Hair Loss/thinning

[shmoo]

Sweep has been a diabetic for a few months now and I have noticed his hair is thinning out and the spots where he was shaved at the vets are not growing back much at all.

Any suggestions? He is on a strict diet of vet prescribed food.

[Loraine]

I don't know anything about diabetic dogs personally, but I do know that a number of diabetic dogs can also have Cushing's Disease. This disease makes the dog drink a lot of water, pee heaps, get very hungry and lose hair. Have a word with your vet, maybe Sweep needs the ACTH stim test doing.

[JackieW]

My Jamie who died in June had that problem too, but he had insulinoma. It took months and months for the hair to grow back after his ultrasound but we put it down to the steroids he was on. It did eventually grow back, but never the same as it was. I did hear that emu oil was supposed to help hair growth but I don't think it made much difference.

[shmoo]

I don't know anything about diabetic dogs personally, but I do know that a number of diabetic dogs can also have Cushing's Disease. This disease makes the dog drink a lot of water, pee heaps, get very hungry and lose hair. Have a word with your vet, maybe Sweep needs the ACTH stim test doing.

He has those symptoms and I mentioned that to my vet and she said its the diabetes and the insulin. Will see how much that test costs ty

[alanglen]

2 thoughts, cushings or potentially thyroid. Both are commonly involved with diabetics. Insulin shouldn't make any difference to the coat growing back but if the diabetes is still out of control then the hair growth could be slowed.

[Erny]

2 thoughts, cushings or potentially thyroid.

I thought this too (potentially thyroid). Has she been tested for this?

Either way, I wouldn't trust the Aussie tests - they aren't as thorough as those in the USA. Having said this, if your dog is losing hair there is a chance that our local tests might show it. But if it came back negative I'd still be wondering what the USA results would show. So IMO, if you do have this tested, you'd be better off going straight to the ones who do the tests most thoroughly.

[Bully]

2 thoughts, cushings or potentially thyroid.

I thought this too (potentially thyroid). Has she been tested for this?

Either way, I wouldn't trust the Aussie tests - they aren't as thorough as those in the USA. Having said this, if your dog is losing hair there is a chance that our local tests might show it. But if it came back negative I'd still be wondering what the USA results would show. So IMO, if you do have this tested, you'd be better off going straight to the ones who do the tests most thoroughly.

Thyroid is what I was thinking too.

Here's Dr Jean Dodds website Hemopet for a complete thyroid test. With the high Aussie $ at the moment it's not that expensive to get it done by Dr Dodds

[shmoo]

So, do I take samples of what is needed and send them to Dr Dodds?

I don't think he was tested for Thyroid, no. I will call around the specialists and my vet on Friday (my day off) and see what tests I can get done to get some idea of whats going on.

Thanks everybody for the suggestions/help

[Erny]

So, do I take samples of what is needed and send them to Dr Dodds?

I don't think he was tested for Thyroid, no. I will call around the specialists and my vet on Friday (my day off) and see what tests I can get done to get some idea of whats going on.

Thanks everybody for the suggestions/help

You can download the 'testing requirements' form/s via Dr Dodds' website. These should be sufficient to let your Vet know what bloods are needed. You pre-arrange an international courier (I used Fed-Ex) to collect the bloods. There are forms you will need to fill out for Fed-Ex and also for Customs (in triplicate). Fed-Ex deliver the bloods to Dr. Dodds and the results will be emailed to both yourself and your Vet.

If you want the bloods sent to the USA for testing (recommended, as per my earlier email) you might need to insist on this as there are some Vets out there who don't realise or acknowledge that the USA have a more thorough testing facility.

Note that Dr Dodds is away until 4th November.

Edited October 19, 2009 by Erny

[Staff'n'Toller]

Have seen hair slow to grow back and grow at funny rates in diabetics with no other complications.

Not saying you shouldn't have extra tests done, just that I have seen the hair growth problems.

[Loraine]

I don't know anything about diabetic dogs personally, but I do know that a number of diabetic dogs can also have Cushing's Disease. This disease makes the dog drink a lot of water, pee heaps, get very hungry and lose hair. Have a word with your vet, maybe Sweep needs the ACTH stim test doing.

He has those symptoms and I mentioned that to my vet and she said its the diabetes and the insulin. Will see how much that test costs ty

Aside from what others have said about thyroid, I wuld like to point out that many vets have no idea about Cushing's - how to property diagnose or treat. I have had a Cushpup and Kelly Louise on here has a Cushpup so if that is what it turns out to be please contact either of us. From memory the ACTC stimm costs about $250 $300 - but I could be so wrong with the price.

[Kelly_Louise]

I don't know anything about diabetic dogs personally, but I do know that a number of diabetic dogs can also have Cushing's Disease. This disease makes the dog drink a lot of water, pee heaps, get very hungry and lose hair. Have a word with your vet, maybe Sweep needs the ACTH stim test doing.

He has those symptoms and I mentioned that to my vet and she said its the diabetes and the insulin. Will see how much that test costs ty :D

Aside from what others have said about thyroid, I wuld like to point out that many vets have no idea about Cushing's - how to property diagnose or treat. I have had a Cushpup and Kelly Louise on here has a Cushpup so if that is what it turns out to be please contact either of us. From memory the ACTC stimm costs about $250 $300 - but I could be so wrong with the price.

