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SHEDDING!!!!!!! HELP!!!







kasthuri
Novice


Jun 9, 2004, 11:29 PM

Post #1 of 10 (3071 views)
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SHEDDING!!!!!!! HELP!!! Can't Post

Calling all labrador retriever owners!!!!!!!!!!

I love my 16th month old baby to bits but she' s shedding like there is no tomorrow!!!! I have taken her to 3 different vets & all say its normal shedding. 1 doc said just spray her with water & thats what i have been doing for the past 4 months (thank god she doesnt smell!) but there is no difference!

Any advise??? Am going bonkers!!!


surchinmy
Ultra ALPHA

Jun 11, 2004, 9:08 AM

Post #2 of 10 (3061 views)
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Re: [kasthuri] SHEDDING!!!!!!! HELP!!! [In reply to] Can't Post

Hi ...

Unlikely that all 3 vets would miss a skin condition ... Possible but not likely ... Smile

Labradors shed ... sometimes twice a year ... The best thing to do is get a good brush ... fairly wide teeth ... The people who produce NylaBone do a very nice rubber type brush with wide teeth ... give your Lab a good brush once a day to help with getting rid of the old coat ...

Also, most dogs when they reach maturity they do a very heavy first shed, and change from puppy coat to their adult coat ... 16months seems a little old of a first shedding ... but you never know ...

Also, with the warm weather (assuming you are in Malaysia), Labradors also tend to loose their double coat (unless kept in air-conditioning) ...

All of which can account for heavy shedding ...

That your Lab does not smell is a very good sign ... skin condition that causes loss of coat is often accompanied with a strong sweet"ish" like smell (not pleasant at all) ...

Some things you can do:

(a) Normal shedding is fairly evenly spread out over the dog's body ... Shedding caused by skin condition is usually patchy ...

(b) Give your dog a good visual inspection all over, part the coat and inspect the skin ... Check for red spots or red patches ... check for discolouration of the skin ... check for pimples or pistules ... If your dog has none of those then ... it's probably just shedding ...

(c) Give your dog enough omega 3 & 6, vitamin E etc ... A tablespoon of cod liver oil once or twice a week is useful ... or get a good supplement for coat to add to her diet ...

If still in doubt ... go to a vet and get a skin scraping test and/or culture done ... if for no other reason, just to ease your mind & heart.

Cheers Smile


kasthuri
Novice


Jun 11, 2004, 9:26 PM

Post #3 of 10 (3053 views)
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Re: [surchinmy] SHEDDING!!!!!!! HELP!!! [In reply to] Can't Post

Hi! U a vet or somethingWink!

That was very descriptive - thanks! Its not her 1st shedding but the worst. She's currently on velcote - mayb i shud put her on cod liver oil, as per your recommendation. Thing is she has a nice soft coat - its just the shedding! Anyway thanks so much for your tips. My baby girl is the apple of my eye as such I get really paranoid when something is not right!


surchinmy
Ultra ALPHA

Jun 24, 2004, 7:33 AM

Post #4 of 10 (2998 views)
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Re: [kasthuri] SHEDDING!!!!!!! HELP!!! [In reply to] Can't Post

Trust all is well with your dog ... and the shedding has stopped ...

Cheers Smile


kasthuri
Novice


Jun 24, 2004, 7:31 PM

Post #5 of 10 (2982 views)
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Re: [surchinmy] SHEDDING!!!!!!! HELP!!! [In reply to] Can't Post

hi doc!

actually no - the shedding hasnt stopped. noticed that its pretty bad esp around the rear & tail area. what i've done now is taken her off wet food (the canned ones - Science Diet) & she's completely on dry now. maybe thats a contributing factor - too perhaps? other than that she's as fat & healthy as ever! thanks for the concern!


surchinmy
Ultra ALPHA

Jun 24, 2004, 8:09 PM

Post #6 of 10 (2979 views)
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Re: [kasthuri] SHEDDING!!!!!!! HELP!!! [In reply to] Can't Post

Hi ...

Not a doc or a vet ... and only (even if at all - a bad quack!!!) ...

Taking your dog off the canned food is a good idea ... Canned/wet food seems to trigger allergies and cause skin conditions more easily than good kibble ... Why? Higher levels of preservatives? ... Dunno for sure, but from what I have observed, incidents of coat issues seem to increase when dogs are feed exclusively on wet food ...

If you are feeding a good brand of kibble then it is ok ... But check out the threads on dog diet ... Giving the dog freshly prepared food is a very good idea ...

The state of a dog's health is reflected in the dog's coat & skin condition ... Feed the right kind of food with the required nutrients, and a dog's coat & skin will surely improve ... but giving proper & healthy nutrition requires more than just giving dry kibble (however good that brand may be).

