Dogs Coat Going Brown

[rozmtg]

Hi, it`s been a long time since I have been on here, Hello to all.

i have a tri colour collie who`s black coat is going brown, is there anything i can do to stop this or reverse it.

Thank you

[SwaY]

Brown coat is either dead coat that needs to be stripped out OR sun damaged coat.

[fifi]

Yes, the sun will turn black coats a rusty colour.

fifi

[WreckitWhippet]

diet can also have an impact on colour

[Gayle.]

Use an undercoat rake to strip out the dead coat, that'll be more than likely what it is given the time of year it is right now.

My black tri Aussies have all had it, a good rake, a bath and a blow dry got rid of most of it.

[Alyosha]

Fading coats in black dogs can be a sign of mineral deficiency, particularly copper. Black animals can require up to six times the trace levels of copper as white ones.

[Greytmate]

Fading coats in black dogs can be a sign of mineral deficiency, particularly copper. Black animals can require up to six times the trace levels of copper as white ones.

Is it just the coat that is affected by a copper deficiency? How does the coat use the copper?

[Rysup]

The boy in my siggie turned red for over a year, and in the end I think it's due to a chicken allergy. Its taken me a LONG time to get the red out, as his wont blow his coat, just rolls it, but he is almost back to normal. Almost. *sigh*

[OSoSwift]

Fading coats in black dogs can be a sign of mineral deficiency, particularly copper. Black animals can require up to six times the trace levels of copper as white ones.

Same in Black cattle, never thought about it in dogs!

I would give the coat a good going over with an undercoat rake, then use a coat sunscreen to stop it fading from sun exposure.

[rozmtg]

Thanks All, I will work on him and see what i can achieve, it`s mainly on his rump and the chicken allergy bit is unusual, my clancey loves his chicken every night. (added to his usual meal)

Can you tell me where I get coat sunscreen from?

[matilda1]

many years ago i had a Rottweiler and her coat turned a very light brown from black.

Turned out she had a Thyroid problem.

This might not be your problem at all, but i thought I would mention it.

[OSoSwift]

I use Plush Puppy Sunscreen, but I also use Plush PUppy Reviva coat that helped to improve and elderly Kelpies very dry and brittle brown coat.

So I would probably use the Reviva coat then go over with the Sunscreen.

Petnetwork - (who have a banner at the top of the page-just click on view all and you will find it) That is where I have bought from before.

Edited October 25, 2010 by OSoSwift

[RuralPug]

In Europe they are talking about "Red Coat Syndrome" as OP describes. In my breed, we call it rust and it can be genetic or environmental (sun or diet) - mind you the enviromental ones need to have a genetic predisposition in the first place (sorry if that's confusing).

For years, I have used powdered kelp as a diet supplement to improve black pigment (high in iodine). It works for the environmental rust but not for the genetic rust. Now there is a scientific study saying that red coat syndrome can be caused by insufficient levels of tyrosine and phenylaline - and guess what kelp happens to be very high in??? :laugh:

Here is a short precis of the study - http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings...02&PID=2720