Another Coat Question

[harper]

When my boy hit adolecents his coat changed for the worst and has remained that way.

Along his flanks, ears and top of head seems to be kind of sparse, downy under coat. Colour- blue, fawn with some odd nearly black hairs.

Around his neck, chest and down his back is longer....more like normal coat with no under coat but about a 1/4 of the way down his back from his shoulders it goes quite dry and wirey. Colour- blue/ nearly black.

Would stripping the coat possibly help to make it thicken up for winter?

He is a greyhound x mutt.

Edited January 13, 2008 by bosko

[shantiah]

When my boy hit adolecents his coat changed for the worst and has remained that way.

Along his flanks, ears and top of head seems to be kind of sparse, downy under coat. Colour- blue, fawn with some odd nearly black hairs.

Around his neck, chest and down his back is longer....more like normal coat with no under coat but about a 1/4 of the way down his back from his shoulders it goes quite dry and wirey. Colour- blue/ nearly black.

Would stripping the coat possibly help to make it thicken up for winter?

He is a greyhound x mutt.

Get him a thyroid test from the vet. Greyhounds are often low thyroid. (note greyhounds have a lower normal thyroid level to other breeds as well) Easity treated with daily tablets.

[harper]

His thyroid levels have been tested. They came back well within the normal ranges. He was trialed on Thyroxine for a while to see if it made any difference but there was no change.

[shantiah]

His thyroid levels have been tested. They came back well within the normal ranges. He was trialed on Thyroxine for a while to see if it made any difference but there was no change.

Not sure then. Possibly something like CDA (colour dilute alopecia) I have a dog who is exactly the same, including the odd black hairs. He is also low thryroid and has spent years on medication. While thyroxin has helped with his energy levels etc it has done absolutely nothing for his coat. He is a GR Ch and NZ Ch but now cannot be shown and I also dont breed from him.

I think CDA diagnosis requires testing in USA but not entirely sure.