Hair Growth No More!

[Scouty]

My scout has had her second acl done and intial recovery was great compared to the first. But overall recovery she has been subjected to bursts of lameness. The vet went back in i think it was 6 months later and took the pin back out. But no improvment.

Not only am i concerned about the cronic lameness but she has not grown any hair back after surgery and is not shedding any seasonal hair either.

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We have changed vet as am not happy with quality of care. She has since lost 10kilos, but limp is still there, hair has not grown back.

Medication she is on as per vet instructions;

Thyronixe 6 tablets a day, was increased at last consultation from 4 to 6.

Rymidol at the monment we are the judge of her pain so she is gettin one half at night and a quarter in the morning.

Injections i have tried to spread out to 6 weeks apart.

additional additives i give her;

technyflex

glucosime (human powder form)

ACV

basically i am asking what has anyone seen or heard about anything like this? I will post some pics soon of what we are fighting.

thanks for reading

scout

[Staff'n'Toller]

Thyroid issues will prevent hair regrowth as usually would be expected. Perhaps she needs her levels measured to ensure the medication is within the therapeutic range.

How old is she?

It's extremely late down the track as far as the knee goes but I would be seeking out a K9 Physio and getting my butt there pronto. I'd be looking for a place with Underwater Teadmill or a rehab pool at the least. I got good results with my Staffy who has arthritis after a patella repair doing Physio and swimming.

Mel.

[Scouty]

We have had her swimming at the local rehab pool for dogs but i feel something internal is not right with her.

Yeah we have tried to balance her thryiod problem, but does that mean her hair will grow back?

unsure

scout

Edited November 22, 2008 by Scouty

[Rappie]

Have her thyroid levels been checked lately?

If you're concerned about something internal, then perhaps you could discuss some general blood work up with your vet. Most of the pathology companies have a senior / wellness profile that includes full blood count, biochemistry and a TT4 level at a slightly reduced price.

Having two cranial cruciate repairs done is a big deal, if the stifle joints are stable then I would get my vet to do a thorough exam to try to locate any other sources of pain. If it hasn't already been done it might be worthwhile considering radiographs of the stifles and hips / spine, or investigating acupuncture or physio. Cruciate repairs return stability to the joint, but they are still once injured joints and may not be 100% depending on the damage done.

[Allerzeit]

Oh Goodness

Unfortunately, I couldn't offer any advice that hasn't already been offered as I have never experienced anything like thi.

If I were in your shoes, I would take Rappie's advice - have her thyroid levels checked, and have a senior profile done as well to give you an idea of how she is travelling, and see if that gives you a course of action to jump on.

[Scouty]

Scouts last appointment was three weeks ago thats when we increased from the 4tablets a day to the 6.

Does anyone know if her hair will ever grow back? BTW the arm bans are on as she has broken her skin on her elbows when she lays down.

This vet has already given us i reckon about another 3-4years, which i am very grateful. Before even a short walk would see her like having seizures. In that i mean, she would stop walking and her eyes would dart from side to side for anout 5-6sec. I would be supporting her at this stage then they would pass and we would make our way back home.

This all happened pre this new vet and when she was 10kilos heavier pre all the above medication. She has not shown any more signs of "these seizures"

[Rappie]

Scouts last appointment was three weeks ago thats when we increased from the 4tablets a day to the 6.

Were the T4 levels checked with a blood test at this time, or is she on a thyroxine trial?

Is she still on a diet?

[Scouty]

Scouts last appointment was three weeks ago thats when we increased from the 4tablets a day to the 6.

Were the T4 levels checked with a blood test at this time, or is she on a thyroxine trial?

Is she still on a diet?

Staff'n'Toller - she turned 8 in june this year.

Her T4 level was checked at her last appointment. Thats when he said to increase the dosage to 6.

She has been on the thyroxine since about feb this year. This is when we switched vets.

