Just like people, dogs can get dandruff. For the most part, dandruff tends to be more readily visible on short-coated breeds, though it can occur with all dogs. Dandruff is merely an accumulation of dried, dead skin cells and it's a common condition in dogs.

There can be may causes of dandruff. A few things that can lead to dryness include poor diet, low humidity (especially common in the winter), and too infrequent grooming to distribute the oils. The skin is the largest organ of the body and is used to rid the body of toxins. The only way to keep those toxins from coming out through the skin - exhibited by dry flaky skin and oily patches - is to prevent the toxins from getting inside the animal in the first place.

A very thin layer of fat and waxes, called sebum, normally prevents the moisture in the skin from escaping into the air. Some animals do not receive enough dietary fat, or cannot absorb the fat, to form a good sebum layer. If you are feeding a dry pet food, you can try adding 1 to 3 teaspoons of vegetable oil to the food per day. If bowel movements become soft or greasy, digestive examinations may be needed.

Diseases that cause an excessive loss of body water in the urine or bowel movement, such as diabetes mellitus, kidney failure, or chronic diarrhea, will cause dryness of the skin and dandruff. You should consult your veterinarian if your pet has diarrhea, or excessive thirst or urination.

Any chronic irritation of the skin will speed up the skin reproduction rate and cause dandruff. One common irritant to the skin's surface on the back is a mite that burrows through the outermost layer of the skin. This mite is barely visible as a white speck if put on black paper. Since it can move around it is called the "Walking Dandruff" mite. Treatment involves the use of insecticides under the direction of your veterinarian. Fleas can cause dandruff over the hips. Scabies causes dandruff on the ears and elbows of dogs.

Read more about dogs and dandruff.