puppy losing fur!!

[cowgirl Ibara]

I have a Golden Retriever female who has just turned a year old. I changed her off of her puppy food and put her on Purina One Adult Dog food and her coat has become extremely brittle and course. Her fur has become extremely thin on her forelegs and hind legs, while down her back and side's fur is sloughing off in large amounts. Also on her chest she has quite a large patch of fur missing. I'm not sure if it's the dog food that is responsible or if its because we live in the desert and the sand is drying out her skin and coat. So anyone with any suggestions or opinions I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks

 

[Green Creek]

Other than having less fat in it, if you are feeding the same brand of dog food, there shouldn't be that drastic of a change. There is a product called Mrs. Allen's Shed Stop that provides essential oils for the coat that works great. You can also find some essential oils for the coat at the pet department in WalMart or other pet stores. I would consult a vet first.

 

[Brute 23]

I would go to the vet. They will tell you quick. Could be mange.

Where did the dog come from?

Has it been in any water lately, tanks, creeks, ect..?

Not sure what the dog is used for but Purina is not one of the better dog foods, especially if it is a working dog.

 

[cowgirl Ibara]

I bought her when she was a puppy of 8 weeks. Her fur was really soft but just recently its become like I explained. No she hasn't been around any water lately besides some rain we had a few days ago. But this has been going on for about a month or so. What dog food would you recommend?

 

[Brute 23]

Look back there is a thread about dog food and you can see how to look for a good quality dog food. Not trying to make Purina sound BAD!.... its just that there are alot better out there.

Dogs can get a fungus from water that does not flow alot. It doesn't really cause them to loose alot of furr though.

There is also some types of Mange that are passed down from the dogs parents. But if you have not had any problems until now than I don't think that is the problem either.

Like I said... go to a vet. It is hard to tell some times. My guess is the dog has some type of Mange if it is loosing that much furr.

 

[angie1]

It is my understanding that golden are vulnerable to a variety of allergies. We have been struggling with our Golden for 3 years ~ same problem you describe, not such severe hair loss though, just very brittle. Have switched dog foods, gone to 2 different vets several times, had skin scraping done, shaved and treated with shampoo, cod liver oil pills ~ you name it. If you find something that works let me know!

 

[TedH71]

Purina ISN'T one of the best foods around. Check out the ingredients and if the first 4 are grains (corn, wheat, etc) then it's a low grade dog food. Look for the ones that list beef first, lamb and vension are good. I feed mine Nutromax. The better higher quality dog food means less eating of the dog food and less poop coming out in the other end. Dogs will overeat the cheap dog food in order to try to get the most vitamins and minerals out of it plus it tends to have a lot of salt in it...not good. I used to feed Diamond but since the mold scare and the fact that they changed the feed formula..I've not fed it to my dogs since then.

 

[cowgirl Ibara]

It is my understanding that golden are vulnerable to a variety of allergies. We have been struggling with our Golden for 3 years ~ same problem you describe, not such severe hair loss though, just very brittle. Have switched dog foods, gone to 2 different vets several times, had skin scraping done, shaved and treated with shampoo, cod liver oil pills ~ you name it. If you find something that works let me know!

The breeder I bought her form recommended that I feed her either pure Salmon Oil, Peanut Oil, or a powder viteam/mineral supplement called Missing Link Omega 3. I put her on the Omega 3 twice a day with her feeding and am also giving her some wet dogs food because I have a slight feeling she may have protein deficiency. I also bought her Oatmeal Shampoo and Conditioner that recomends giving twice a week. But some people have recommened I take her in for some blood work and a skin scraping, did either of those reveal anything besides allergies?

 

[cowgirl Ibara]

Look back there is a thread about dog food and you can see how to look for a good quality dog food. Not trying to make Purina sound BAD!.... its just that there are alot better out there.

Dogs can get a fungus from water that does not flow alot. It doesn't really cause them to loose alot of furr though.

There is also some types of Mange that are passed down from the dogs parents. But if you have not had any problems until now than I don't think that is the problem either.

Like I said... go to a vet. It is hard to tell some times. My guess is the dog has some type of Mange if it is loosing that much furr.

I have two other dogs and neither of them are having any skin or coat problems of any kind. Ive heard that mange is contagious between those who come in contack with it. But I dont know very much about mange.

 

[Brute 23]

No... you can have twenty dogs at a kennel and one get mange and none of the others.... then again four others could get it from one. It is caused by a mite.

Does the dog itch and scratch ALOT? If so it is most likely mange. But like I said it could be alot of stuff.

