Optimising your pet’s skin and fur health from within.

Here at Dr Zoo, we go barking mad over our range of topical products that help to look after your pet's coat and sensitive skin. From a gentle shampoo for bath time, to a soothing, star-power cream to help calm general skin sensitivities, you’re sure to see some top-dog results. 

If you think about your own skincare, you probably have a 3-step routine from the MooGoo Face range to help keep your skin clean, and healthy and to address any skin concerns. But that’s not all! You know to wash your towels and pillowcases often, and maintain your sugar intake to prevent breakouts. Some people with a gluten intolerance can even suf-fur from a rash if they fail to resist their fur-vourite sourdough! The same goes for pets, topical treatments can only do so much. A balanced and nutritious diet is essen-tail for maintaining a dog’s skin and coat health. 

The thought of switching up your pet's diet may feel overwhelming, ‘cause change can always be daunting. But rest assured the Dr Zoo pack is here to help! 

A balanced diet for dogs to maintain healthy skin and fur should include the following: 

Protein: While you may like to bulk up on protein to build muscle mass, dogs need high-quality protein for a healthy coat and skin. 

• Our fur-vourite source of protein: All lean, muscle meats including chicken, kangaroo, turkey. 
• A more affordable alternative: Chicken drumsticks from your local deli or butcher! 

Omega-3 fatty acids: Next time you’re preparing a salmon dish to get to help improve your brain power, set aside some for your pooch! Omgea-3 fatty acids help to reduce inflammation and will help subside any preexisting skin flares. 

• Our fur-vourite source of Omega-3: Fresh salmon, chia seeds. 
• A more affordable alternative: Canned sardines, flaxseeds. 

Vitamin E: Vitamin E is one of our favourite antioxidants as it helps to protect a dog's skin from damage – prevention is key! 

• Our fur-vourite sources of Vitamin E: Salmon, trout, spinach. 
• A more affordable alternative: Eggs and sunflower oil. 

Zinc: While too much zinc-oxide (the ingredient found in natural human sunscreen) is toxic to dogs, a healthy dose of Zinc (minus the Oxide) is important for skin health. Zinc helps to prevent skin infections. Which contrary to popular belief, are very common! 

• Our fur-vourite source of Zinc: Red muscle meat, salmon, cashews, almonds. 
• A more affordable alternative: Eggs, pumpkin, hemp seeds, canned sardines. 

Hearty, good old-fashioned fruits and vegetables: If you’ve fed your dog fruits and veggies before, you may be aware that they can be as fussy as young children. *Facepalm.* While it may be a little tedious, we do recommend sneaking in some fruits and vegetables where you can as they’re rich in vitamins and minerals to maintain coat and skin health. 

• Our fur-vourites: Sweet potatoes, broccoli, blueberries. 
• A more affordable alternative: Carrots, frozen mixed vegetable packs. 

So, wondering where the mention of kibble or dry food sources is? Here at Dr Zoo, we try our best not to preach (how do you think we go?) and instead simply present ideas and facts so you’re best equipped to make an educated decision for your much-loved fur child. Most pet parents (especially first-timers) opt for a dry food diet without even exploring other options available. We get it, there’s no preparation required, it’s got a long shelf life, there is no risk of sickness from potentially harmful bacteria present in raw meat and for the most part, kibble is affordable. But hear us out on why the staff at Dr Zoo choose to give their pets a raw diet. 

The paws-itives of a raw diet include: (Other than healthier skin and a shinier coat.) 

1. Their farts and poos will stink significantly less! Apologies for our vulgar language here, we wrote that sentence out over and over again with no improvement at all! This may be a little OTT but kibble is made with a substantial amount of filler ingredients to bulk up the biscuits and keep your pet full. Although, because the filler ingredients add no nutritional value, your pet will digest them and pass them right to their other end. If you switch to a raw diet, your pet will absorb all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients in the food that there won’t be much poo left to pass! Which results in smaller, less sicky poos and farts! Again, we apologise for using the p and f words! 

2. Cleaner teeth = fewer vet bills. Chewing on raw bones can help clean your dog’s teeth and prevent tartar buildup. Just think of a raw drumstick as nature's toothbrush! It may be a little gross to visualise, but we’d choose that over a costly trip to the dentist any day. 

3. Improved overall health. A raw diet can provide your dog with natural sources of a variety of vitamins and minerals which will help to boost their immune system and promote overall health. If your pet is beginning to age, consider swapping to a raw diet soon. It’ll aid in improving their health and increasing their strength and they’re already working against the ageing clock! 

4. A raw diet can be gentler on YOUR purse strings. We love the win, win you can achieve from a raw diet. Improve your pet's health and save some pennies to spend on that new dog collar you’ve had your eye on. While you can spend hundreds on the best, most nutrient-rich foods, you can also opt for cheaper, just as effective alternatives that we suggested earlier. High-quality kibble can begin from $100 a bag which is a much larger investment than a $20 grocery shop! Abiet, inflation may skew our estimate. 

We hope you’ve learnt a little and laughed with (or at) us throughout our pet puns. And next time you make a Dr Zoo online order, don’t forget the final step of your pet's skincare routine… a paw-some, nutrient-rich diet!