Thinning coat along spine

[penfold]

Hi,

Last couple of months my cocker spaniels coat has been thinning and turning lighter in colour just along the spine. No change in appetite or activity. The vet wants hair and blood samples to determine the cause. We’re waiting on a quote but appreciate any advice or diagnosis from anyone who have seen this before. Thanks

 

[palo]

Best to wait and see results of skin and blood tests .
We had hair loss along spine and tail on our schnauzer and blood tests revealed a thyroid problem.
He gets a tablet a day now and he's fine .

 

[Buchan]

Run your hand against the hair. If it feels bristly, it will be broken due to trauma, eg scratching/licking - fleas (or other itch). If it's smooth, it more likely to be hair loss, so unjustly or hormonal effect on hair growth.

 

[finbar]

Dog or bitch ! A friend of mine lab would look like that leading up to her season as buchan say could be hormones

 

[penfold]

Bitch, the hair is bristly. She did catch a few fleas in the summer. Perhaps went hard on the flea treatments but not had any since then.

 

[penfold]

Is her coat permanently damaged or can it recover? Appreciate everyone’s contribution. I’m very grateful.

 

[Buchan]

If it's bristly, I'd be suspicious of fleas/other cause of itch before anything else. With the obvious "I'm not actually looking at her" comment that all vets give when asked for advice! So I'd ask your vet to just double check on fleas and say "This bloke on t'nternet, presents his compliments and very respectfully proffers the suggestion that good flea control might be an appropriate first line" (Good meaning vet stuff, not online/supermarket/pet shop)
If fleas/allergy, it will probably grow back, same for hormonal. Sometimes though, there's too much damage and you get changed colour/hair quality

 

[JasonG]

What food have you got her on? I've heard of good success on a raw diet when there is an issue like this

 

[Rob-E]

Watching with with interest. The exact same thing has happened to my dog. Skin scrapes resulted in nothing, twice. It’s now been almost 2 years and still no cure.

Her skins still bad (dry and flakey) but her hairs recovered. The only thing that kind of worked was Malaseb shampoo every 3 days.

I’ve also put her on YuMove Skin & Hair which has helped the coat but not the skin.

 

[Brittany boy]

My GWP appears to be intolerant of wheat in any kibble that he’s fed which results in dry itchy skin and bald patches. I now use a wheat free kibble and feed raw rabbits and venison a couple of times a week and his coat has improved and the dry skin gone. Also gets a cod liver oil capsule when im taking mine

 

[penfold]

The vet seemed non the wiser. Dismissed it being parasitic. Need to chase vets now as they were sending quote for blood and hair analysis. Dog is on Alpha sporting dog food which she’s had for years with sardines and sometimes meat offcuts from butcher. Hasn’t had any change in diet. Dog not urinating or drinking excessively. No distended stomach, weight gain or drop in activity and endurance. I’m baffled. If I learn more will keep you posted.

 

[Rob-E]

The latest breakout is the worse for a while.
I’ve only recently taken her off Yumove skin and coat so may put her back on it.

 

[Brittany boy]

Good photos maybe Buchan will have a better idea

 

[Rob-E]

Hopefully, she’s had break outs now for 2 years. 2 skin scrapes have found nothing that “wouldn’t be found on a dogs skin”. They vary from dry patches to almost like a moist scab with grit under it. It can’t be comfortable for her.

She’s on grain free food (always has been but have recently tried 3 varieties) after this latest batch I’m going to put her back on raw and see if that sorts her out. I just need to solve the constipation she gets when on raw…

I know with people it can take 6 weeks to fully get an allergin out your system.

 

[shakey jake]

My old terrior went bald when the ex let him get infested with fleas, he got in the habbit of chewing, local now retired vet said give him half a piriton a day for a month, sorted him out

 

[Rob-E]

it’s definitely not fleas but I may try the piriton idea with a bit more research.

 

[Sandy25]

it’s definitely not fleas but I may try the piriton idea with a bit more research.

On that - if you do decide to go down the piriton route, don't buy the Piriton branded tablets, can get Chlorophenamine Maleate from boots etc - lot cheaper than the branded stuff and does the same job. We used it on our sprocker who had an allergy over summer, sorted him out and stopped the hair loss.

ATB

Sandy

 

[Buchan]

Flea bite allergy can be triggered with very few fleas
Food allergic dermatitis is rare.
Most vets, if stuck with skin will suggest eg bravecto and wait and see.
Food trial are complex and you can only be certain if it is the food when you put them back on the food after using a hypo allergenic one.
Those pictures look like the dog has created them, so check your flea control first.

 

[VSS]

The latest breakout is the worse for a while.
I’ve only recently taken her off Yumove skin and coat so may put her back on it.

One of my sheepdogs had something similar. Absolutely plagued him for several years. All the usual suggestions (including parasite treatments) failed. Turned out in the end to be some kind of autoimmune condition.

 

[Rob-E]

Thanks, she’s in her final year or two as has Spondilosis. I’ll keep trying different things in case it’s an allergy but as Shepherds are bad for getting auto immune conditions I assume you may be right.