fur loss ....desperate for advice.......any ideas for my friend?

[my3dogs]

Here's a copy of the email that I received.
Any suggestions are appreciated.   
I've also included one of my favorite pics of Molly from before the hair loss started.  She loves her kitty.   

Here's the email:

Wendy,
Can you post this for me?
 
Molly is a 5 yr (almost 6 now) old Basset. She has been very healthy. She had been eating Lamb & Rice food until Dec. 2004.   That is when I decided to start her on a weight management food. 
Feb. of 2005 I noticed a small balding spot on the scruff of her neck.
Her coat was always really nice and thick.
I thought maybe she was shedding out. I took her to the vets in the Spring for her annual shots etc. Other than the vet saying she needed to lose about 7lbs, he thought she was very healthy. He contributed the hair-loss to a strange winter and wet spring and that he had noticed many dogs shedding differently this year.
Well, she continued to "shed" all summer. I took her to the vets in November. Her body can't handle the yeast production, so she is on meds for that. Her blood work came back negative for Hypothyroidism and they don't think it is Cushings. We will finish the medication that she is on now, then try to decide if it is food allergies. The hair on
 her whole torso has thinned so much that you can see her skin. Any thoughts?

[patrick]

Have you tested her thyroid?  In some dogs hair loss is the only symptom.

[hairprincessnyu]

I would do two things

1) Switch her food ASAP
and
2) Give her baths with tea tree shampoo. They make it for dogs. It is a natural antibacterial/antifungal shampoo that will not only stop any kind of skin ailment that may be going on, but it also will soothe her skin. If you can find it in a lotion or ointment, get that too.

One more thing, this is what I do with the horses, not sure if it would work with dogs, but you can prob. look it up...I give them iodine baths for any kind os skin infection/ hair loss......agai n not sure about its use on dogs, but it might work.

Good luck! Please look into the tea tree products, that would be your best bet in my opinion!! And switching the food of course!

[Nina]

The same thing happened to my inlaws sheltie and they got an allergy test done. Turns out the cause was an allergy, to what I don't remember; but they gave him an allergy shot and all his fur grew back and he was just fine.


Nina

[cricket36580]

Funny...I just had a conversation about Baloo and his possible food allergy to Lamb.  I second the advise given and also add flaxseed oil (Solid Gold) and 1 egg to the food.  Wheat germ can also be used but I wouldn't if there is any possibility of grain allergy.  Food alergies can show up at any time regardless of how long they've been eating it.

[k2campbell]

OMG.  That is the most ADORABLE picture!  I just love Bassett's - they are so sweet!!! 

This also happened to my MIL's Westie, Wally.  He first started losing the hair on his belly, then it crawled up under his chest, then it went down to his feet (above his toes).  He practically had no hair left in all these areas.

The vet finally (after many attempts and allergy tests) diagnosed him with allergies to certain environmental factors (different types of grasses, dirt, plants, etc).  He was given some sort of allergy medication (which didn't help much).  He was eating Iams or something like that.  She switched his food to Solid Gold Wolf King (the vet didn't recommend it, she heard it from a friend) and his hair immediately started growing back!

Here's a picture of Wally when the hair above his feet was just starting growing back (you can see his black skin underneath).  He's got all of the hair he lost back now!

Best of luck with sweet Molly, I hope she gets her hair back soon!

[rickie]

Hi, I'm Molly's(&Tilly's) mom. Although my Basset's aren't "Big" dogs, they do have "Big" Paws, and deep down inside they think they are big dogs   
I just joined this forum, because I want to say thank you for the advice. 14 more days on the yeast medication for Molly, then I will start trying your ideas. thanks again

[rickie]

thanks, they are pretty cute. I had a Choc. Lab and an Aussie about nine years ago. These girls are almost the size that my lab was, except they have short legs
I will try getting pictures of Molly's hair condition in daylight tomorrow.

[k2campbell]

Molly & Tilly are so sweet - I LOVE Bassetts!   

[rickie]

Molly had her bath in Tree Tree shampoo today. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. She HATES water!! Doesn't even like to get her paws on the wet grass I even trimmed her nails. I also picked up some Solid Gold Wolf King dog food. The ingrediants look really healthy, not full of by products like some other foods. Let's keep our paws crossed

[coonie1970]

Welcome to BPO rickie Id say your babys belong here. I am thinking of getting a Bassett hound .Are they good with kids?? How are they with other dogs?
Molly and Tilly are beautiful.
Coonie

[k2campbell]

Molly had her bath in Tree Tree shampoo today. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. She HATES water!! Doesn't even like to get her paws on the wet grass I even trimmed her nails. I also picked up some Solid Gold Wolf King dog food. The ingrediants look really healthy, not full of by products like some other foods. Let's keep our paws crossed

[/color]

Glad Molly's bath wasn't as much of a 'production' as you thought it would be!  If the Solid Gold Wolf King works for Molly anything like it did for my MIL's dog - I'm sure her fur will be back in no time!   

[rickie]

Guess her bath was worse on me It was TEA TREE shampoo not Tree Tree I can't speak for all Bassets, but our two are wonderful with everyone!! They follow my 2yr old grandaughter around every where. When Molly was a puppy, we made sure to socialize her, and I also made sure that she would not be food aggressive. Tilly just came to us as a 3yr old, but her prior owners did a wonderful job with her. She is just a sweet. I really like this site!!

[my3dogs]

I can tell you that Molly is great dog.  She's playful and fun.
I've heard Tilly is wonderful but I can't tell you from experience because I haven't met Tilly yet (hint, hint). 

-Wendy

[taijinrr]

vet's will rob you blind

better off just cutting her usual food down
might be alergy, might be ?
i use special vitamins on all my dogs, no matter what food i feed them
this stuff really works, not store bought or the stuff the vet pushes on you..if interested  e mail me  ill give you the info and 800 #


billie4121@aol.com


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