undercoat shredding

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p.siu@comcast.net
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undercoat shredding

Post by p.siu@comcast.net »

Hi group,

My 1 yr. old chow has been shredding his undercoat to almost bare on
his back where his tail sits and his tail too. His rough coat remains. The vet and I couldn't see any rash on his skin, so we don't think there are any hot spots. Is this normal?

If it is fur or skin problem, any recommended remedy?

Many thanks.

Patrick
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Victory
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Post by Victory »

Hi there,
I live in the US midwest too, Minnapolis, and with the weird weather our area has been getting, it's no wonder he's shedding. My girl is doing it to, looks like a shedding camel five minutes after I brush her. Chows do blow their coats twice a year in the spring, the "Big" blow. And a smaller one in the fall when it's getting time for winter, some don't do it as much as others, my boy is hardly shedding at all, but she is big time. And also at 1 year he's getting rid of his juvenile coat and growing his real adult one, at least that's what Firesong did.

If you've gone to the vet and he/she says all is well, then it's okay. The only question is did the vet check for thyroid levels, if I remember right excessive shedding can be a symptom of that, it's just a blood test. If all is well though I'd just continue to brush well and maybe add some essential oils to his food for his coat, or give him a little raw or cooked egg, (lots of amino acids and vitamins for good coat).

hope that helps a bit,
Victory, Darkwind, (our angel), Firesong, and Dreamdancer
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Shane
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Re: undercoat shredding

Post by Shane »

If you have went to a vet and their was nothing wrongIt may just be his "shedding rate". Some chows shedd very little and some shed too too much. My eldest chow shedd very little. Its not that noticeable unless you feel it you feel that it had thin out a little. the youngest sheds heavily in the season. Every morning when i wake i have to sweep, it just falls out on the floor by its self. I've seen chows shed their coat so little that you would not notice but some on the other hand shed their coat until it falls out in patches, or evenly about the body till they look smooth.

Shane
p.siu@comcast.net
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Post by p.siu@comcast.net »

Many thanks.

I will ask the vet for the thyroid test when he is due for his heart worm test next month.

With the raw eggs, do you mix it with other food? Do you give it the whole egg? Beated? How often? I fed mine some cooked eggs (scrambled) before, he wouldn't eat it.

Also, is it common for a chow to shed all its puppy coat and replace with an adult coat? If so, does it shed all its undercoat and the new one slowly grows back?

Patrick
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Victory
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Post by Victory »

Yes I beat the egg until it is nice and liquid and then mix it with their other food. Once a week is just fine during the heavy sheeding time, and twice or once a month when the coat is full grown in.

Firesong hadn't been groomed well when she was a puppy and when aI got her she still had all her cream colored baby undercoat in, she shed it for three months until it was all gone and then in the fall grew in her adult undercoat. She a black and their undercoates are dark, dark grey, turning lighter grey when they shed.

And wiht these two I can sweep my house every two hours and still not be on top of the problem. LOL
Victory, Darkwind, (our angel), Firesong, and Dreamdancer
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Thank you SweetPea!
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