In the crisp embrace of early autumn, Sarah began to notice subtle changes in her loyal companion, Bella.
Once vibrant and carefree, Bella now paused mid-play, distracted by bouts of persistent scratching and discomfort.
The transformation tugged at Sarah's heart, stirring memories of earlier seasons when every romp in the park was free from irritation – and seemingly just yesterday.
Consulting with her trusted veterinarian, Sarah learned that seasonal shifts could challenge even the most resilient of pets, leading to unwanted effects on their skin.
Even more so, she discovered that maintaining her pet's comfort goes far beyond routine care – it's about nurturing a foundation that supports both healthy skin and a balanced response to nature's ebb and flow.
Sarah's concerns resonated deeply: no pet owner wishes to see their beloved friend struggle with discomfort or lose the joy of a playful day.
And it wasn't just her dog... as Sarah listened to friends' stories of their own pets' persistent scratching, she felt a renewed sense of urgency.
Spurred into action – and determined to restore Bella's natural glow – Sarah embarked on a journey to reestablish her pet's comfort and resilience.
Embracing a thoughtful, holistic approach to support Bella's skin health – one that aimed to nurture her skin's natural balance amid the challenges of seasonal change – Sarah set out to soothe Bella's discomfort, and at the same time, deepen the unspoken bond of love and care between them.
What's Behind Your Pet's Itchy, Dry and Flaky Skin?
If your dog's or cat's skin feels dry, looks flaky, or if your pet can't seem to stop scratching, it may be a sign that something isn't quite balanced in her overall care.
Often times, this can be a simple matter of environmental factors or grooming routines. But other times it can indicate that key nutrients may be missing from her diet.
Here are some common reasons for dry, flaky, and itchy skin in dogs and cats:
- Inadequate omega-3 fatty acids: Many pets don't receive enough omega-3 fats in their diets – nutrients that help hydrate the skin and support a healthy inflammatory response – which can lead to dry, flaky skin.
- Improper bathing frequency: Both overbathing and under bathing can disrupt the balance of natural oils in your pet's skin. Too many baths may strip away essential moisture, while too few can allow dead skin to build up.
- Lack of fresh, nutrient rich food: A diet that doesn't include fresh, high quality ingredients may result in nutritional imbalances that affect skin health.
- Inadequate topical care: Natural substances like coconut oil – whether applied to the skin or included in the diet – can help seal in moisture and soothe irritation.
- Environmental stressors: Factors like low humidity, cold weather, or prolonged exposure to heat sources can further stress the skin, leading to dryness and irritation.
Here's the bottom line... When skin isn't properly hydrated, it can lead to discomfort and even itchiness.
Help Hydrate Your Pet's Skin with Omega-3s
As we've seen, a top cause of dry, flaky skin is not enough omega 3 fatty acids. Dogs and cats need an abundance of omega-3s to be healthy from the inside out.
These fatty acids play an important role in keeping your pet's skin hydrated, supporting an already healthy, normal inflammatory response, and helping to maintain a balanced immune response.
Unfortunately, these vital fats are not required to be added to pet foods, so most pets consume little to none in their diet.
Therefore, if your pet eats a commercial pet food, he could benefit from supplemental omega-3s. Even if you feed a homemade diet, you need to take care to ensure your pet is receiving optimal amounts of these fats.
Adding wild-caught salmon or water-packed sardines to your pet's meals several times a week is one way to increase their intake of omega-3s.
An easier option is to routinely give your pet an omega-3 fatty acid supplement. Studies show feeding dogs a diet enriched with omega-3 fats promotes skin health, and even help dry skin and itching.
Here's another important reason to provide your pet with additional omega-3s...
The dietary ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 matters, and most pet foods, whether commercial or homemade, are very high in omega-6s and low in omega-3s. This can lead to an imbalance which then must be corrected to help restore skin health.
There's also a common misunderstanding concerning the best source of omega-3s.
While pets do have a requirement for plant-based omega-3s, such as the alpha linolenic acid found in flax and chia, their requirement for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) can't be met through these sources.