DO a search on the e-net for mange on dogs. There are a ton of sites that list symptoms, treatments, preventative measure, and they also have pics to compare with.


Check out this link. It talks about mange being past down in genetics.
http://www.petsbestrx.com/mange/Main/kei/redmange.html

 

[TedH71]

There are two different types of mange: genetic (not congatious) and the other type that other dogs can get. The dog with the genetic mange should be neutered/spayed since it can be passed on and is often hormonal in nature. The genetic mange is often more difficult to cure than the other type.

Demodectic mange is the genetic type..the other type of mange is contangious to both people and other critters.

Demodectic Mange: Demodex or demodectic mange is most commonly diagnosed in puppies between the ages of 3 months to one year. Demodex mites live their entire life cycle on most dogs and some cats. When the animals immune system is doing it's job the number of mites are kept in check but if the immune system is for some reason depressed the number of mites get out of control and symptoms of mange start to develop.

Symptoms include, but are not limited to: hair loss - usually on face around eyes, ears, and mouth, forelegs and occasionally trunk. Patches of red and crusty skin. Not usually pruritic or itchy. The generalized form of demodectic mange is less common but more serious then the localized form. Dogs diagnosed with the generalized form will show their entire bodies involved with hair loss and redness, suffer with a secondary bacterial infection, and usually be feverish.

Additional information: Demodectic mange is not contagious to humans or other animals. Treatment will not completely eliminate the mites, the goal in treatment is to decrease the number of mites. Infected or previously infected dogs should not be used for breeding because heredity seems to be a factor. Treatment for demodex maybe long and the generalized form can be fatal.

Sarcoptic Mange: This type of mange is contagious. The female mite burrows deep into the skin to lay eggs which makes the animal very itchy. Sarcoptic mange is also known as "Scabies" and can infect dogs of any age, breed, or sex. Humans may develop lesions, red papules, from the the mite and should call their doctor if signs develop.

Symptoms include, but are not limited to: Red, crusty lesions on ears, elbows, and elsewhere on trunk. Lesions are pruritic, or itchy. A secondary bacterial infection can develop due to self-trauma from all the itching. This form of mange can become progressively more severe.

Additional information: This form of mange is highly contagious and humans should call their doctor immediately if lesions develop but mites will not remain on humans for more then a few hours.

Diagnosis For Demodectic and Sarcoptic Mange: Diagnosis by a veterinarian is usually made with a test known as a skin scraping. The veterinarian uses a blade to scape the skin, he/she then transfers the sample to a microscope slide. The slide is checked under the microscope for the mite.

Treatment For Demodectic and Sarcoptic Mange: The most common treatment for mange is Ivermectin. Ivermectin is a commonly used large animal dewormer but it has been used to treat mites in dogs for several years now. Ivermectin treatment is generally given orally, usually mixed with something that tastes good, but the drug can also be injected under the skin.
The use of Ivermectin to treat mites in dogs has not been approved by the FDA, but it is safe if the correct dose is given. Some herding breeds, like collies and shelties, are more sensitive to this drug and extra care should be given when treating these breeds, be sure to discuss this with your veterinarian.

 

[cowgirl Ibara]

No... you can have twenty dogs at a kennel and one get mange and none of the others.... then again four others could get it from one. It is caused by a mite.

Does the dog itch and scratch ALOT? If so it is most likely mange. But like I said it could be alot of stuff.

DO a search on the e-net for mange on dogs. There are a ton of sites that list symptoms, treatments, preventative measure, and they also have pics to compare with.


Check out this link. It talks about mange being past down in genetics.
http://www.petsbestrx.com/mange/Main/kei/redmange.html[/quote

She has only had a problem with scratching her ears and shes getting over having hot spots. But her body isnt itchy. But thanks for the web site

 

[angie1]

quote]some people have recommened I take her in for some blood work and a skin scraping, did either of those reveal anything besides allergies?[/quote]
Sorry, I don;t get on the boards very often, no the tests revealed nothing. Its very frustrating. We shaved ourd for the first time about 3 weeks ago and were much better able to see rashing on his skin and washed him then with medicated shampoo. I think asking someone to give a golden a bath twice a week indefinatly has probably never done it once ~ What a pain! However, having shaved and treated once with medicated shampoo I have noticed a BIG difference, just have to watch for sunburn. Also, shaving is not practical in the winter or during hunting season as he spends so much time in the water getting ducks!

 

[cowgirl Ibara]

quote]some people have recommened I take her in for some blood work and a skin scraping, did either of those reveal anything besides allergies?

