Guest rennina Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 (edited) OK I travelled out of country for 3+ weeks. When I finally came back 2 weeks ago I noticed that Misty has lost a great amount of hair...her belly, legs, especially on the inner thighs. Lots of dander, too. She was on 1/2 kibble 1/2 raw with salmon oil and seameal as supplements, but DH switched her to 100% kibbles + salmon oil when I was gone. So I thought this might be the reason. I switched her back to her normal diet, and added coconut oil. Nothing changed. She's still gradually losing her hair all over the body. I brush her with a Furminator and get a big gray hair ball (She's black) every other day... Here are some photos I took today. Does that look normal? I'm wondering if I should take her to the vet and have her thyroid level checked...Or could that be the "winter shedding"? She didn't get as much chance to play/walk outside when it's too cold. Or is she blowing her puppy coat? She's 8 months old. Her coat is black, and brownish black near her neck. I heard the puppy coat/farm coat of black hounds is brownish black? But I didn't see any new hair growing out... Edited January 30, 2013 by rennina Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted January 30, 2013 Share Posted January 30, 2013 Spring shed and/or blowing puppy coat. Don't worry about it. 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...
Guest rennina Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 Spring shed and/or blowing puppy coat. Don't worry about it. Oh great, thanks:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest grey_dreams Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 The dandruff is a sign of anxiety. When my two black dogs get nervous, the dandruff appears within some minutes. She was probably a little concerned because you left and were gone. The shedding could also be from some anxiety after your departure. But don't worry about it, she has a nice coat. I don't know where you are, but here its still winter and my hounds haven't started the spring shed yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rennina Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 The dandruff is a sign of anxiety. When my two black dogs get nervous, the dandruff appears within some minutes. She was probably a little concerned because you left and were gone. The shedding could also be from some anxiety after your departure. But don't worry about it, she has a nice coat. I don't know where you are, but here its still winter and my hounds haven't started the spring shed yet. Thanks a lot. I'll give her more time to see if that improves. We're in MN, coldest month of the year now:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted January 31, 2013 Share Posted January 31, 2013 That's more hair than a lot of Greyhounds have! Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rennina Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 I've been home for more than 2 weeks now but she's still losing her hair. Pink belly and pink legs...I feel that I'm getting a naked puppy... When is the new coat coming in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Pink belly and pink legs?? IMO time for a vet visit. Can you post a new pic? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted February 3, 2013 Share Posted February 3, 2013 Pink as in inflamed, or just naked? They can get pretty naked before the new coat grows in. 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...
Guest rennina Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 My mistake. Just naked, no inflammation. Skin is a little dry, maybe. I snapped a picture, but the picture looks better than she actually is. Note the baldness and dandruff on her thigh. Pink as in inflamed, or just naked? They can get pretty naked before the new coat grows in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Unless you're seeing redness / inflammation, behavioral oddities (lethargic etc.), other symptoms -- I honestly wouldn't worry about it at this point. My younger dogs were all pretty nude on belly, thighs, lower legs, underside of neck, backs of ears for all or most of the year. Joseph has finally, at 9, stopped being a complete cue-ball-butt during the warm season, but his coat is thin and he has begun spring shedding. When it's been down below zero F. Yikes! 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...
