Can Silk Bedding Help Dogs With Alopecia or other Hair Loss Issues?

Could Sleeping on Silk Help A Dog’s Coat If Suffuring from Alopecia or Black Skin Disease?

We all want our dogs to have a full, thick, and lustrous coat, but things don’t always go to plan…
Whether down to genetics, an underlying disease, or environmental factors, Alopecia (or Black Skin Disease) is a medical condition that’s becoming increasingly common in pet dogs all over the world. With so many different causes, treatment options vary, but the one thing that’s always advised is for owners to take the best possible care of their dog’s coat.

Could switching to silk bedding for your pooch help with this?
Here’s everything you need to know…

What Exactly is Alopecia?

The term alopecia refers to hair loss/baldness, with this condition occurring in humans as well as dogs.
There are several different types of alopecia, with specific breeds being more prone to certain types than others. For example, Nordic breeds, such as the Pomeranian and Alaskan Malamute, are more susceptible to alopecia X, a more cosmetic form of the illness, while Dachshunds commonly deal with a form of alopecia known as pattern baldness, and Bulldogs are more prone to seasonal alopecia.

The type of alopecia a dog has, along with the cause, will determine treatment. Some forms of the condition don’t have a cure, while others may be treatable but with the chance of it reoccurring in the future. This is why it’s important to give your dog the best possible chance of overcoming their symptoms, by keeping that coat as healthy as possible.

The Benefits of Silk

Your dog spends a lot of time sleeping - around 17 hours a day to be exact . Chances are, their bed and bedding is made from either low-quality cotton or polyester, simply because these are the most cost-effective materials for mass-produced dog beds.

However, when your dog’s body rubs against rougher textiles, friction is created. That same friction leads to inflammation in the skin and hair follicles, which exacerbates, and sometimes even causes, alopecia.

Silk is also less absorbent than many other materials. In terms of moisture, this can help to alleviate the dry skin and itching that commonly accompanies alopecia by keeping your dog’s skin better hydrated. Silk will also prevent natural oils and dirt from accumulating on its fibres, making it a much cleaner choice for any pooch with skin or hair conditions.

Humans have been sleeping on silk for centuries, which is why there’s so much anecdotal evidence out there about how silk bedding can help with alopecia in humans. Studies have found it useful in treating other skin conditions too, such as acne.

Keeping your dog’s skin soothed and calm is essential in controlling alopecia. Imagine how cooling and refreshing it would be for your pooch to stretch out on a bed of pure silk - that initial sensory satisfaction alone would provide so much relief!

The Importance Of Sleep Hygine

Whether it may be alopecia or another skin/coat-related medical condition, clean quality bedding can be a gamechanger for your dogs coat health. 

One of the leading causes of dog Alopecia is the result of skin infections such as ringworm (a fungal infection) , bacterial infections or parasites such as mites. This is why we beleive it's so important that owners regularly wash their dog bedding just like they would their own bed, which is why all our beds come with easily removable bed linen thats designed to be regularly machine washed and when necessary can be replaced. a regular cleaning routine, kills the buildup of harmbul bacteria & germs that would outherwise develop in regular dog beds that are not designed to be regularly washed.

Is it Time to Upgrade Your Dog’s Bed?

Of course, dog beds made from silk aren’t easy to find, which is why we designed the Hooman dog bed range. All our beds are supplied with luxury hotel grade 400 thread-count Egyptian cotton, which will still be much better for your dog’s skin than the roughly-textured fabric blends more commonly used in regular dog beds, but for those wishing that extra level of human quality comfort for their dog, we offer silk bedding as an optional extra which can be puchased together with a new bed, or in the future if your dog should need it.

Remember, there will likely be quite a few major changes that you will need to make to your dog’s life when dealing with alopecia or any other skin/hair condition, but something as simple as switching over to high quality clean bedding could make a surprisingly big difference. Click here to browse our range of human-quality dog beds - after all, with think your dog deserves the best.