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Dry skin

Maltese Dry Skin

Overview

Dry skin can be a frustrating issue seen with Maltese dogs. Rough texture, itching, irritation, and/or peeling are top signs of this. Seasonal conditions, most often winter and summer-related weather, play a huge role in this. Though, there are other factors as well including loss of moisture due to coat-care products, grooming methods, and lack of proper nutrients including omega fatty acids. 

This may be an all-over body issue or be limited to just the nose, paws, or another area. 

If your Maltese puppy or dog is suffering from dry skin, this article will cover everything you need to know including all possible causes, fast effective treatment, and prevention. 

Signs of Dry Skin with Maltese

Dry texture, visually and by touch. The most noticeable areas on a Maltese that will look and/or feel dry are, of course, those with no or sparse hair such as the paw pads, nose, and belly. Though, if it is a full-body issue and not localized, if you part the hair you may see flaking, peeling, scaling, or otherwise affected areas. And, dry skin will be rough and coarse to the touch and you may feel hardened scales or flakes.  

Discomfort. Excessive dry skin often feels tight and irritated, and this can manifest in different ways with dogs. A Maltese may be relentless when trying to settle down, may frequently reposition themselves, or may nose at or lick the dry areas. Discomfort may worsen after baths when water evaporates from the skin. 

Itching. An itch occurs when there is some type of damage, like excessive dryness, to the skin. With itching issues, certain nerve endings (pruriceptors) are stimulated, which sends a signal to the brain that something is wrong. The response to this signal is an automated reflex; a Maltese may lick, nibble at, scratch, or rub the areas that are dry and itchy. 

Cracking. In extreme cases when dry skin is not resolved, it can spiral into cracked skin. This most often occurs on the paws or nose. 

Top Causes of Dry Skin with Maltese

Cold weather. Cold air has a very low humidity level. Even when the heat is turned on, this adds warmth, not moisture. And that arid air pulls moisture from skin; in fact, skin typically loses about 25% of its ability to retain its moisture in the wintertime. 
Inferior coat products. Just about everything that touches the coat will affect the skin, so this includes shampoo, wash-out conditioner, leave-in conditioner, and grooming wipes. There are two ways in which these products can cause dry skin with Maltese. 

The first is pH balance which is the measurement of how acidic or alkaline a substance is. Incorrect pH can cause irritation, dry skin, and poor coat texture. Subpar dog shampoos often base their formulas on human products (to save money) which have a pH around 5, but dogs require a higher pH of 6.5 to 7.5. 

The other aspect is ingredients that can be very harsh on a dog’s skin. Parabens, sulfates, and phthalates can be damaging and certain soaps can be very drying. 

Baths given too frequently. Baths, when done correctly, will cleanse away accumulated body oils. However, if baths are given too often, a dog’s body will have a hard time keeping up and skin can struggle to retain proper moisture levels. 

A diet low in omega essential fatty acids. Omega-3, 6, and 9 play a significant role in both skin and coat health. These are essential fatty acids (EFAs), meaning that they must be obtained from the diet. But many dog foods are lacking in quality EFAs which ultimately lead to skin and coat issues including excessive drying. 

Dehydration. Water is the life source of all living things and one of its hundreds of functions is to keep skin properly moisturized. Even slight dehydration can lead to dry skin. 

At-home Remedies and Prevention of Dry Skin with Maltese

1) Aim to keep humidity levels in the house near 40%. 

This is the ideal level for human and pet health and comfort. For most people, some help will be needed to maintain this level of humidity during the winter and early spring. 

There are some DIY methods that can help to some extent like having lots of house plants and leaving water out over heating elements, however the most efficient method is to use a humidifier.   

One like the iTvanila Cool Mist Ultrasonic Humifier has continuous humidification for 15 to 42 hours (depending on the high/low setting), runs very quietly, has an automatic shut-off feature, and allows you to adjust mist direction to any area of a room that you wish (like your Maltese’s sleeping area). 
2) Protect and/or treat vulnerable areas of the body. 

On the paws, which are notorious for drying out, use a quality paw wax. While this is an excellent prevention method, the right one can also work well for repairing dry and/or cracked paws. For this, Musher's Secret Pet Paw Protection Wax is a great choice. This protects the paws with an invisible barrier, offers a layer of protection from both cold and hot walking surfaces, helps repel irritants like allergens, rock salt, sand, and lawn care products, and gives a dog better traction. Though it depends on how much walking a dog does, most Maltese need this applied once every 2 weeks.  
For a dry nose, apply a nose balm or butter which can also be great for treating or preventing chapped noses. For this, Natural Dog Company's Snout Soother is excellent. For prevention, apply weekly and for treating dryness, peeling, or cracking, apply daily. 
For localized areas of severe dry skin, including cracked skin and any hot spot areas in which hair growth has been affected, a restorative healing cream like ResQ Organics Pet Skin Treatment may be needed. This is a very effective, soothing, and moisturizing treatment with organic aloe vera, Manuka Honey, olive oil, hemp oil, shea butter, and a vitamin blend. Note that cracks deep enough to bleed or that have oozing pus should be treated by the veterinarian as this may require prescribed antibiotics. 
3) Give your Maltese a bath once every 3 weeks.

