Disappearing body/tail hair

[Kodiak]

Riley, 10 years old, has had a complete coat change since we moved to Florida from NY. His long hair ceased to grow in after he shed his heavy coat and now he's got only a short, dull undercoat. The hair on his tail is becoming nonexistent. It is coming out in clumps with dry skin attached when being brushed. He's always been on a one a day Multivitamin, also, Vitamins C, E, Salmon oil, Biotin and G & C. Is Riley missing something in his diet? Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[Angela]

Can you post a pic of him and where it is coming out? I have a Newf with Alopecia X which took 18 mths to diagnose and no cure. So curious to see what he looks like.

 

[Ginny]

Get his thyroid checked.

 

[jane]

Get his thyroid checked.

My thought too. Last year Roger's coat went dull and started falling out like mad. Had his thyroid checked, vet said it was normal so I sent it to Dr. Dodds. She said it was way too low for a newf. He went on thyroid meds and made a complete turn around.

 

[new_2_newf]

i'd agree with with getting thyroid tested..at that age it wouldn't be uncommon for the thyroid to be a bit off. If that is what it is, it should be easy and reasonably cheap to treat. just a couple of small pills twice a day.

 

[Jeannie]

Thyroid.

 

[Kodiak]

Riley was on Thyroxin in NY. He had a thyroid profile done before we moved to Florida and we were told to cut him down to 1 tab per day. In Florida, he was put on Levothyroxine 0.6 mg, two per day. When he finished the meds, I never renewed them. OMG....I had no idea that hair loss could be a result of stopping the meds. I will definitely make an appt at the vet and have another thyroid profile done. Thank you all for your input. Looks like, I'm guilty of contributing to Riley's hair loss!!!! :O(

 

[Jeannie]

You should be able to get the meds after the bloodwork is taken. If I were you I'd want him on the meds asap. Thyroid is an issue that must be treated for life. My Samantha has been on thyroid meds for 12 years.

 

[Annetteb]

This sounds like what happened to one of my Golden Retrievers years ago... it was thyroid deficiency and easy to treat with medication.

 

[Sound Bay Newfs]

The weather change may be a factor with the the thyroid issue, but also keep in mind Cushings. That is how Rory's coat and tail looked. Keep us updated on how he is doing.

 

[ardeagold]

Remember, thyroid meds are for LIFE. Low thyorid (or any thyroid problem) affects every part of the body and the loss of hair is just a symptom of a "sick" body.

Hope he's doing well soon!

 

[toblerone]

I noticed that Rory has Cushings. I have read that it is genetic. You may want to have the test for it done as many of the symptoms mimmick thyroid problems or can cause thyroid problems.

 

[BethNC]

While not a newf, I had a dog growing up that was on the low side of normal with thryroid issues. Definitely get it checked with your vet but I also wanted to say that our holistic vet had us add some coconut oil to meals and it helped put thyroid values more solidly in the normal range. One bonus was a glorious coat for sure. It's something to think about once you get the thyroid meds in place if indicated.

Good luck!

 

[Kodiak]

Riley went to the vet today and she drew blood to do a series of tests to see if he has Cushing's. He's back on the thyroid medication (Levothyroxine 0.6 mg) once a day and starts Cephalxin tomorrow for a skin condition. On Thursday, we have to drop off Riley's first urine of the day. We should have results of some of the bloodwork tomorrow. Lynn's Rory and Riley are littermates and the vet said Cushing's is genetic. Riley weighed in at 99.4 lbs today.

 

[2ndchance]

aw poor Riley, he's probably just as confused about what is going on. I hope it's an easy fix and your worry is soon over.

 

[KatieB]

Yep thyroid meds are usually for life!! Bella has been on them since 3 years old so for 2.5 years now and she is doing great on them.

 

[Ivoryudx]

Just something to discuss with your Vet on the thyroid med is that typically is it given twice a day due to its surge and tapering off levels. So every twelve hours is supposed to keep their levels from crashing in between doses.

I hope he doesn't have cushings, and I hope he starts feeling better soon.

 

[nsmarlis]

There's an excellent article on thyroid testing here. www.greatdanelady.com Make sure you get a complete profile done & not just the typical T6 & TSH.

 

[toblerone]

I have a Cushings girl who has had hair loss that started about a year ago. We did full thyroid and sent to Dodds, but came back normal. She didn't show any other symptoms until just a few months ago. Drinking more, calcium deposits on skin and some incontinence. Fur on her face and front legs is normal, but body has thin spots and is red enough that she passes for a bronze. Her tail looks like she is part possum.Also looks like she has gained weight ,due to loss of muscle tone, but weighs the same as always.
Started her on a holistic herb blend to address the adrenal glands and help her other organs deal with the excessive cortisol being produced by them. We are crossing our fingers and waiting to see.
I sure hope you can find an answer for Riley to get better.

 

[ardeagold]

Here's a book that Dr Jean Dodds has put out about the "The Canine Thyroid Epidemic" It's available at Amazon. It's a wonderful reference to have on hand, and is available with a Kindle app or in paperback:

http://www.amazon.com/Canine-Thyroid-Epidemic-Answers-Need/dp/1617810169