Molt at domestic dog- a common occurrence. However, when wool falls year-round, without interruption, this can be a cause for concern.

Why does the dog shed? Causes and factors influencing this process.

Animal hair is short-lived. Like human hair, it dies and grows again. Therefore, molting is inevitable. In addition, acquiring a thicker coat before the onset of cold weather or, on the contrary, with less undercoat, makes life much easier for the dog. A thick fur coat with a down will not let her freeze in winter. A summer "outfit" made of lightweight wool will allow the skin to breathe and not overheat in the sun.

Experts distinguish 3 main types of molting:

1. seasonal. 2 times per year. Temperature adjustable.
2. age. It is typical for puppies when they change their "infant" hair to an adult, real one. Occurs up to 6 months. Along with the coat at this moment, the color of the animal often changes.
3. year-round. Sluggish molting, characteristic of animals constantly kept at home.

If the dog sheds heavily before the onset of the autumn-winter or summer period, you don’t have to worry - natural molting will end pretty quickly. Your pet will get a new fur coat that is comfortable for him, and will stop leaving wool on the carpet and sofa.

Since getting rid of hair is natural, it is impossible to completely eliminate the process of molting. Hairless dogs do not shed. There are also breeds for which shedding is not so pronounced: Welsh Corgi Terrier, Poodle, Kerry Blue Terrier, Yorkshire Terrier, Bichon Frize and some others. Those dogs that need trimming also shed little. This procedure, carried out 2-3 times a year, relieves the owners of wool on the carpet, upholstery and in the corners of the room.

Shedding is the annual process of natural hairline change. Normally, it is carried out twice a year, most often in spring and autumn. The intensity of molting depends on many factors: state of health, conditions of detention, age, diet, etc.

Winter shedding in dogs

The reason for untimely molting can be a large number of reasons, both the simplest and complicated by several factors at once. If the dog sheds in winter, then this is a concern for the owners, although in some cases this process is considered normal.

It may be normal for some animals to molt at other times of the year. For example, dogs with very rich coats or kept outdoors often wait until the onset of a persistent cold snap and then begin to change their summer coat.

TO simple reasons Why a dog sheds in winter can also be attributed to age molting. Regardless of the temperature outside, puppy down changes to adult hair. The same age-related hair loss occurs in older individuals, although in this case it most often becomes year-round. Such a permanent molt occurs in almost all animals living in the house, which is due to a significant difference in temperature and humidity in the apartment and on the street.

Another reason may be the stress experienced by the dog. Many owners are faced with a situation where the pet begins to literally “crumble”. This condition depends only on the duration and severity of the stressful situation, and can occur at any time of the year.

To more difficult cases can be attributed winter molt due to certain diseases. For example, when hormonal disruptions, demodectoses, beriberi, etc.

Can dogs develop bald spots from the cold?

As such, cold does not affect hair loss. Most often, the opposite happens - with a decrease in temperature, dogs begin to actively become covered with thick hair. The only exception can be called cases of frostbite, when, with necrosis, tissues begin to collapse hair follicles. In this case, bald spots can form in dogs.

Animal hair does not grow forever, and sooner or later falls out. This process resumes again and again as it grows. Therefore, in many dogs, shedding is simply inevitable. Most often, the animal is covered with a thick layer of wool before the onset of cold weather, but before summer, on the contrary, the wool thins, thereby freeing up space for the penetration of sunlight. Despite the fact that the pet is kept at home, nevertheless, natural processes don't stop. Many owners complain about excessive shedding in their pets. When should you sound the alarm?

Not all owners of four-legged friends are aware that there are factors that directly affect the molting process. These factors include:

• natural coat change twice a year. This process is directly affected by the temperature parameters outside the window. Despite the fact that today the climatic zones have shifted somewhat, summer comes later, and, accordingly, the cold too, with the advent of autumn and before summer, the animal begins active hair loss;
• pet's age. The older the dog, the more this process manifests itself;
• sudden move. Changes in climate, time zone negatively affect the health of the dog, and molting is a natural reaction to a change in life;
• intense emotional experiences. Experienced stress also becomes a cause for loss.

In addition to the above reasons, there are others related to the health of the pet.

seasonal molt

Seasonal molting is a natural process. The owners need to sound the alarm if it does not happen. Everything healthy dogs molt twice a year. As a rule, the process begins in mid-April and ends by mid-May. The same process is activated at the beginning or end of September, ending in October.

