# Weird Hair Issue....



## Matthew Grubb (Nov 16, 2007)

Has anyone ever seen this before....

One of our work dogs who is an outside kennel dog has developed a strange issue with his coat. He had lost all of his outer coat. All that is left is his undercoat. I have never seen this before. The vet's response was "give him fish oil". This dog has lived outside for the last 4 years and develops a MASSIVE winter coat. 

He looks like a little fuzzy baby now.


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

has he run a fever lately or within the last couple of weeks? Or had some kind of massive stress event? Can't speak for dogs but when sheep get really sick or get badly stressed, it forms a weak link in the wool fiber which makes it brittle and easily broken. I've "sheared" these sheep by just running my hands over the body peeling the pelt off. I wonder if the same thing can happen for dogs.


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

I had that happen to Grim and his thyroid was borderline low. We gave him thyroid and the coat came back but I don't know whether it was causal or just time. 

He had been neutered before that due to an enlarged prostate (if this happens again, I will find other ways to deal with the issue.....everything went downhill after neutering and the surgery was hard on him)


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## Robert Young (May 22, 2014)

Thyroid. I had a dog like that-kept on losing it and eventually was even bald spots. UGA vets determined low thyroid and put him on thyroid med and his coat grew bacl lush and shiny and beautiful. Do your research before getting the test. Not all of the tests give good results-'T1 this and T2 that' kind of stuff-is slightly tricky to get the"correct" thyroid test that will tell you for sure.


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## Sarah Platts (Jan 12, 2010)

One of mine was in the 'normal-low' and his coat was very soft and not typical. Vet didn't want to put him on thyroid because it was not out of normal but let's face it the low end of 'normal low' is pretty low when you compare it to the average or high end of the scale. Once he started on it then his coat did come back with the stiff outer coat that GSPs are suppose to have.


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## Robert Young (May 22, 2014)

Forgot I wanted to caution you that if you do give him fish oil per your vet be sure and supplement his vitamin E as well. Giving fish oil alone can result in some sort of paralyzing type malady. No kidding.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

This is the second yr in a row that my older GSD has started blowing his undercoat in the middle of winter. No reason I can figure and his yearly blood workup has never shown anything to cause it.


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## Noel Long (Mar 13, 2013)

*Re: Fish oil and Vit E*



Robert Young said:


> Forgot I wanted to caution you that if you do give him fish oil per your vet be sure and supplement his vitamin E as well. Giving fish oil alone can result in some sort of paralyzing type malady. No kidding.


Source? I guess a bunch of dogs I know should be paralyzed or dead. 

Vit E is a good antioxidant and fish oil may increase oxidation. Here's my source. My short answer is by giving fish oil you may increase the body's requirements for more antioxidants. Many fish oil products now include Vit E.

"Besides these positive effects of fish oil, increased levels of long-chain n-3 fatty acids may render membranes more susceptible to oxidation and may increase the requirement for antioxidants."

To the OP, I agree with the majority: first thing to check is thyroid.


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## Matthew Grubb (Nov 16, 2007)

Ok... I talked with the handler today after seeing these posts. His OUTER coat is starting to grow back (he still looks like a little lamb) they are testing his thyroid. The vet came back with an interesting theory....

The dog was neutered back in October and the massive hair loss started shortly after that. She was thinking that the hormonal change occurring right in the middle of his shedding cycle may have triggered it. 

He was perfectly normal at training today... not sure if a thyroid issue would be "visible" in comparison to performance.


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## Lynn Cheffins (Jul 11, 2006)

I'd still get his thyroid checked - the neutering could have some effect but when they lose guard hairs and keep undercoat I would still investigate an underlying issue. "Coat funk" occurs in some breeds where the guard hairs break off and the undercoat stays.


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## Matthew Grubb (Nov 16, 2007)

Lynn Cheffins said:


> I'd still get his thyroid checked - the neutering could have some effect but when they lose guard hairs and keep undercoat I would still investigate an underlying issue. "Coat funk" occurs in some breeds where the guard hairs break off and the undercoat stays.


The handler said they went ahead with the thyroid tests to be safe...will keep everyone posted!


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## Nancy Jocoy (Apr 19, 2006)

One other consideration because mine went through this after neutering.....it was suggested it could have been a reaction to the anesthesia. But he still did have the low thyroid. Before the neuter he had a great. .tight..harsh outer coat


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