Things are about to get hairy — shedding season is here! This Smackademic deep dive focuses on how nutrition can affect your pet’s skin and coat health… and even help reduce shedding. Shedding is a natural process that removes old or damaged fur to help maintain a full, healthy coat. How much your pet sheds and when depends on the breed, season, environmental factors, and especially nutrition. That’s because your pet’s skin is a very large organ that’s replacing cells at a fast rate, and this includes their hair.¹ As a result, the state of their coat is quick to react to nutritional deficiencies, imbalances, and changes. 

As always, if you suspect your pet has a nutritional deficiency or is losing a concerning amount of hair, be sure to consult your veterinarian.

Coat Problems? Meat Your Match! 

Protein is the foundation of nutrition for dogs and cats, and you can see it in their coats. Brittle hair and nails are among the earliest signs of a protein deficiency. Hair is roughly 95% protein and hair growth accounts for as much as 30% of your pet’s daily protein needs.² Their body breaks down protein in their food into amino acids, and uses some of those amino acids to make keratin: the blocking blocks used to grow hair and nails. When they’re not getting enough protein, their body simply lacks the components to produce healthy hair, leading to a coat that’s quick to shed and slow to grow back. 

Because most pet diets are primarily meat-based, a protein deficiency may not be the most likely culprit behind shedding issues. However, in learning about how protein helps your pet’s coat, it’s easy to see how biotin — a nutrient that helps metabolize protein — can maximize the benefits of your pet’s protein intake. One study analyzed the effectiveness of biotin in treating dogs with brittle hair, loss of hair, scaly skin, pruritus, or dermatitis, and found that symptoms were reported to be cured in 60% of the cases and improved in another 31%.³ Salmon, leafy greens, and dried yeast are a few examples of biotin-rich foods that can keep your pet’s coat growing strong.

Here Are the Essentials 

If you’ve ever looked into nutrients that can give your pet a strong, shiny coat, chances are omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids were somewhere near the top of your search results. Together, these essential nutrients support your pet’s skin health inside and out, even helping alleviate the itching and skin irritation caused by allergies. 

Omega-6 improves skin flexibility and moisture retention by strengthening cell membranes, while also reducing inflammation and supporting heart health. Omega-3s, on the other paw, help protect the skin and coat while improving coat shine.¹ Put simply, they nourish your pet’s skin and help grow a stronger, shinier coat. Your pet’s body needs these fatty acids and their body cannot produce them, making them an essential inclusion in their diet, especially if you’re worried about excess shedding. 

Fish is an excellent source of omega-3s while poultry provides plenty of omega-6s. Biotin also helps your pet’s body utilize omega-3s and 6s, providing yet another reason to consider adding salmon, leafy greens, and dried yeast to your pet’s diet. It’s important to consider the source too! Organic meats contain approximately 50% more beneficial omega-3 fatty acids than conventionally raised meats.⁴ 

Zinc: The Original Hair Metal 

Because your pet’s skin needs to produce so many new cells, zinc is another key nutrient when it comes to healthy skin and coat. It plays a critical role in regulating cell division, helping with overall skin health and healing injuries.³ Zinc also helps skin retain moisture, contributing to a strong, shiny coat. While zinc deficiency is generally rare, excessive levels of calcium, iron, and copper can prevent your pet from absorbing the zinc in their diet as these minerals compete with zinc for intestinal absorption sites.¹ 

Chicken and pork are both great (and delicious!) sources of zinc you can add to your pet’s diet. If you think you need to add more zinc to your pet’s diet, one study found that doing so with organic sources like chicken or pork will lead to a stronger, healthier coat than using synthetic zinc supplementation.⁵ 

Brushing Up On Vitamin A 

Vitamin A is used to regulate hair follicle cells. It helps nourish skin and strengthen hair follicles, making it a key nutrient in helping control shedding. However, it’s important to note that more is not always better with vitamin A. Too much vitamin A has similar effects as a deficiency, with both resulting in scaling, excess shedding, and an increased risk of infections. 

Lamb liver, salmon, kale, spinach, and mango are just a few examples of foods rich in vitamin A. Don’t overlook foods rich in beta-carotene too, as your pet’s body metabolizes this nutrient into vitamin A. Carrots and broccoli are great sources of beta-carotene that can also strengthen your pet’s coat and help get that shedding under control. 

The long and the short of it is pets need a healthy, balanced diet for optimal coat health, which will help keep their shedding under control. With modern pet foods, it’s unlikely that a deficiency is the underlying cause of coat issues, however, pawrents may still encounter imbalances or issues caused by inflammation and allergies. The best way to ensure a balanced, nutrient-rich diet is with a carefully selected blend of organic whole foods… like Smack Pet Food! 

Smack is made with organic, GMO-free fruits and veggies plus whole-prey, premium meats to provide the very best nutrition in a form that’s easily utilized by your pet’s body. Our customers tell us they can see the difference in their pet’s coat after they start serving Smack, and that there’s much less shedding to clean up too. While every recipe is formulated to support your pet’s complete nutritional needs, rotating between one of our fish recipes, like Caribbean-Salmon Fusion, and one of our chicken recipes, like Very Berry Chicken, is a great way to ensure your pet gets the full benefits of all of our superfoods that support coat health. Try them today and say goodbye to bad hair days. 

1. Watson, T. D. (1998). Diet and Skin Disease in Dogs and Cats. The Journal of Nutrition, 128(12), S2783-S2789.
2. Scott, D. W., Miller, W. H., & Griffin, C. E. (1995). Nutritional skin diseases. Muller and Kirk’s Small Animal Dermatology, 890-901.
3. Frigg M, Schulze J, Völker L. Clinical Study on the Effect of Biotin on Skin Conditions in Dogs. Schweiz Arch Tierheilkd. 1989;131(10):621-5. 
4. Średnicka-Tober, D., Barański, M., Seal, C., Sanderson, R., Benbrook, C., Steinshamn, H., Gromadzka-Ostrowska, J., Rembiałkowska, E., Skwarło-Sońta, K., Eyre, M., Cozzi, G., Krogh Larsen, M., Jordon, T., Niggli, U., Sakowski, T., Calder, P. C., Burdge, G. C., Sotiraki, S., Stefanakis, A., Yolcu, H., … Leifert, C. (2016). Composition Differences Between Organic and Conventional Meat: a Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis. The British Journal of Nutrition, 115(6), 994–1011. 
5. Trevizan, Luciano; Marques Fischer, Manuela; Rodenbusch, Carla Rosane; Valim Labres, Raquel; de Mello Kessler, Alexandre. (2013). Effects of Diets Containing Organic and Inorganic Zinc Sources on Hair Characteristics, Zinc Concentration in Blood and Hair, and the Immune Response of Dogs. Acta Scientiae Veterinarie, 41:1154, 1-7.