Guest rennina Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Unless you're seeing redness / inflammation, behavioral oddities (lethargic etc.), other symptoms -- I honestly wouldn't worry about it at this point. My younger dogs were all pretty nude on belly, thighs, lower legs, underside of neck, backs of ears for all or most of the year. Joseph has finally, at 9, stopped being a complete cue-ball-butt during the warm season, but his coat is thin and he has begun spring shedding. When it's been down below zero F. Yikes! I see. Thanks:) I guess I need to relax...I just saw photos of her littermates today and they all have very thick hair now...made me a little more worried. I hope it's spring shedding. It's zero F here too, and snowing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 (edited) I would head to the vet if the skin appears broken, rashy,.... Or if your hound be seems itchy or uncomfortable. Are you supplementing with omega 3's -it might help. Edited February 4, 2013 by tbhounds Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cleptogrey Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 (edited) she's the same color emily was- mahogany or seal color...my favorite and she has irish markings(white on paws, chest and nose)! dark dogs show much more dandruff. it takes at least 6 weeks or more for fish oils to start to show their effect. dogs shed in response to the amount of daylight. i am starting to see clumps of shedding around here. black dogs dandruff also pops up when they start shedding, big time! was it warmer at the place that she was boarded at than your home? if so, the heat can promote shedding and dry out their skin. also, she's a pup, lots of growth, changes, puppy coat is blown. she's beautiful, don't worry! just enjoy.i have had the most success using lakse cronche cold pressed salmon oil- start slooowly and build to tolerance. mine get 3-4 pumps per day. don't use the furminator. look for a soft rubber curry comb, oval shaped that used on horses. and a soft but stiff bush after the currying. this does bring up dander but stimulates the natural oils in the skin. Edited February 4, 2013 by cleptogrey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MP_the4pack Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Personally, if she was a really hairy girl and now looks like that, I would take her in for a thyroid check. I've had girls that had luxurious coats, and I've had girls that had almost nothing. But I've never had they switch from thin coated to thick and vice versa. But there's no rush. It's not life threatening if her thyroid is a little low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbhounds Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Personally, if she was a really hairy girl and now looks like that, I would take her in for a thyroid check. I've had girls that had luxurious coats, and I've had girls that had almost nothing. But I've never had they switch from thin coated to thick and vice versa. But there's no rush. It's not life threatening if her thyroid is a little low. She's only 8 months old Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Puppies (and dogs kept outdoors in cool climates) WILL blow their coats at some point, and it can be pretty alarming to see . Some pics of healthy greyhounds with hair-growth challenges: Joseph at 3, BEFORE he blew his track coat: He had just come home. He was neutered a couple months later. Zema, who was 8? at the time, showing off her summer hair(less)-do. This was actually pretty furry for her in the summer .... The two above don't/didn't have low thyroid. The brindle girl actually had rather high thyroid for a greyhound -- well into the normal range for *all* breeds. 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...
cleptogrey Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 (edited) my dandruff queen: http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/2635691/sn/1595739828/name/n_a she also changed colors seasonally- as i said, the black dogs really show dandruff. bring up the oils- both intake(to tolerance and wait at least 2 months) and brush/curry well wipe down w/ a damp microfiber cloth. Edited February 5, 2013 by cleptogrey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rennina Posted February 5, 2013 Share Posted February 5, 2013 Oh thanks a lot everyone, good to know it's not necessarily due to low thyroid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3greytjoys Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 (edited) Glad you posted about this subject. As others mentioned, most of our Greyhounds have less fur than many other dog breeds, particularly on the underside and thighs. Many healthy Greys are known for bald thighs. There are some pet Greyhound contests for best bare butt. Personally, I'm not a fan of the Furminator for Greyhounds. They are very hard and sharp on Greyhound's sensitive, thin skin (which can cause skin redness). It's very easy to press down too hard with such a hard tool. (Sharpness can be tested on human's skin.) Just my opinion that Furminator works better on other breeds with a thick undercoat, tough skin, and a thicker fat layer. (BTW, Greys healthy "pet" weight is seeing last two ribs, so they shouldn't have this extra fat layer.) My preference is a soft Oster - Equine Finishing Brush (made for horses). Greyhounds love the soft feel of this brush (bristles are about 1 1/2 inches long). Gently pulls off dead fur without causing skin irritation/dandruff, and leaves fur shiny. Great ergonomic design in-hand, and larger brush size does the job with fewer strokes. Here's a soft Oster brush similar to ours with natural bristle brushes (ours has a blue handle, 5+ years old): http://www.amazon.com/Oster-Equine-Finishing-Bristle-Natural/dp/B000TZ5AME/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1360199200&sr=8-3&keywords=oster+horse+brush Misty is absolutely gorgeous! Love that priceless last photo of her preciousness! Edited February 7, 2013 by 3greytjoys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rennina Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 Thanks! Just ordered one! I was at Petco today trying to find one similar to this since cleptogrey also mentioned not to use a Furminator. I have a ZoomGroom but it didn't do the job very well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rennina Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 I took some pictures today and found this one shows her thinning hair on hind legs. It looks like patches but actually it's all over her body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rennina Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Update: I took her to the vet today. Her T4 is just below 0.5. Should I have them run a full panel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Batmom Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 If you're considering medicating, then yes, you should run a full panel first. Best is to get fT4ed (free T4 by equilibrium dialysis) and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). 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...
Guest rennina Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 If you're considering medicating, then yes, you should run a full panel first. Best is to get fT4ed (free T4 by equilibrium dialysis) and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone). Thank you, Batmom. I'll mention this to the vet on Monday. Hopefully it's not hypothyroidism. She doesn't seem to have other symptoms except hair loss... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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