Hair Loss

[Frzframe]

Could someone please tell me what is happening to Mitzi fur? She is losing hair on her chest. You can see it in the photo here. I took her to the vet and he was concerned so we had a blood panel done on her to make sure it isn't something like her thyroid, liver or kiddney problems. He thought it might be her hormones. It started out as a small spot on the lower part of her chest but now is growing larger and moving upward. Any idea's. I should be getting the results tommorrow from the blood test.
<img src="http://www.ott.net/~shonda/mit002.jpg" alt="" />

~Shonda

[dutchman]

A couple of ideas if the blood work comes back clean. First try switching foods perhaps something like Avo-Derm which can be very good for coat problems. IT can be hard to locate since they don't sell through any chains. I get Avo products at a local feed store. A second possibility is a vitamin supplement. My vet had me giving Aggie my mill mother rescue 3V Caps which were fish oil based. I keep an old bottle on had for reference:
Vitamin A 1250 IU
Vitamin D 125 IU
Vitamin E 75 IU

I believe they are only avialavle from a vet or perhaps a vet supply house. I've never seen then in a store.

Be aware that any change in diet or suppliments needs to be tested for 8 weeks before you can say for sure if it helping or not. I know in Aggie's case I'd been on the vitamins for about 6 weeks them changed her to Avo-Derm so I was never sure which did the trick to correct her skin problem. I always intended to try and wean her off the vitamins to see what happened but lost her before I got the chance. She died of neurological complications followin emergency back surgery unreated to her other problems. In my case with Aggie's mill background the vet suggested we try the supplements first then if we didn't get any results they would do a blood test to check for other problems.

Fran is currently a little thin on the chest himself and I know a number of the smooths I grew up with had thin chest hair at times. My vet said Frank looks good and thinks he just rubs the hair off in his kennel. He never has had very thick hair on his chest. While he is a long hair it's really his ears, feet, pants and tail (especially that tail) that has the lon hair. That's the only explination they have even been able to come up with for the small hairless patch he has on the top of his tail. I have to admit he does sit on that portion of his tail quite a bit. They have taken skin scrapings from the tail some time ago.

Tom

[Cindi]

I have a nearly 4.5 year old and a nearly 6 yr old, male and female respectively and both wires, that have bald spots on the lowest part of their keel. The male's bald spot nearly extends from his belly button to his sternum. There is absolutely nothing wrong with either of them and theya re on a very good food. Some dachshunds, even longhairs, are naked on the underside for some reason.
If the bloodwork comes back fine (are they doing the expensive thyroid test?) and you are using a good food that there are no other indications of a bad reaction to, you are doing everything right and don't need to worry. I also give a good vitamin everyday along with kelp and still no hair :)

Cindi

[Frzframe]

Thanks for your input - They are doing the thyriod test. I do hope it turns out that I'm just a worried momma. I'll let you know. Other her chest and neck (I think wear her collar rubs) she has beautiful shiney fur.
Shonda

[Frzframe]

Mitzi's blood test came back and she is perfectly healthy. The vet wants to wait for 3 months to see if her hair grows back then go from there.
~Shonda

[stephanie]

I am surprised your vet didn't tell you that the chest is a common spot for topical allergies. Doxies are so close to the ground that they pick up more potential allergens on their underside. Do you put powder or anything on your carpet? Does she do the worm where she puts her back legs behind her and crawl on the floor like a snake? One of my doxies does that. Well, i hope you find out what it is. Hopefully it is nothing extensive. bye! stephanie

[Frzframe]

I've thought about that but no we really don't put anything other then baking soda on our floors and she doesn't worm her way across the floor. So we are at a loss as to why she is losing her fur.
~Shonda

[mary8]

Hi..I have an 11yr. old dachshund. He is black and tan and his name is buddy. His hair started to fall out and had bald spots but found out that he is allergic to some things such as soy, chicken, cotton and some trees. He also has a defect in his skin and has a fungal infection. The vet also found out that he has thyroid. He takes thyroid pills and anti-fungal pills. He had a slipped disc in his back when he ws 3yrs. old. The vet gave him steriod shots and pills. He is now fine. Other than that he is a great dog. He listens and is smart. Mary

[Frzframe]

Well, I think I found out Mitzi hair loss problem. I got to thinking about what could be causing it and decided to take out her fuzzy bedding (which is made for dogs) out of her kennel and put in a towel. Her fur is coming back in and she is looking good. This mat is supposed to be hypo-allergenic but it seem's to be the cause of her problems. I'll try to take a photo to show you all the results.
Shonda