Also, fat dogs are not healthy ... so you might like to put your dog on a little diet ... and a lot more exercise ...

If the shedding has not stopped ... seriously suggest you take the dog to a "good & experienced" vet who understands coat & skin problems ... and this time ... ask the vet to do a skin scraping at the areas where shedding is heaviest ...

Cheers Smile


kasthuri
Novice


Jul 17, 2004, 2:09 AM

Post #7 of 10 (2806 views)
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Re: [surchinmy] SHEDDING!!!!!!! HELP!!! [In reply to] Can't Post

hey there - how u been?

have been up to my eyeballs with work & finally a breather so that i can log on here.

to answer ur q, her shedding is just as bad despite me taking her off canned food. but the worst news of all is that my precious has just been diagnosed with HD, early stage. took her for an xray to confirm. doc has recommended synoquin saying that it has worked well for some of his patients - heard of this pill before? its freakin expensive but am willing to try if it really works - just started her on it yest but prob is, she threw up both times. will hve to try again minus the capsule - will mix the content with some wet food so that she will consume it.

any recommendations?? am totally & utterly devastated.


surchinmy
Ultra ALPHA

Jul 18, 2004, 8:35 AM

Post #8 of 10 (2781 views)
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Re: [kasthuri] SHEDDING!!!!!!! HELP!!! [In reply to] Can't Post

Hi ...

If you concerned that the shedding is not normal ... then the best is to take your dog to an experienced vet and check ... Better safe than sorry ...

As for the Canine Hip Dysplasia ("CHD") ... do you mean the drug "Cosequin"? ... If so, yes, it is pricey but the general view is that cosequin is helpful ... Maybe synoquin is another brand-name for cosequin.

Threw-up? Depends on what you mean by threw-up.

If you mean she "spat out" the pill ... then maybe you are not using the correct technique for giving pills ... Place the pill as far down her throat as you can and hold her mouth closed ... she should swallow the pill without any problem ...

If you mean she "vomited" after taking the pill ... then tell you vet at once and ask for advice.

Cosequin is essentially glucosamine & chondroitin ... and reasonably safe.

www.goodnewsforpets.com/ /archive/3b006_painkillers.htm

Here are some good sites for CHD ...

siriusdog.com/articles/dysplasia-hip-dog-chd-ofa-pennhip-6.htm www.activexamerica.com/arthritis/canine-hip-dysplasia/ Cheers


sweesan
Enthusiast


Aug 8, 2004, 9:47 AM

Post #9 of 10 (2687 views)
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Re: [surchinmy] SHEDDING!!!!!!! HELP!!! [In reply to] Can't Post

my 8 1/2 months old GR is shedding as well.. this time ti's quite heavy shedding (not like normal ones).. but not patchy... and after that.. the fur at his back.. is like flat but still densed... and the furs usually sheds around his rear n tail...

is it like what u said.. reaching maturity ? but... when do dogs actually reach maturity ?? 1 year old ? could mine be too early then ? hrm... i do not give him any supplement to make his fur softer or shinier... any recomendations ? and when do they actually reach adult age ?? and then he has to be fed like only twice a day right ??

since i'm here... i wanna ask.. my dog's poo.. sometimes is very watery.. it looks like as if there's alot of mucus. and then sometimes there would a bit of blood.. then when his poo is soft n watery.. the colour would be like... yellowish brown.. is it some worm or ..... ????

thanks




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surchinmy
Ultra ALPHA

Aug 10, 2004, 1:14 AM

Post #10 of 10 (2652 views)
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Re: [sweesan] SHEDDING!!!!!!! HELP!!! [In reply to] Can't Post

Hi ...

If your dog is (a) not scratching more than usual ... (b) no unusual red areas or spots ... (c) the coat smells normal (usual doggie smell) ... then it could be that your dog is just shedding ...

Dogs generally reach maturity at 9month to one year ...

Personally, I am not a strong supporter of giving supplements for just for coat & skin ... I believe that a dog needs good overall nutrition ... If the basic diet is sound then ... the coat & skin will be good too ...

Do research on the internet as to what constitutes good nutrition for dogs.

Most adult dogs will do well on just one meal a day. Smaller dogs (or small breeds) sometimes do better on 2 meals.

But I think your dog's poop is not normal ... particularly do not like the fact that you find blood in the stools ... Strongly suggest that you take your dog (together with a sample of fresh poo) to a good vet, for examination & analysis ...

Impossible to determine what might be the cause over a forum like this.

All the best


(This post was edited by surchinmy on Aug 10, 2004, 1:16 AM)

 
 




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