Java's coat

Layla · Post by **Layla** » Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:32 pm

Advice needed please!

I've only ever had Chow's from puppyhood & never really seen their coats in poor condition. I love grooming Millie & she accepts / sleeps through it well. Soooo, not seen this before.

Java's coat felt like oily grit, and he is shedding big time right now. He behaved very well for a good brushing yesterday so DH and I thought we'd go in for the bath! Apart from clogging up our bath with hair & taking nearly 5 hours to bathe & brush him my issue is that there is still dead hair matted in his undercoat & the small areas of skin that I can see are very red & sore looking. Do I just keep brushing or is there a better way to clear the dead hair. I checked with the vet (as I was there with Millie) & they said the skin maybe sore as it hasn't gotten air in ??? many months & I should trim him really short to give the skin a chance. Hmmmmmm, what do you guys think?????

Java was an angel & just co-operated through the whole effort. He made DH's day by resting his little chin on his leg & almost sleeping through the brushing.

Sorry for the length, just wanted to give you all the info!

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 4:27 am

I don't know much about this, but I'll try my best. Special has some matting when we got him too, but it doesn't sound like it was as bad as what you're describing. Is there any way you think that maybe after another brush or two the mats would come out? If not can just cut out the mats or are there too many? Do you think the red spots could be hot spots?? I would have the vet look just to make sure. Does it seem like the redness bothers him, does he chew at his fur at all? It sounds like he was probally either on his own or at teh shelter when he was blowing (or starting to blow) his coat so that would explain all the sedding and some of the mating. As long as you don't get bald patches when you brush him, that's normal. But like I said, I'd have him look at to make sure his skin is okay. Have you thought of seeing a groomer? Maybe they could get the mats out without cutting his hair. Good luck, hopefully the others will have better advice for you. Keep us posted.

WildThings · Post by **WildThings** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 10:27 am

When my family found Tess, she was in similar shape...pretty much the only difference was she was also covered in ticks. We went through an cut out any mats we could find, then just brushed her everyday. It took almost a year for her to have a completely healthy, full coat, but after the first month or two, she started to look much better. We used to have a soothing dog shampoo that was supposed to help calm irritated skin...it had aloe and oatmeal in it. I know that good nutrition is the best thing that can help their fur, but it does take awhile to take effect. Tess actually lost a huge amount of her fur in the first month but the vet said that the change in nutrition could cause the unhealthy fur to all fall out before the healthy stuff grew back.

Layla · Post by **Layla** » Sun Apr 15, 2007 9:57 pm

Thanks for you help guys.

I've gone over Java again with the undercoat rake (another binbag full of hair!) He is begining to look better. Still, very dry hair & lots of thin patches but less dead hair matted in. I don't want to trim as I'm not sure there will be enough covering of his skin for the summer.... especially as he is a smooth coat. I think it will be a time thing and lots of brushing / good food to see what he will truely be like. In the meantime, I am getting a major upper body workout (just in time for summer

) and we get to bond a little.

If I wear out, to the groomers it will be for both of them

chowfrnd88 · Post by **chowfrnd88** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 4:14 am

The dryness could be due to the lack of a good diet before you got him, or it could even be a lot of dirt that will just come out as you keep brushing him.

How is his skin looking???

Good luck!

Dogdad · Post by **Dogdad** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 8:50 am

Yoshi was in the same condition. Tons of mats, tons of debris, dander. After brushing him for 2 weeks he is beginning to look alot better and the skin is going away. A lot of is it is lack of nutrition and a lack of grooming. For his oilyness, you might want to try a baby wipe and just wipe the coat.

david

Layla · Post by **Layla** » Mon Apr 16, 2007 9:22 am

chowfrnd88 wrote:The dryness could be due to the lack of a good diet before you got him, or it could even be a lot of dirt that will just come out as you keep brushing him.

How is his skin looking???

Good luck!

Thanks! Java's skin is ok in places (oddly where there is thinned hair) and sore looking in other spots. Thankfully the bath soted out the smelly oilyness.