Scout only gets 100grams of RC in morning soaked and 150grams of RC at night. It has been this way since we changed vets. She also gets some bones during the week. A bag of 4 chicken carcasses that is spread over a week and maybe every second week half a marrow bone to keep her entertained while we are at work. Also when i buy it steamed cabbage as per vets instructions. He said i could give her as much as ths as i wanted but i probably only giver her this three times a week.

We have slowly changed every aspect of her life. However her exercise is not ofeten due to her mobility!

[OSoSwift]

Definately check her thyroid levels and as others have suggested a general senior blood test would not go astray. If she has damaged both ACL's then you want her as lean as she can be without of course going skinny. I have always been told no to feed cabbage so I am not sure about that one, I've been told to feed carrots and pumpkin. I would consider the xraying as suggested previously and hydrotherapy and acupuncture. My old Dobe who had lots of arthritis as well as damaged disks in her neck loved her acupuncture and afterwards was much more comfortable. The hair regrowth or lack of, I have never seen quite like that before. Good luck and hope you find some answers.

[Greytmate]

I have seen hair grow back on balding hypothyroid dogs, once they were put on teh right level of medication.

But the very last place for it to grow back was on the thighs. They were greyhounds though, and bald thighs is pretty common in greyhounds.

I don't know that anyone here can tell you that your dog's hair will grow back for sure. But unless the hair follicles have been damaged in some way, it seems most likely that the hair will grow back if you can manage the illness properly. Good luck.

[Kelly_Louise]

Scouty, do you mind if I ask which type of surgery was performed to repair the cruciate ligaments? And do you know if the meniscus was removed in this surgery?

My cattle dog also has had 2 cruciate ops (tibial wedge osteotomies), both very successful for her weight. She also had problems with her hair growing back (not at the same time as the ops but a couple years later when on meds for an allergic reaction), and it was found that she had Cushings disease. Not the kind brought on by medication unfortunately, but perhaps the meds your dog is on is causing thyroid problems that is preventing the hair from growing back, or growing back VERY slowly?

That is the most obvious thought to me, but I'm no vet

[Scouty]

Scouty, do you mind if I ask which type of surgery was performed to repair the cruciate ligaments? And do you know if the meniscus was removed in this surgery?

My cattle dog also has had 2 cruciate ops (tibial wedge osteotomies), both very successful for her weight. She also had problems with her hair growing back (not at the same time as the ops but a couple years later when on meds for an allergic reaction), and it was found that she had Cushings disease. Not the kind brought on by medication unfortunately, but perhaps the meds your dog is on is causing thyroid problems that is preventing the hair from growing back, or growing back VERY slowly?

That is the most obvious thought to me, but I'm no vet ;)

Hi and thanks for all your replies.

Kelly

When Scout done her first one her hair grew back at a reasonable rate, it has just been this second op and then to go back in at a later date to take the pin out!!

She was not any medication different to what she has been on before so this is why i am little confused to what could be the problem.

She had two de-angelos (sp) not at the same time though, about nine montha apart!!!$$$$

I have just looked at the bills dare i say it and it has been two years this month since the last procedure was done on her.

Last reading (just called the vet) she had a thryoid reading of 18 and he wanted it up over 20 hence the increase to 3 morning and night. But i posed the question why not increase it to 4 morning and night. I came from a technical background so i would conclude this, thats all!!!

ok hope some more people can give their 2 bob's woth please.

Scout

[Nekhbet]

marrow bones are full of fat. I would be filling a treat ball with her days worth of RC diet (less then what you give) and thats it. If she's hungry give her a carrot to gnaw on.

chicken carcasses too I would give sparingly.

[Scouty]

marrow bones are full of fat. I would be filling a treat ball with her days worth of RC diet (less then what you give) and thats it. If she's hungry give her a carrot to gnaw on.

chicken carcasses too I would give sparingly.

Thanks Nekhbet,

Not sure if she would chase around a treat ball, due to her lack of mobility. But i WILL try it.

Thanks

Scout