Toggle High Contrast Toggle Font size Get One, Give One Offer* Closest Clinic: VIP Petcare - Houston View All Pet Articles Your Pet’s Skin, Coat, and Paws Need Care Your pet’s skin, coat, and nails are essential to their overall health. Know what signs to look for and when to contact a veterinarian. Estimated Reading Time: 2 Minutes by Dr. Heather Sutton, PetIQ District Medical Director & Member of the PetIQ Veterinary Council Believe it or not, your dog or cat’s skin, coat, and nails are an organ system. It’s the largest in their entire body and is collectively called the integumentary. This system provides protection, regulates body temperature and how they sense the world around them. Your pet’s skin is a highly sensitive organ that is vital to their overall health and wellness. It requires a healthy hair coat that is free of mats, dryness, or excessive oil. Since it is the first line of defense against disease, it is vulnerable to: Developing allergies (flea bites, weeds, pollen, dust, and bacteria in the soil) Temperature changes (sunburns and frostbite) Chemicals used during the winter (salt on driveways and sidewalks) Having intact, healthy skin, coat, and nails are essential to warding off infections from these environmental factors. Common signs your pet may have skin, coat, or nail problems are: Matted hair coat Dry, flaky skin and hair Inflamed skin (red, hot, swollen, and painful) Dry, cracked paw pads or cracked nails that lead to limping These are just a few of them. Regular grooming and maintenance of your pet’s skin, coat, and nails significantly reduce the chances of irritation and potential infection. Should your pet experience any signs of damaged skin or tender paws, contact your local VIP Petcare veterinarian. They can help provide soothing products that ease the discomfort and keep your pet looking and feeling their best. About the Author Dr. Sutton joined PetIQ as a District Medical Director in October 2020 and is an active member of the PetIQ Veterinary Council. She obtained her DVM from Iowa State University in 1997 and has proudly provided veterinary care for over 24 years. She currently lives in Painesville, Ohio with one cat (Emoji). Share this Article: All Article Categories: Minor Medical Care New Pet Parents Pet Safety Prevention Wellness Articles You May Also Like Don’t Let These Dangerous Plants Ruin Your Holiday These dangerous holiday plants are not ho-ho-ho. They are a no-go. Get the list, plus find out what happens if your pet eats one. Read more Keep Your Pet’s Ears Clean and Healthy Ear disease in dogs and cats can develop for a variety of reasons including ear mites, ear infections (bacterial or yeast), and allergies. Read more Danger Ahead! Avoid These Toxic Foods for Pets Get our checklist of dangerous foods plus what symptoms they can cause in your dog or cat. Read more View All Pet Articles Join Our Community Sign up for Promotions, Updates, Advice from our Veterinarians and more. REQUEST PET RECORDS FAQs HELP CENTER SERVICES & PRICING Veterinary Helpline Individual Services Service Packages Pet Wellness Plans ABOUT US Overview Our Standards of Care Careers PET ARTICLES Featured Articles All Articles PHARMACY Fill a Prescription Shop Products Find a Location Copyright ©2020-2021 PetIQ, LLC. All rights reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service To analyze the use, improve our websites, and inform you about our company on other websites, we would like to use cookies. If you agree, please click, "I consent to cookies". If you would like to select the cookies we can use, receive more detailed information, or make any changes to your preferences go to "Cookie Preferences". I consent to cookies Essential Cookies Only Cookie Preferences Privacy Policy Cookie Preferences Learn About Our Check-in Process