Dry skin is often the reason behind flaky skin. It can also be attributed to atopic/allergic skin and structural weakness and lack of fatty acids. Fatty acids make the skin flexible and thus more resistant to mechanical stress. Animals get fatty acids from nutrition, however, it is not always enough as the internal system is not necessarily functioning properly by  providing   sufficient amount of fatty acids to skin.

Dry flaky skin is “leaking” by releasing moisture from skin. Itchiness is a common symptom or dry skin. Animals with dry skin should avoid strong shampoos. with . Anionic sulphate based washing agents wash off fatty acids too effectively and can worsen the situation. Using fatty acids topically on dry skin and  taking appropriate oils orally can help.

More instructions on proper wash of the animal can be found in  – wash of the animal section.