Guest pennmorgan Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Hi all- This is the first time I've started a thread here. I appreciate whatever you can offer as far as advice. Olivia is a ~3 year old fawn female, with lots of very soft fur. She has much more and softer fur than about any greyhound I've met. (Lots of people who see her don't even think she is a greyhound because she looks so different). I've had her for 2 months. Recently, she's been shedding a lot, which I figured was due to the change in seasons. Fine, no problem, I brush her almost every day and get several mitt-fuls of lovely fawn hair. She's been on high-shed mode for about 3-4 weeks now. Today, we took her to the dog park and it was very hot--90 or so and sunny. She was uncomfortable I think, but she stood in the shade and had a nice time dominating an Akita . Still, she's been a little out of sorts the last few days since it's been warm out, sometimes choosing to lie on the hard wood floor rather than her bed. Well today I was scratching and rubbing her a few hours after her walk, and I noticed her fur on her "thigh" area (either side) is coming out in clumps. Like, if you grab a little bit and pull very gently, the whole bit comes out. It's short and very fluffy there, almost like cotton balls. She's got a bit of a bald spot now in that region. She doesn't appear to be irritated by it--she's not scratching that region or anything, but I'm concerned because I've never seen her hair come out like this before. Is this just her adapting to her new warmer climate, or does she need to see the vet for this? Thanks for your help. Morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greyladydown Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 I'd check her thyroid levels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SLM4956 Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Welcome to Greyt Talk!! I am not sure what to advise you, as I am a fairly new Greyt Mom too. I would suggest calling your adoption organization and maybe asking them!?!?! I would be concerned too if my baby was losing that much hair. Perhaps someone with a little more experience can advise better than me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brandimom Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 I have an afghan that started loosing GOBBS of hair and the first thing I thought of was thyroid levels. I would have the thyroid checked and make sure your vet knows the difference in thyroid levels with sighthounds vs. dogs in general. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreyTzu Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 Sounds like she is blowing her track coat. Danger's fur came out in clumps when he blew his track/farm coat. Quote Wendy and The Whole Wherd. American by birth, Southern by choice. "Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!" ****OxyFresh Vendor ID is 180672239.**** Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 If she was that furry to begin with, and you've only had her two months, I personally would wait before rushing off to the vet. Sounds like she's just shedding for the summer to me. Most greyhounds don't have that much fur, but sounds like you got an extra furry one. That's typically where fur will shed out in "clumps." If she's not acting differently in any other way, I think you can wait for a routine visit to the vet and then consider having her thyroid levels run. You HAVE taken her to the vet since you got her, right?? Just to be checked out? Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeh2o Posted April 26, 2009 Share Posted April 26, 2009 I'd have to agree with the thyroid check. If you can afford it (it's about $65 here) it's a good investment. Quote Sunsands Doodles: Doodles aka Claire, Bella Run Softly: Softy aka Bowie (the Diamond Dog) Missing my beautiful boy Sunsands Carl 2.25.2003 - 4.1.2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pennmorgan Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Thanks for the advice. Yes, we have taken her to the vet (a couple of times already!) and she checked out okay. Aside from being a little on the loose-stool side, she seems to be perfectly healthy. Underneath her sheddyness is a similar-colored coat, so unless it really bothers her we'll probably wait a few days and see if there are continuing symptoms. Thanks for the tips so far. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Energy11 Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 ALL OF OURS, especially Curfew, as shedding TONS OF HAIR! I have used the grooming mitt on all, and, after getting finished, I think I could have made another dog out of all their hair! :-)) All of mine have had recent bloodwork done. IT is HOTT here, too, and they are blowing their winter coats. YOU MIGHT want to get a thyroid test done, but, I'd keep brushing and see what happens! Good luck! D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BillNY914 Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 New dog = nerves = shedding, change of season, additional heat = LOTS of shedding. I just went through three weeks of it myself, hadn't seen so much since when I first got him. I think it has to do with the heat for us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mickie37 Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Hi, It sounds like she is shedding her farm coat. I have had a couple of fosters that I thought would be bald with the amount of coat they lost. The coat that was left after the shed was so gorgeous. A lot of shine and very smooth. Mickie Ohio on the North Coast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greytluck Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Totally normal, she is blowing her kennel coat I wrote pretty much the same exact post on another board a few weeks ago. My newly adopted grey is shedding in the same way leaving bald patches on his body until the new hair grows back. It started with his back legs now he is shedding on his back. The fur that is growing back is shorter and smoother, more typical of a greyhound. Quote Hobbes-Ricard Hatch09/23/99-12/21/09 Always loved, never forgotten. Wally TNJ Boy Howdy, GLS Genuinerisk Corinna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Don't freak if her butt hair doesn't grow back till winter. Zema normally loses all hers over the spring/summer shedding season and then grows it back when it gets cool. Quote Star aka Starz Ovation (Ronco x Oneco Maggie*, litter #48538), Coco aka Low Key (Kiowa Mon Manny x Party Hardy, litter # 59881), and mom in IllinoisWe miss Reko Batman (Trouper Zeke x Marque Louisiana), 11/15/95-6/29/06, Rocco the thistledown whippet, 04/29/93-10/14/08, Reko Zema (Mo Kick x Reko Princess), 8/16/98-4/18/10, the most beautiful girl in the whole USA, my good egg Joseph aka Won by a Nose (Oneco Cufflink x Buy Back), 09/22/2003-03/01/2013, and our gentle sweet Gidget (Digitizer, Dodgem by Design x Sobe Mulberry), 1/29/2006-11/22/2014, gone much too soon. Never forgetting CJC's Buckshot, 1/2/07-10/25/10. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamngrey Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Cassie is one of the furriest greys I have seen. this year when she started her "winter shed" she lost it in clumps on her sides and back end. Quote Cassie: Pikes Clara Bell Swoop: My Man Swoop BRIDGE ANGELS Psi:WD'S Aleford 3/17/00-4/25/10 Snowman: Gable Snowman 1/9/96-2/14/08 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicocat Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Sounds like she is blowing her winter coat. If she was wintered on the farm, as it sounds, the amount of hair that comes out is unreal. Big clumps. Takes a while for all of it to come out. Quote Ann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NancyB Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 My Ruby is the same way. She has really soft, thick fur and this week she has really been shedding. We brushed her with the zoom groom tons of fur came out and even some little clumps I yanked out that looked loose. We gave all the doggies baths yesterday so during her bath and after she still had a lot of fur coming out. She is always like this when it gets warmer. Quote Nancy with Rocket, Umeko and Sasha Missing Albi, Kassie, Ramm, Ruby, my good boy Marvin and Mickey (BT) NANCY B'S COLLARS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest FozzyBear Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 fozzy is shedding too. he was a particularly fluffy boy over the winter but now we're being told he's shedding his track coat and winter coat at the same time? we bought a furminator and brush him once a day to keep up with it but we still come out with handfuls of hair Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 fozzy is shedding too. he was a particularly fluffy boy over the winter but now we're being told he's shedding his track coat and winter coat at the same time? we bought a furminator and brush him once a day to keep up with it but we still come out with handfuls of hair I LOVE the name Fozzy--and I was looking at your boy's picture, he reminded me of MY boy, so I clicked the linky--and your boy's grandfather is my boy's father! Welcome to another Slammer Boy!! Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest romeosrents Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 Romeo has been shedding like crazy too. He has a few bald spots on his bum, but that hair is starting to grow back in! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest StriderDog Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 On that "pantaloon" area on the thighs it's pretty common for the fur to come out in little poofs. My parent's terriers get it too, it's not just a greyhound thing. Don't freak if her butt hair doesn't grow back till winter. Zema normally loses all hers over the spring/summer shedding season and then grows it back when it gets cool. Strider goes backward - losing the hair in the winter! Silly boy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greensleeves Posted April 27, 2009 Share Posted April 27, 2009 My whole pack is shedding in clumps/tufts this year, too (some of them for the first time ever). I think part of it was a change in diet--which would probably be the case with your girl, as well. The *only* thing about your post that concerned me was that you said there was a "little bald spot" where the tufts had come out. To me, that doesn't sound like normal coat-blowing. But I'd wait and see before I started to worry. Also, 90 degrees may be too hot for your girl--if she seems really uncomfortable, you might restrict her walks to the coolest part of the evening/early morning, and make sure she has access to AC or cooling mats (even a kiddie pool, if she'll have anything to do with it). Our greyhound group is always sending out heat advisories in the summer, as they tend to be brutal here, as well. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pennmorgan Posted April 30, 2009 Share Posted April 30, 2009 Thanks for all the good tips. The hubby and I took her out and brushed her down the other night. I think you could have stuffed a comforter with what came off of her! Her "thighs" are now much shorter hair, more like her back. But she seems just fine overall, and isn't exhibiting any other effects that make it sound like a thyroid thing. She's active as a greyhound can be. I think she's a just a sheddy beast! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zestysmom Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 pennmorgan, i am having the same problem with my grey. her little butt is looking scarce in the way of fur!!!! i contact the group i adopted her from and they told me to get vitamin E and it should help out in a few weeks. oddly enough her hind quarters are the worst!!! but seeing your poor baby with clumps coming out makes your stomach turn (and your vaccum wish it was sucking anything else up i'm sure! lol). my zesty, her thighs looks like the smoothest coat i'v ever seen. funny, everyone that has ever pet her says she doesn't feel like regular dog hair...so fluffy and soft...bygones i guess now! i just hope she gets a little hair growth back there! lol how is your grey now???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest verthib Posted February 10, 2012 Share Posted February 10, 2012 fozzy is shedding too. he was a particularly fluffy boy over the winter but now we're being told he's shedding his track coat and winter coat at the same time? we bought a furminator and brush him once a day to keep up with it but we still come out with handfuls of hair Hi FozzyBear! I tried PMing you, but you aren't able to PM yet. Please email me at verthib@yahoo.com so we can start planning our play date! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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