Because these plant sources of omega-3s can't be efficiently converted to DHA and EPA, your pet needs a source of omega-3s that can provide what she needs on a regular basis to avoid an imbalance serious enough to cause skin issues.
Could This Sustainable Marine Oil Support Your Pet's Healthy Skin and Comfort From the Inside Out?
Marine Microalgae Oil, sourced from the microalgae Schizochytrium sp., is a naturally derived oil that provides an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Although it's sometimes considered an algae, Schizochytrium is not a true algae. Rather, it's a single-celled microorganism, or marine eukaryote, that's commonly found in coastal marine ecosystems worldwide.
Schizochytrium is a tiny powerhouse – a so-called titan in the marine ecosystem – as it breaks down organic matter and converts it into critical nutrients for aquatic organisms.
Unlike other algae, Schizochytrium has a specialized cell structure that allows it to be a literal factory for producing omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA.
What's more, because of its extraordinary metabolic pathways, it provides a potent, direct source of DHA that is more readily absorbed and utilized by the human body.
This unique Marine Microalgae Oil, valued for its high concentration of DHA, is...
- The purest natural vegan omega-3 straight from the original source: Schizochytrium sp.
- Fully traceable and grown in a controlled environment with the goal of minimizing contaminants.
- A 100% sustainable strain of microalgae with an infinite, renewable production capacity, sidestepping any concerns over depleting ocean fisheries.
And because Marine Microalgae Oil comes from a renewable, sustainable source, it's a clean, eco-friendly option for anyone wanting to know that they're providing safe and conscientious nutrition.
This responsibly sourced omega-3 can provide peace of mind as you support your pets' health with a quality ingredient that nurtures both our pets and the planet.
Help Your Pet Feel His Best, Naturally, with DHA
So, what exactly is DHA, and why is it so important for your pet's well-being?
DHA is a key nutrient found in the cell membranes of many areas in your pet's body, including his brain, eyes, and skin. Maintaining the integrity of these cells is essential for your pet's overall vitality and performance during everyday activities.
Contributing to your pet's long-term well-being at every stage of life, the potential benefits of DHA include:
- Supports healthy brain function for cognitive well-being
- Helps promote a normal inflammatory response to seasonal challenges
- Contributes to the maintenance of healthy eyes, supporting vision
- Assists in supporting strong, healthy skin
- Supports overall cellular health, encouraging vitality
When incorporated into your pet's daily routine, DHA from Marine Microalgae Oil may help her maintain a balanced, well-supported life.
And by promoting the normal function of essential body systems, Marine Microalgae Oil offers a naturally derived way to help support your pet's everyday health.
Essential for Your Pet's Skin, This B Vitamin Matters for Your Pet's Comfort
Biotin, sometimes known as vitamin B7, is a water-soluble nutrient that can truly make a difference in your pet's overall comfort and appearance.
This nutrient occurs naturally in foods like eggs, nuts, and certain vegetables – and is also produced in small amounts by gut bacteria.
While biotin may be added to pet foods in very small quantities, many pets can benefit from an extra supply, especially when seasonal changes leave their skin feeling dry or irritated.
When biotin is part of your pet's diet, it helps maintain the normal function of skin cells, ensuring a strong and resilient outer layer that's better able to withstand environmental stressors.
A healthy skin barrier doesn't just look good – it also plays an important role in supporting a normal immune response, protecting your pet from irritants like pollen or dry air.
To summarize, here's how biotin contributes to your pet's comfort and overall well-being:
- Maintains healthy skin – Helps support skin cell integrity for a smooth, resilient outer layer.
- Promotes normal immune function – Aids in maintaining a balanced response to seasonal irritants.
- Helps maintain skin condition and comfort – Encourages a healthy skin barrier, which can help ease dryness or itchiness.
- Supports overall vitality: Helps convert nutrients into usable energy, supporting your pet's daily activity level.
