We know that beauty comes from within for humans, so is it the same for our pets? Of course! For great skin and fur, pets must be given a well-balanced diet that is full of proteins, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals to ensure they live a long and healthy life. For household pets, such as cats and dogs, achieving a soft and shiny coat often requires much more than a great diet. It requires an understanding into the type of fur – long, short, double coats, oily or water-repellent – your pet has. There are also harmful pollutants in the environment that can affect your pets’ skin, including seawater, chlorine and the harsh UV rays of the sun. With all of these elements in play, it’s understandable that caregivers find it challenging to understand why their pet is suffering from a dry and dull coat, even though they feel their pet is well looked after.
At Biomega, we’re passionate about pet health and helping to deliver nutritional wellness. As experts in our field, we’re ready to share some of our top tips all caregivers (and pet food manufacturers) should know to achieve great skin health and lustrous fur for their household pets.
Start with a well-balanced diet
Dogs
Approximately 95% of protein is contained within a dog’s coat, which means providing a well-balanced diet is crucial to retaining beautiful fur. Ensure dogs get enough by providing them with foods high in protein, such as chicken, lamb and fish. For an extra shiny coat packed with omega-6 fatty acids, veterinarians suggest stirring either one teaspoon of vegetable, sunflower or safflower oil for a small dog, or one tablespoon for a large dog per meal. To relieve skin irritation, caregivers should try fish or flaxseed oil in either capsule or liquid form and follow the dosage advice from a veterinary professional.
Cats
Requiring higher levels of protein than dogs, cats also need complex carbohydrates and healthy fats to retain glossy fur. Purchasing petfood products with a high-quality protein source, including meat fish or eggs, alongside a blend of vitamins (A, E, B2) and minerals (Zinc) are a great place to start. Veterinarians also suggest adding supplements like fish oil which are high in omega-3 fatty acids.
Personal Care – Grooming, Hygiene & Healthy Ageing
Dogs
Regularly brushing a dog’s fur to prevent matted hair stimulates the skin and hair follicles to increase the natural production of oil, while ensuring bacterial infections are kept at bay. Depending on the dog breed, regular bathing with dog shampoo and conditioners that contain Vitamin E can provide a super silky coat all year long. Resist the urge to bathe them too often though, as it can quickly strip the skin of its natural oils, which are essential to overall health.
Cats
While cats are well-versed in the art of grooming, as they grow older they are more prone to arthritis and joint stiffness, which can result in being unable to reach certain areas of their fur. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recommends using a fine-toothed comb to reach the dull and dead hairs in a cat’s fur to get back to a glossy coat in no time. Unlike dogs, though, cats do not require regular bathing. Vets recommending bathing cats only when their fur is dirty through grease.
For petfood manufacturers, our Salmigo® Protect SD contains collagen peptides from salmon which can aid in joint health in both ageing cats and dogs. Available as a hydrolyzed protein powder, it makes for great muscle recovery and generation of energy – perfect for petfood and snacks.
Water goes a long way…
Dogs & Cats
Making sure your pet is adequately hydrated throughout the day is a sure-fire way to achieve a healthy coat. Just like humans, our bodies require water to function correctly as without it we’re more likely to suffer from energy fatigue and headaches. For cats and dogs, this helps them to digest food correctly, cool down the body to maintain a normal temperature and more. Veterinary experts recommend dogs should drink around one ounce of water per pound of body weight per day. Cats, however, will get most of their water content from wet or canned food, but are likely to drink water daily (so long as it is fresh!).
So, with a well-balanced diet, plenty of water and a personal care plan, dogs and cats can achieve a beautiful, glossy coat in just 4-6 weeks. And beauty, as they say, starts on the inside, not the outside.
For more information on Biomega products for petfood applications, please email: contact@biomegagroup.com.