You'd be about spot on with those prices Loraine, we pay just over $300 now per test :D

Shmoo, I'd consider having the Cushings test done if you are able to and the symptoms are not abating. A normal vet doesn't usually know that much about Cushings and the correct treatment. One of the first symptoms we saw in Chloe was the slowness in which her shaved patches grew back... then the thinning of the coat, the bloated belly, the insatiable thirst and constant peeing, and the ravenous appetite. The thing is, unless these symptoms are controlled they are putting quite a bit of strain on the organs... so whatever the cause is, the symptoms really should be under control by whatever medication is treating the underlying cause.

It is common for a dog to have both Cushings and diabetes - we thought Chloe did for a while but it turned out thankfully that she didn't. So it's always a possibility if the symptoms are recurring or getting worse... and needs to be ruled out or if it is also Cushings, to be controlled effectively.

I would speak to the vet about the possibilty of Cushings due to the symptoms and see what they say, otherwise I would be asking for medication that will alleviate the symptoms. :D

[shmoo]

He certainly does not have a bloated belly! He is very thin, it's hard to keep weight on him with this vet diet.

I have worked with rescue dogs with Cushing and I don't think he has Cushings, but I will check and see how much it would cost to get tested.

[Kelly_Louise]

He certainly does not have a bloated belly! He is very thin, it's hard to keep weight on him with this vet diet.

I have worked with rescue dogs with Cushing and I don't think he has Cushings, but I will check and see how much it would cost to get tested.

Symptoms for Cushings can be very deceiving though... they don't always present the same. With Chloe, her coat was absolutely fine (other than the slow hair regrowth but it WAS growing back)... it wasn't until she was diagnosed and started her medication that her coat became a shambles all of a sudden... in the middle of winter she lost it all barr a thin layer... and then it grew back and is now SO THICK and long you wouldn't believe she is a cattle dog!!

Although if you're having trouble keeping weight on him to me that doesn't scream Cushings... have you considered Addisons disease (opposite of Cushings)? Although he would probably have other symptoms like lethargy and vomiting etc... so maybe not... although does sound like some kind of thyroid type problem...

I'd be alarmed if he is on medication for his diabetes and still presenting symptoms though... to me that would say there is something else going on, or he has been incorrectly diagnosed (easily done with these types of conditions). Could it possibly be a different type of diabetes as I know there are different kinds - but don't know alot about them but I believe they are treated differently?

Perhaps his medication dosage is not sufficient and needs to be adjusted? Like I said, Chloe had her major coat issues AFTER she was put on medication... so depending on how long he's been on meds perhaps it's just affecting him now before the meds settle in and start regulating his body?

[shmoo]

Thats a good point re: medication and settling in. Apart from his crappy coat, he is very lively, gobbles down his food and acts just like he did before he was ill.

Could the poor coat be simply because of the diabetes?

He has a big appetite and the vet said its the type/brand of insulin. There is a more expensive insulin (twice the cost) which I will consider down the track, but until I pay off his vet bill I need to save every dollar I can.

[baifra]

My diabetic dog didn't have any problems with losing hair at all but she did take a long time to heal if she hurt herself.

Cuts and scrapes tripled in healing time which is very common in diabetics. Maybe your dog does have an underlying problem aside from the diabetes.

Good luck.

[Kelly_Louise]

Thats a good point re: medication and settling in. Apart from his crappy coat, he is very lively, gobbles down his food and acts just like he did before he was ill.

Could the poor coat be simply because of the diabetes?

He has a big appetite and the vet said its the type/brand of insulin. There is a more expensive insulin (twice the cost) which I will consider down the track, but until I pay off his vet bill I need to save every dollar I can.

Im not sure if thinning hair/poor coat is a symptom of diabetes. If it is, then yes it could be his adjustment into his medication if he hasn't been on it too long... However, if he is urinating more than usual/drinking alot more etc then perhaps his meds aren't working correctly or he needs a different dosage?

I'd be making a list of the symptoms he is still showing and asking the vet if he should still be showing them with the meds, or if there could be another underlying cause... Other than making sure he's comfortable, again it might be putting pressure on his other organs and causing further problems.

When you say a big appetite, is he ravenous (fairly constantly)?

[Kelly_Louise]

Just did a google and apparently poor coat etc can be a symptom of diabetes, as can the weight loss/drinking/peeing etc.

However, it sounds like his medication is not working properly if these aren't being controlled. Diabetes is much like Cushings where the medication needs to be monitored and adjusted regularly depending on how the dog reacts to the medication... so perhaps he needs his meds adjusted to suit him better?

I understand how hard and worrying it is... too much medication is bad, not enough has no effect... is hard to find the middle ground and maintain it. In the last year Chloe's dosage has changed about 4 or 5 times

Check with your vet, but I'm pretty sure it's not normal for him to be symptomatic if he's being controlled with medication, which to me indicates a problem with the meds (if no other cause is found).