Is your pet's coat looking a little less like a Pantene commercial and a little more like they just finished a tough mudder? There are a number of dietary, health, and grooming factors that could be hindering the silky shine of your furry friend’s coat. As a pet parent, there are five easy tips you can use to keep your pets looking like they just stepped off the runway.

Get Grooming

Could you imagine going for weeks without brushing your hair? Surprisingly enough, your fur children don’t want to go without regular grooming either. Regardless of your pet’s fur type, brushing every few days is an effective way to give his coat a healthy boost. By grooming your fur kid a couple times a week, you are helping to evenly distribute the oils throughout the coat, increasing its natural shine. In addition to combing the oils throughout the coat, grooming also helps to eliminate buildup of tangles, dirt, dander, and dead skin cells. Integrating regular grooming into your pet care routine is a simple solution to a dull, tangled coat.

Splish Splash

Another quick way to enhance your fur kid’s coat is by making sure they are properly bathed. However, sometimes less is more when it comes to bath time. When a pet’s coat becomes dull, owners often think that a bath is the solution, but excessive bathing can be part of the problem. A good rule of thumb is making sure that your fur baby receives a bath at least once a month. Over-washing can strip the fur of natural oils and lead to skin irritation. Keep an eye on your pet’s coat and skin, and use a special shampoo for sensitive skin if you notice dryness. It is also important to thoroughly rinse all shampoo and conditioner from your fur child’s coat, as any residue can cause irritation or make the coat appear dull.

You Are What You Eat

Lack of vitamins and nutrients in your pet’s food is one of the top reasons why your fur kid’s locks aren’t looking very lustrous lately. Similar to our food, the more processed the food, the more nutrients that get lost along the way. Look for pet food that is rich is natural proteins and is free of preservatives as well as allergy inducing corn, soy, and wheat products. The Missing Link has identified that a primary cause of health problems in pets is a poor diet, lacking balanced omega-6 and omega-3. Try treating your fur kid to an omega rich snack like fish to give them a tasty, healthy boost.

The Perfect Balance

Due to commercial processing, there is a significant gap between the nutrients in most off-the-shelf pet foods compared to what your pet would be consuming in nature. Because sending your pets off to fend for themselves in the wild isn’t the safest solution, you can bring the great outdoors to them by supplementing their food with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Although many pet foods claim to have these ingredients, the processing that they go through leads to an imbalance and lack of natural nutrients. The Missing Link has pinpointed this gap and created a preservative, pasteurization, sterilization, and heat free process to deliver these crucial supplements to your pets, restoring their coat. The Missing Link provides Ultimate Skin & Coat supplements for dogs, cats, horses, and small animals. By enhancing your pet’s food with omega-3 and omega-6 supplements, you can help restore their coat’s silky shine.

Happy & Healthy

The overall health of your four-legged friend could also be impacting the appearance of their coat. Pay attention to key health indicators such as unusual sluggishness, excessive thirst, irregular diet, vomit, diarrhea, and bad breath. If you notice any of these in your fur kid, it’s safest to consult with a veterinarian to identify the larger problem. For example, arthritis is a common occurrence in elderly pets, and this may be impacting their ability to groom themselves. If you know that your fur kid is struggling with arthritis, try brushing them daily to compensate for their lack of grooming. Another common problem is parasites. When your pet is exposed to parasites such as worms, these unwanted visitors will eat your pet’s food, leaving them void of proper nutrients. Similarly, sore gums or unhealthy teeth can hinder your fur child’s ability to eat, impacting their vitamin intake. By keeping a close eye on your pet’s overall health, you may be able to pinpoint the cause of a lackluster coat.