Nourishing from Within: Biotin and the Building Blocks of Healthy Skin
Beyond its role in supporting visible skin health, biotin works deep within your pet's cells to build and maintain the essential components of his skin barrier.
Biotin acts as a coenzyme for several key carboxylase enzymes, most notably acetyl CoA carboxylase, which is crucial for starting the process of fatty acid synthesis.
In simple terms, this enzyme converts acetyl CoA into malonyl CoA, the building block for creating long-chain fatty acids.
These fatty acids are critical for forming the lipid barrier in your pet's skin. A robust lipid barrier helps lock in moisture and protects against environmental irritants, ensuring that your pet's skin remains supple and healthy.
When biotin levels are sufficient, your pet's skin cells can efficiently produce these fatty acids, supporting a strong, resilient barrier that not only enhances his skin's appearance but also contributes to overall skin health and comfort.
Without enough biotin, the activity of acetyl-CoA carboxylase can be impaired, which may result in reduced synthesis of fatty acids.
This reduction can compromise the skin's natural barrier, potentially leading to dryness, flakiness, and even increased susceptibility to irritants or allergens.
Essentially, biotin nourishes your pet from within, helping to ensure that his skin cells have the fatty acids they need to stay flexible and well-hydrated – a foundation for overall skin health.
By understanding biotin's role and ensuring your pet gets enough of this crucial nutrient, you can help them look and feel their best all year round.
Introducing Bark & Whiskers® Skin Support Bites for Your Dog's or Cat's Healthy Skin
Bark & Whiskers® Skin Support Bites has been veterinarian formulated to help maintain healthy skin and support normal immune response to seasonal challenges in pets.
![Bark & Whiskers® Skin Support Bites]()
Each savory soft chew supplies...
- 273 mg of Marine Microalgae Oil (from Schizochytrium sp.)
- Providing 150 mg of Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA)
- 0.250 mg of Biotin
Formulated so your dog or cat will look forward to each and every bite, we craft our soft chew bites with a clean whole-food base of organic white cheddar cheese, pumpkin, flaxseed, and organic coconut flour.
And no gluten, GMOs, fillers, synthetic colorings or other unwanted ingredients...
So, because your cat or dog may even mistake these tasty chews for treats, here's how many Skin Support Bites we recommend daily for your pet:
- Cats (2+ lbs.) – 1 chew
- Toy Breed Dogs (up to 14 lbs.) – 2 chews
- Small Breed Dogs (15-29 lbs.) – 3 chews
- Medium Breed Dogs (30-49 lbs.) – 4 chews
- Large Breed Dogs (50-79 lbs.) – 5 chews
- Giant Breed Dogs (80+ lbs.) – 6 chews
When you supplement your pet's diet with our Skin Support Bites, you're providing her with the basic building blocks she needs to support healthy skin.
Promote Your Pet's Health and Comfort with Bark & Whiskers® Skin Support Bites
Remember Sara and Bella from our opening story – when Bella was marred by dry, flaky skin that left her less playful?
Sarah's journey to restore Bella's natural glow began with understanding the importance of key nutrients in supporting skin health.
Today, you too can give your pet the care he deserves by choosing Bark & Whiskers® Skin Support Bites, expertly crafted with Biotin and naturally derived DHA from Marine Microalgae Oil.
Our Skin Support Bites are veterinarian formulated to help maintain a healthy skin barrier and support overall skin comfort.
Biotin plays a vital role in skin cell renewal and fatty acid synthesis, while DHA helps support a balanced inflammatory response and normal cellular function.
Together, they work synergistically to nurture your pet's skin through seasonal changes and everyday challenges.
Imagine your furry friend regaining the comfort and vibrancy she once had – just like Bella did under Sarah's dedicated care. With Skin Support Bites, you can provide your pet with the nutrients needed to help her skin look as good as they feel.
Best of all, these bites offer a convenient and effective way to boost her dietary intake of essential ingredients, promoting healthy skin.
Take the next step towards a happier, healthier pet. Order Skin Support Bites today and start supporting your pet's skin health from within.