Unless there are extenuating circumstances (running through a puddle of mud, etc.), every 3 weeks is a good time frame for most Maltese; accumulated body oils need to be washed off at this point but it is not so frequent that the body cannot keep up with replenishing them. 

Don’t worry about keeping your little guy or gal clean in between baths, frequent brushing and spot cleaning with wipes like Earthbath Green Tea and Awapuhi Grooming Wipes can help keep your puppy or dog tidy and smelling nice. 
4) Use hydrating grooming products. 

There are quite a few all-natural and plant-based ingredients that are fantastic for soothing, moisturizing, and repairing dry skin. This includes shea butter, aloe vera, Mankua honey, oils (hemp, olive), colloidal oatmeal, and the extracts of certain fruits (pomegranate, guava, acai, and mangosteen).

With any product that you choose, be sure that it does not contain detrimental ingredients (like parabens, soaping agents, artificial fragrances) that will work against you by being harsh on the skin. 

For bathing, opt for an all-natural shampoo and wash-out conditioner with zero additives, a pH between 6.5 and 7.5, and plant-based cleaners. A fantastic choice is Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Shampoo , along with the accompanying conditioner, which has coconut cleansers and contains 3% colloidal oatmeal, one of the best all-natural anti-itch and moisturizing ingredients. 
For all-over body treatment, using a leave-in lotion like Warren London Hydrating Butter for Dogs can be exceptionally restorative. This is the equivalent of us humans using body moisturizer, but is formulated not only to fix dry skin on dogs but also make the coat super soft and silky (but not oily). This has guava which is rich in antioxidants that help protect the skin and mangosteen which not only is great for dry skin but also for the more severe eczema and psoriasis.

An excellent bonus of this lotion is that its emollients are released every 2 hours over the course of 24 hours, to provide round-the-clock treatment. Apply this by hand, massaging it in in the direction of hair growth. Feel free to brush the coat afterwards. 
5) Omega fatty acids. 

There are 3 types of omega fatty acids: ALA (derived from some plants and seeds), and EPA and DHA (derived from fish). Fish oil, which contains EPA and DHA, is the ideal source of omega to prevent and treat dry skin issues with dogs. Other benefits may also include better joint health and improved heart health. 

An easy way to incorporate more fish oil into a Maltese’s diet is via a liquid fish oil which most dogs find absolutely delicious. One like Zesty Paw's Pure Wild Alaskan Salmon Oil has zero additives and comes in a very handy no-mess pump. 
6) Encourage water consumption. 

The amount of water that a dog needs varies depending on age, activity level, type of food eaten, and the weather, but in general it is 1/2 to 1 ounce per pound of body weight, per day. 

Slow and steady water intake over the course of the day will help keep a Maltese properly hydrated and plays a role in combating dry skin. And, while many dogs will self-regulate their water intake, others need prompting and reminders. 

It can help to keep water very cool and fresh (don’t just top it off, but rather pour it out and refill), wash the bowl daily, bring your Maltese over to it several times per day, and bring water along for walks (stop at the halfway mark for a water break). 

When Veterinarian Care is Needed 

What may at first appear to be a simple case of dry skin may actually be a more serious issue which may require testing for diagnosis and treatment via prescribed oral medications and/or medicated shampoos or topical treatments. 

Possible issues include: 

Eczema. Canines can develop both wet eczema (discharge oozes from the skin) and dry eczema (skin is very puckered, tender, and wrinkled). Other symptoms of this include severe itchiness, discomfort, skin crusts, skin discoloration, thickened skin, and/or open sores. 

Eczema can develop if dry skin is not properly treated, however rother causes include allergies, vitamin deficiency, bacterial or fungal infection, and exposure to irritating substances. 

Psoriasis. Canines can develop psoriasis, though it is more common with some breeds more than others such as the Golden Retriever and West Highland Terrier. The main signs are thick red skin scales that typically appear most often on the head, elbows, legs, and lower back near the base of the tail and chronic itching. 

Psoriasis is caused by an autoimmune disorder in which health skin cells are attacked leading to abnormalities. 

Seborrhea. This is a condition that leads to dandruff and greasy skin that usually emits a strong unpleasant odor. The overly greasy areas typically appear in or around the ears, belly, armpits, and lower legs. Other signs include severe itching, scratching to the point of bleeding, and/or hair loss.  

This may be genetic (the Maltese is not one of the breeds prone to this), idiopathic (arising spontaneously), or linked to other conditions including allergies, hormonal disorders, vitamin deficiency, and parasites. 

A Final Word

Dry skin is one of those issues that tends to worsen with time, so it's best to take action to resolve this as soon as it's noticed. And, if your Maltese is prone to dry skin at certain times of the year, like wintertime, be proactive by implementing prevention steps beforehand. 
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