Your Dog's Skin Barrier Is Collapsing. Here's How to Rebuild It.
If your dog scratches constantly, licks their paws raw, gets ear infections every 4-6 weeks, or has hot spots that won't heal—here's what's really happening.
Your dog's skin and gut have a protective barrier made of collagen. This barrier keeps allergens like pollen, dust, and bacteria on the surface—where they can't trigger inflammation.
But dogs lose a minimum of 7-10% of their collagen barrier every year. Genetics, environmental stress, and aging all accelerate that breakdown.
By age 7, over 50% of the protective barrier is gone.
When the barrier weakens, allergens penetrate deep into the skin. Undigested proteins leak through the gut lining. The immune system goes into overdrive.
That's what causes the constant scratching, raw paws, chronic ear infections, hot spots that never fully heal, and inflammation that keeps coming back—no matter what medications you try.
Medications like Apoquel and Cytopoint suppress the immune response. Antibiotics kill bacteria temporarily. Probiotics add good bacteria.
But none of them rebuild the barrier that's collapsing underneath.
That's why relief is always temporary — lasting 2-3 weeks before symptoms return.
You're not treating what's actually broken.
