet gets a clean bill of health from their vet, or if the shedding issue has been going on for an extended period, examining their diet should be your next step.

Protein makes up about 45% of a wild canine’s diet. The exact amount of protein your dog needs will vary depending on their age, activity level, and sex. Unfortunately, most commercial diets do not contain enough high-quality, animal-based protein to support optimal health in the typical dog or cat.

Signs of protein deficiency in pets include depigmentation of the skin and hair, a dull, brittle coat, and hair loss. Transitioning to high-quality food with at least 25% protein coming from real meat is recommended. If finding a commercial diet that fits this paradigm is too difficult, you may consider adding raw meat and organs on top of the highest-quality commercial food you can find.

Fat makes up the bulk of a wolf’s diet–up to 54% of it, in fact. In contrast, almost all commercial pet diets include more carbs and protein than fat. While this calorie makeup is usually more appropriate for the domestic pet, it does rob them of valuable lipids that are necessary for building healthy coats.

Polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially omega fatty acids, are vital to the health of many organs, including the brain, kidneys, and skin. Not only are these fats underutilized in pet foods, but they are also highly susceptible to oxidation. This means that kibble and heat-treated foods that contain omegas in the recipe are still likely to be lacking in them by the time the food reaches your dog’s bowl.

Without enough quality lipids, pet coats are likely to become brittle and their skin, flaky and dry.

Nutrients also play a vital role in coat health. Zinc, vitamin A, vitamin E, and B vitamins have all been identified as high-use nutrients in the skin. Without enough of these vitamins and minerals, pets can develop a number of skin issues from chronic infections to alopecia.

Feeding a diet that is high in quality meats, animal fat, and available nutrients is key to assuring your pet’s coat and overall health.

3. Improve Their Gut Health

If you are already feeding a quality diet and your pet is still suffering from excessive shedding that is not related to another health issue, the problem could be in their gut.

A quality diet can’t do anything for your dog or cat if they are unable to absorb the nutrients in it. The ability to utilize these macro and micronutrients relies on the health of the gut lining and of the billions of beneficial microbes that live within it. If one begins to break down, both will be severely impacted.

Many things your dog is likely to encounter in their life can have a negative impact on gut health. These include things like antibiotics, medications, stress, allergens, and poor-quality food.

To improve your pet’s gut health, start by eliminating any unnecessary medications. If your dog has to take antibiotics, be sure to follow them up with a heavy regimen of probiotic supplements.

If you suspect your dog has food allergies, you will also need to eliminate any potential allergens from their diet. Allergens cause inflammation in the gut that can interfere with digestion and cause biome imbalances. The most effective way for determining what ingredient your dog is allergic to is to perform an elimination diet.

You will also need to do everything you can to limit your pet’s stress. This can be accomplished through environmental regulation, increased exercise and stimulation, and the use of calming herbs and supplements.

4. Supplement to Maximize Coat and Skin Health

Once you have addressed your dog’s diet and gut health, there are a few extra steps you can take to help revitalize their coat and reduce shedding while their system rebalances.

As we discussed above, lipids, especially omega fatty acids, play a vital role in skin health. Many people turn to fish oil as a way to add more of these nutrients to their pet’s diet. While fish oil can help boost omega intake, the truth is, this highly processed oil is not nearly as valuable as lipids in their natural state. Instead of wasting money on processed, highly-oxidized fish oil, give your dog whole sardines and other small fish that are naturally high in omegas. Not only are these an easy way to add a huge nutrient boost to your dog’s meals, but they are also pretty cheap to buy.

Raw goat’s milk is another supplement that can be beneficial for coat and skin health. This food is high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. And it contains natural antihistamines that can reduce itchiness. Goat’s milk is also naturally high in probiotics to support healthy gut flora.

Raw eggs are another good meal addition to consider. The nutrients in eggs can help strengthen hair follicles while providing valuable omegas to the skin. But don’t go overboard with raw eggs, as the avidin in egg whites can interfere with biotin production. One or two eggs per week are enough to get the benefits.

To assure your dog gets enough protein and other essential nutrients, consider adding raw meat and raw organs to their meals as well. These high protein additions will provide much of what many commercial dog foods lack.

Healthy Coat, Healthy Dog!

If your dog or cat is shedding excessively, don’t ignore it. Their body is trying to tell you that something is amiss!

By having your pet checked out by a vet, feeding a quality diet, supporting their gut health, and adding a few nutrient-dense, whole-food supplements, you can reduce your pet’s shedding while improving their overall health.

By Carrie Hyde, The Spaw Pet Life Coach | February 5, 2022

Written for The Spaw by Sara Seitz, Professional Freelance Writer and Novelist with Pen and Post

Carrie Hyde is the founder, owner, and Pet Life Coach of The Spaw in Tustin, CA. Carrie’s extensive experience and understanding of pet nutrition and coaching enabled her to create The Spawdcast, a podcast dedicated to educating pet parents and pet industry professionals on ALL the options available to their pets. Her mission is to open pet-owner’s eyes to the questions they may not even know to ask, to shine a light on the many myths that have been part of pet care for decades, and to offer whole solutions for their pets. Carrie Hyde is a certified pet nutritionist with the goal of helping pet parents & pet professionals with a new understanding of how to care for pets in a “whole and natural” way.