Skin issues, allergies and irritations are most certainly on the rise, particularly around this time of the year, and it is no surprise that our inboxes get flooded with messages asking if Antinol can improve dog skin health.
The answer is yes.
Interesting Fun Fact: The skin is the largest organ of the body. By using Antinol for skin, you may see an improvement in your dog’s health.
Depending on the species and age, the skin maybe 12 to 24% of a dog’s body weight! Did you know that the cells of the skin also turn over rapidly? For most dogs, virtually all of the skin is covered with hair, which is either being shed regularly or, in non-shedding breeds, growing constantly. Skin is also multi-functional; it’s an environmental barrier, regulates temperature, plays a role in the immune system, provides mechanical support to the body, and acts as a neurosensory receptor.
When it comes to why the skin may be irritated or skin challenges may exist, we tend to draw our eyes towards inflammation. We know more than anyone that there is nothing worse than the ongoing battle that can exist with itchy allergic skin. However, there is a big difference between addressing the itch versus addressing the underlying allergy and inflammation.
Whilst the itch/rash response and the disease process are very much related, at the same time they are also very separate. Skin conditions need to be diagnosed and treated first and foremost by your veterinary professional for this very reason.
Medications that control the itch are often not addressing the underlying allergic disease – often driven by cytokines (molecules that the immune system uses to communicate). This ultimately may lead to treatments becoming less effective and flare-ups becoming more intense.
The Best Indicators of Skin Health
A dog’s coat
Dogs rely on their skin and coat to keep them healthy. When you see a dog with strong, healthy and shiny coats, they are more often than not equally internally healthy and strong.
A lack of lipids in the diet or an imbalance (omega’s) can hinder the skin’s ability to act as a barrier to potential allergic triggers and irritants and can promote inflammation.
We believe it’s important to understand and recognise the signs of early skin or coat issues. Here is how you can detect early skin challenges:
Monitor things like the texture of the coat, the appearance of the coat, hair loss, flaking or any other noticeable changes. Do not assume it will go away on its own. Don’t accept poor skin health or coat health with a ‘it is just the way it is’ attitude’. Speak to a veterinary professional regarding what you see and take regular pictures to help with assessment and diagnosis. Sometimes coat changes are normal but sometimes it’s an early warning sign that something is not quite right.
How does Antinol Rapid help?
Essential fatty acids play a structural role in cell membranes, act as precursors for eicosanoids (signalling molecules) such as prostaglandins and leukotrienes, and are vital for maintaining normal skin structure and function. The essential fatty acids in lipids also moisturise the skin from the inside out and contribute to skin barrier function – this outside-inside barrier is important as it protects the body from the environment.
Antinol has a unique group of lipids that can assist control of pro-inflammatory cytokines and increase anti-inflammatory cytokines in addition to supporting skin barrier health. These lipids are essential fatty acids, meaning they can’t be created by the body nor are they able to be achieved by diet alone. Antinol delivers lipids directly to the cell membranes and plays a role in fluidity and communication ability within the cells (think nutrients getting in and toxins getting out).
Antinol also modulates inflammation and acts as a precursor to inflammatory mediators within the skin.
Skin health is important
Skin health and coat health are critically important and give us so much information about what might be going on inside our dog’s body. It is so important to understand the signs that your dog may experience skin inflammation or discomfort and then make the changes required to reduce that inflammation and have your dog live their best life.
