Keeping Your Pet’s Skin Microbiome Healthy With PawBiome Pet Balm

Did you know the largest organ of the body is the skin? While keeping your pet’s coat shiny and healthy may come to mind first, it’s equally important to take care of their skin. This means not only protecting it from damage such as the sun or a dry coat but also keeping it healthy at the microscopic level. Taking care of your pet’s skin microbiome can help keep your pet protected from harmful pathogens. It can also help make sure your dog or cat’s skin and coat look shiny and healthy. Here’s how the skin microbiome works to keep your pet feeling their best — and how you can maintain that balance. 

What Is the Skin Microbiome? 

You may have heard about microbiomes in other places on the body — such as the bacterial colonies that help regulate gut health. But an entire ecosystem also lives on your pet’s skin. This microbiome is made up of many cells. These include bacteria, yeast, fungi, and even viruses that coexist on the surface of the skin. The skin itself works as a protective barrier. It keeps harmful pathogens out and lets helpful ones in, usually with the help of fatty acids such as those found naturally or in moisturizers. 

There are many beneficial organisms present on the skin that work together to assist in the regulation of inflammation, wound healing, and pH balance. Healthy skin microbiomes often have a wider diversity of microorganisms present [1] and they work together to keep the skin in its best condition. These microorganisms can affect how the body reacts in the event of irritation from an allergen and can aid in recovery from a cut or scrape, helping to reduce the time it takes to heal. 

However, when that balance is broken, it can lead to many issues. Cuts and scrapes can create an opening for bacteria to get under the skin’s many layers. This then leads to infections such as abscesses and hot spots. Yeast and fungi can start to grow in larger colonies when out of balance. It can then cause itchy, smelly infections in between your dog’s toes or in your cat’s ears. By maintaining a healthy skin microbiome and protecting your pet’s skin, you can prevent these issues from happening. 

How Can I Protect My Pet’s Skin Microbiome? 

There are many ways to help keep your pet’s skin in great condition. Regular grooming, a healthy balanced diet, holistic multivitamins, and natural soothing skin balms can all work to maintain balance and protect the skin barrier. These can also help if your pet suffers from conditions such as dry, flaky skin or environmental and food allergies. 

Regularly Groom Your Pet 

Regular grooming is key. Even cats benefit from regular brushing and grooming! Grooming helps remove dirt and debris from the skin. It also removes old, matted hair that can become the perfect spot for fungi and yeast to grow. In addition, regular grooming allows you or your groomer to check over your pet’s entire body. This helps you spot any issues such as cuts, scrapes, or smelly spots before they become a problem.  

While bathing and brushing are a great start to grooming, it’s a good idea to add some additional tasks too. Include tasks such as brushing your pet’s teeth, applying skin protectants and moisturizers, and conditioning the coat to ensure good health. 

Photo by freestocks on Unsplash 

Feed a Healthy, Balanced Diet 

A healthy, balanced diet is also important for your pet’s insides — and out. Feeding the right diet makes sure your pet gets the right balance of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, and pre and probiotics that maintain a healthy biome. Holistic, natural foods also increase digestibility, making it easier for your pet to break down and utilize those nutrients. In addition, a balanced diet that includes fresh foods can help balance the microorganisms living on your pet’s skin, helping keep the skin barrier intact and in good condition [3]. 

Add a Supplement to Your Pet’s Meals 

Adding a supplement to your pet’s regular diet can also give them that boost of extra nutrition they may need. If your pet suffers from an underlying health issue, has trouble digesting foods, or is recovering from an illness, a supplement can help. The added nutrients make sure they’re getting a whole, balanced diet to maintain their skin and coat. Be sure to check with your veterinarian before starting any supplements. This can make sure they don’t interfere with anything else such as medications or underlying health conditions. 

Use a Soothing Balm to Keep Skin Healthy 

Dogs and cats benefit from soothing balms just as much as people do! Adding a skin balm to your pet’s regular grooming routine can help ensure the skin microbiome stays in balance. Much like a healthy diet helps from the inside, skin balms can help from the outside — assisting in improving the protective skin barrier by balancing pH, feeding beneficial bacteria, and decreasing the healing time of cuts and scrapes. 

The right topical balms improve skin microbiome diversity by helping to reduce the number of harmful pathogens and allowing healthy microorganisms to spread [2]. You want to look out for key ingredients when purchasing one. These include probiotics to help feed healthy bacteria which can improve skin function and reduce the effects of seasonal allergies. Look for other ingredients such as sea buckthorn to provide beneficial vitamins and lavender and other essential ingredients to help fight inflammation. A moisturizer that includes essential fatty acids can also help keep the skin barrier soft and protected. 

If you’re looking for a great topical balm, PawBiome Pet Balm contains all of the above healthy ingredients. It also contains other beneficial additions, such as calendula for an added calming effect — which can help make grooming go more smoothly. All of the ingredients are USDA-certified organic, making sure they are high-quality and highly effective. 

Keeping your pet’s skin microbiome healthy and balanced is just as important as keeping the rest of their body systems in great shape. By taking care of the largest protective barrier your pet has, you can help reduce the risk of illnesses and infections. Check out PawBiome Pet Balm and see just how much it can do to keep your dog or cat happy and healthy! 

Sources:  

[1] Rodrigues Hoffmann, A., & Patterson, A. P. (2014, January 8). The skin microbiome in healthy and allergic dogs. PloS One. Accessed 21, May 2024.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3885435/  

[2] Chermprapa, S.,Ederveen, T. (2018, December 21). The bacterial and fungal microbiome of the skin of healthy dogs and dogs with atopic dermatitis and the impact of topical antimicrobial therapy, an exploratory study. Veterinary Microbiology. Accessed 21, May 2024. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378113518311076   

[3] Leverett, K., & Manjarín, R. (2022, July 22). Fresh food consumption increases microbiome diversity and promotes changes in bacteria composition on the skin of pet dogs compared to Dry Foods. Animals : An open-access journal from MDPI. Accessed 21, May 2024.  https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9329806/    

[4] Moriello, K. (2024). Structure of the Skin in Dogs. Merck Veterinary Manual. Accessed 21, May 2024. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/dog-owners/skin-disorders-of-dogs/structure-of-the-skin-in-dogs