Sorry, I don;t get on the boards very often, no the tests revealed nothing. Its very frustrating. We shaved ourd for the first time about 3 weeks ago and were much better able to see rashing on his skin and washed him then with medicated shampoo. I think asking someone to give a golden a bath twice a week indefinatly has probably never done it once ~ What a pain! However, having shaved and treated once with medicated shampoo I have noticed a BIG difference, just have to watch for sunburn. Also, shaving is not practical in the winter or during hunting season as he spends so much time in the water getting ducks![/quote]

Thanks for the help Yes it is a pain to give her a bath twice a week since water and desert wind do not mix and her hair plugs up the bathtub. But whatever will help. I hope your puppy dogs rash clears up soon. ^_^

 

[angie1]

Gosh ~ its so nice to see I'm not the only one who can't do the darn quote thing! I had it but now its gone again.

 

[Dusty Britches]

It could be mange, but it could also be allergies.

I thought my pup had demodetic mange, had him tested. Not demodetic.

The pup was losing his hair fast, itching all the time, scratches caused wounds that did not heal, and he had a moth eaten appearence. So, the vet asked if I wanted to test for allergies.

The report showed he was allergic to corn, rice and potatoes. And Purina loads their stuff with corn.

For now, my pup is on a raw meat diet. Within 2 weeks, his wounds healed, his hair came back, and he doesn't itch near as much. I am looking for puppy foods that do not contain those 3 ingredients that are sold in my area. The allergy report came with 4 pages of commercial dog foods, but most are frozen or moist. I prefer feeding dry foods.

So, in my case, it was allergies. And the vet said due to the level of reaction in those items, he most likely will grow out of them.

My sister swears by Purina One, but I do not.

 

[Alice]

Check out Science Diet sensitive skin. I had a chow that got "itch" shots constantly and finally they quit working. He was so miserable and his skin was so raw from scratching that I began to wonder if maybe I shouldn't just have him put down.
Someone suggested I try Science Diet sensitive skin formula and within a week I could tell it was going to make the difference. That dog grew a beautiful coat and kept it.

Alice

 

[Daisy452]

It is my understanding that golden are vulnerable to a variety of allergies. We have been struggling with our Golden for 3 years ~ same problem you describe, not such severe hair loss though, just very brittle. Have switched dog foods, gone to 2 different vets several times, had skin scraping done, shaved and treated with shampoo, cod liver oil pills ~ you name it. If you find something that works let me know!

The breeder I bought her form recommended that I feed her either pure Salmon Oil, Peanut Oil, or a powder viteam/mineral supplement called Missing Link Omega 3. I put her on the Omega 3 twice a day with her feeding and am also giving her some wet dogs food because I have a slight feeling she may have protein deficiency. I also bought her Oatmeal Shampoo and Conditioner that recomends giving twice a week. But some people have recommened I take her in for some blood work and a skin scraping, did either of those reveal anything besides allergies?

It might be desert allergies, take her in nd get a scraping and blood done, watch how much wet food you give her though, she can gain weight fast, and its hard to get off. Now that Ibara is gone, clean his pen and put her in there, it might be because of the birds and mice she keeps catching. Look for small bites on her skin too. She could of been bitten by someweird desert bug.

 

[cowgirl Ibara]

It could be mange, but it could also be allergies.

I thought my pup had demodetic mange, had him tested. Not demodetic.

The pup was losing his hair fast, itching all the time, scratches caused wounds that did not heal, and he had a moth eaten appearence. So, the vet asked if I wanted to test for allergies.

The report showed he was allergic to corn, rice and potatoes. And Purina loads their stuff with corn.

For now, my pup is on a raw meat diet. Within 2 weeks, his wounds healed, his hair came back, and he doesn't itch near as much. I am looking for puppy foods that do not contain those 3 ingredients that are sold in my area. The allergy report came with 4 pages of commercial dog foods, but most are frozen or moist. I prefer feeding dry foods.

So, in my case, it was allergies. And the vet said due to the level of reaction in those items, he most likely will grow out of them.

My sister swears by Purina One, but I do not.

I thought my dog might have had a protein deficiency so I gave her some minerals called Missing Link. Her fur stopped falling out and the patch of fur missing on her chest is starting to grow back which is a large relief. But i think i might get her tested for allergies also just to be safe.

 

[cowgirl Ibara]

Daisy- My Mia and Blaze got into a scrap the other day and now she has a few scabs on her left cheek. But I thought she might have been bitten by dust mights since they had given me all those itchy dots. So I gave her some medicated shampoo then some oatmeal shapoo and conditorner. It really made her soft and her fur is starting to grow back. But I might take her in to get an allergie test done just encase. But have you found anything that will work for max? I noticed he was really itchy the other day.