Skin complaints are one of the most frequent reasons that pet owners visit their veterinarians. Redness, tenderness, hair loss, excessive scratching or licking of invisible irritants: their misery is our own. Often arising out of nowhere, disappearing and reappearing, skin issues often cause insufferable restlessness and anxiety in our unsuspecting animal friends. Even some seemingly disconnected misbehaviors can be triggered by skin irritation: odd eating or chewing habits, destroying a favorite toy, digging, poor leash manners; anything to relieve pent up frustration.
Like most pet health situations, our companions can’t tell us what’s wrong. They rely on us to know them well enough to sense when they aren’t feeling well and to be informed about what influences their health. The vitality of our skin is often referred to as a reflector of overall health, and while we may sometimes forget how much this delicate organ does for us and our pets, it’s important not to ignore the skin when it provides forewarning.
Both external and internal assaults affect skin health, some more obvious than others. Airborne instigators include insects, pollen, dust, pollutants, and other toxic chemicals. From within, food allergies often manifest in unhappy skin, as do many autoimmune issues. Another critical factor we may forget is psychological stress. Since we now recognize how significantly our pets absorb human emotions and experience their own, stress could be at the bottom of many otherwise unexplainable skin troubles.
Treated like any other health threat that puts the body on alert, persistent physical and emotional stress drains the body’s immune system. Consequently, the capacity of the immune system to defend against other attacks, whether that’s a scourge of dust mites or “friendly” germs from the neighborhood dog park, can be significantly hindered. We can all relate to finding ourselves under the weather in the midst of extra-stressful seasons of life. As immune cells devote their attention to protecting life and fighting the impacts of chronic stress, skin may take a backseat.
Pet stress presents a unique conundrum for researchers. Is a “symptom” the cause, or is the cause a “symptom”? Just as the visible effects of stress might emerge through sickness, poor skin, abnormal eating, and other disruptions, these same results can themselves be sources of stress. Like humans, animals are unsettled when they feel unwell. Case in point: irritated skin is an extreme cause of discomfort that increases anxiety and restlessness, and it’s likely that stress is both a cause and a symptom when your dog is endlessly scratching for relief.
Neglected protection isn’t the only influence on impaired skin health. Many recurring skin conditions are a direct effect of excessive immune activity. Occasional and seasonal allergens can often trigger such responses, when brief or temporary exposures to something foreign puts the normal immune response into overdrive. Hypersensitivity reactions are often delayed, as the immune system investigates the source and ramps up its retaliation. Along with postponed symptoms, particularly sensitive animals may deal with skin irritation from a barrage of sources, so identifying one agent is a challenge.
The skin barrier represents the first-line protector for the rest of the body, which is why it’s considered part of the innate immune system. This multi-layered organ system is home to a dense population of resident immune cells, along with countless blood vessels and nerves ready to call the rest of the body to battle. It comes as no surprise, then, that there is intimate interplay between the skin, the nervous system, and the immune system. As stress interrupts this complex balance, it can influence behavior and skin health simultaneously. Similarly, anything that aggravates the skin has ripple effects through the immune and nervous system.
Another notable variable in play is the mammalian nervous system, which responds when anything disrupts normal skin function. Comprising an array of sensors that detect painful stimuli and receptors for immune signals, the central and peripheral nervous systems are targets for veterinarians and health researchers seeking solutions that address skin health and stress.
When the immune system fights back against any perceived threat, it releases a fascinating array of chemicals called cytokines that alternately equip and restrain the counterattack. Cytokines, hormones, and neurotransmitters interact with the nervous system in significant ways that influence how humans and pets physically feel in response to stress. Amazingly, the degree of discomfort is not universal, and the neural balance is one important variable in the intensity of the sensation.
By now you may have heard of hemp, a relatively obscure ingredient just a few years ago that has captured the attention of the public, the human food and supplement industry, and the medical community. Its staying power, despite a bit of controversy, is a testament to the legitimate science and proven benefits of this plant. Like many botanical ingredient discoveries, hemp has demonstrated an esteemed ability to support health at the cellular level, discouraging symptoms before they start.
The hemp plant’s molecular roster has shown a variety of beneficial effects in animals. In the scope of stress and skin health, hemp’s powerful bioactives help relieve the physical side effects of stress. Receptors of the nervous system, targeted by hemp-based compounds, are concentrated in the skin, hair follicles, and sebaceous glands. The effects of cytokines that can target the skin and manifest in an angry blush or tenacious tickle are dampened by the action of hemp compounds, which blocks the progress of the immune cascade and encourages the body to return to peaceful equilibrium.
Another way that hemp offers bidirectional benefits for skin health and stress is by supporting the protection of cells from oxidative damage. The demands of everyday living, environmental triggers, and ongoing immune activity stimulate the production of potentially damaging free radicals. The antioxidants in broad-spectrum hemp come between these overcharged particles and delicate skin cells. Furthermore, hemp has been shown to promote the body’s built-in antioxidant system and to encourage production of calming neurotransmitters.
If your dog has had recurring skin complaints, you may know that many common treatments are unsuccessful in the long-term. Some common prescriptions are even not recommended for continuous use due to lack of positive outcomes and too great a risk for side effects. Topical solutions may be soothing temporarily, but they can be licked away by persnickety pets at best or cause further irritation at worst. Allergy tests and elimination diets can be helpful in identifying food sensitivities or autoimmune triggers, but can’t capture the unexpected exposures and events prompting a new flare.
We all operate at our best on a well-rounded, nutritionally adequate diet, and the same goes for our pets. This principle is based on the interaction of food components, including protein, fat, carbohydrates, as well as the antioxidants and other bioactive compounds in fruits and vegetables. Isolated ingredients have their place and benefits, but optimally designed supplements consider both bioavailability and nutrient synergy. Cogent Pet’s Skin & Stress Soft Chews offer maximum support by including well-researched ingredients that boost the benefits of broad-spectrum hemp.
The balancing and calming effects of hemp compounds for skin are enhanced when combined with other potent ingredients with complementary abilities to help protect and defend skin. Omega-3 fatty acids, most notably DHA and EPA, are indisputably essential for supporting strong immune health. Moreover, as dietary fats, Omega-3s facilitate the body’s uptake of other ingredients in supplement formulas. These essential fatty acids are also critical for maintaining overall brain and neurological health.
The most extraordinary value of herbal ingredients, including natural hemp-derived compounds, is in their general promotion of immune health. Virtually every botanical helps to enhance a properly performing immune system so that it is best equipped to fight against stress and other attacks. Some herbal compounds are standouts for their specific and targeted support for common health concerns in humans and animals.
Within the realm of stress and brain support, L-theanine helps to maintain the right balance of neurotransmitters associated with a positive mood and restful sleep. Research focusing on the effects of stress on skin point to Magnolia and Phellodendron extracts as beneficial agents that discourage pro-inflammatory cytokine cascades and offer antioxidant protection for cells in the skin and the nervous system.
Probiotics represent another prominent ingredient for promoting an optimally functioning immune system. By delivering friendly microorganisms that help to neutralize unfamiliar foods and properly inform immune cells, probiotics are a vital component of the gut-skin-axis, the communication superhighway at the root of many stress symptoms. And supplements that include fructo-oligosaccharides give probiotic organisms starter fuel for a head start out of the gate.
As an indispensable yet dependent organ, the skin must be considered from the perspective of whole body health. Supporting the optimal function of every body system is the goal in promoting the overall wellness of our pets. By taking a proactive approach in providing the best nutrition and dietary support, we not only maximize the longevity and vitality of their lives, we foster the most joyful and rewarding relationship free from the need to stop and scratch just…one…more…time.
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