In autumn, a thin, burnt-out under straight lines falls. sunbeams wool. In the spring, a significant layer leaves in order for the skin to be saturated with air and sunlight. If your dog is the owner of a thick undercoat, for example, then she will endure the molting process very hard. The fact is that the wool of the Malamute is very hard, it sits deep in the skin. She painfully leaves her, annoying. Because of this, the process is very difficult to tolerate.

In animals that are kept at home, they rarely go outside, molting processes can shift a couple of months back or forward. Therefore, do not be surprised if the wool begins to fall out in winter or summer. Just an animal does not depend on weather conditions, at the same time, genes remember the need to shed excess hair.

Other reasons

In addition to seasonality, there are other reasons that can affect hair loss. Deviations in the health of a pet can be noticed not only veterinarian but also an attentive host. If the dog sheds during the year, and this process does not stop, it is necessary to check it for the presence of the following ailments:

By the way! Female dogs may shed while carrying or nursing puppies.

Many animals over the years, do not receive enough attention from a partner of the opposite sex, begin to feel the riot of hormones. Hormones affect not only the general processes in the body, but also affect appearance dogs.

Natural shedding - what is it?

Natural or - this is the process when the animal's coat is updated. All dogs have an undercoat, and in many breeds it is quite thick. In order to get rid of excess fluff and wool, to make its burden lighter and better, the animal sheds old wool. You may notice that the coat length of some breeds has specific size, and no longer increases in length. This means that when the hair reaches its maximum peak of growth, it dies off, giving way to a new one. This process continues constantly from puppyhood to old age.

Shedding as a symptom

If the owner suspects that this is not due to seasonal or natural molt need to pay attention to symptoms. The behavioral features of the animal will lead to the conclusion about what is the cause of molting and treatment can be started immediately. As a rule, the symptoms of painful molting are the following manifestations:

• anxiety;
• nervousness;
• painful reaction to attempts to stroke;
• indifference to food;
• vomiting or diarrhea;
• lethargy;
• skin rashes;
• accumulation of pus in the corners of the eyes;
• increase in body temperature.

A change in dog behavior is a reason to see a veterinarian

Attention! All these reasons point to problems that occur in the body. Added to this is hair loss.

When to see a doctor?

It is necessary to consult a doctor if you notice at least two of the above symptoms in your animal. If this is the first time you have encountered a seasonal molt, you do not know how to behave in such situations, you should also contact your veterinarian.

Diagnostics

The doctor cannot draw a conclusion about the disease, focusing on only one visit. Do not spare money, contact good clinic. You will have a step-by-step diagnosis, the result of which will be the diagnosis. After that, you can start treatment.

Table 1. Stages of dog diagnostics

Treatment

The molt cannot be stopped in one moment. The owner of the animal must take a whole range of measures in order to alleviate the condition of his pet. Based on the diagnosis, the veterinarian will prescribe a treatment that will need to be followed. Treatment directly depends on the cause that caused such processes in the body.

Hormonal disorders

Problems hormonal background treated by taking estrogens and androgens in minimal proportions. The doctor independently sets the dosage and duration of administration. Every 90 days, the doctor will monitor the health of his patient. Chloditan is also prescribed daily, 50 ml for 2 weeks. Later doctor decides to reduce the dose. In some situations, the patient may be prescribed Lugol's solution from 5 to 10 drops.

Decreased immunity

Effectively cope with such a problem, drugs that have a detoxifying effect help. They increase the body's resistance to stress and stress. The following immunostimulants are offered for dogs:

• Maksidin;
• Glycopene;
• Immunofan;

The duration of the course, the dosage is prescribed only by the attending veterinarian. Also, vitamins in the form of tablets can be prescribed to dogs. Vitamins are given to dogs crushed or dissolved in food. The composition of vitamins should contain the following substances:

• vitamins of groups A, B;
• a nicotinic acid;
• ascorbic acid;
• zinc;
• selenium;
• iron.

kidney failure

Renal failure, depending on the stage of development of the disease, is treated in several ways at once:

• antibiotics (Amoxicillin and Biseptol);
• diuretics like Furosemide;
• preparations containing potassium (Asparkam);
• drugs that eliminate putrefactive processes (Vitom and Lactusan);
• antispasmodics (No-shpa and Papaverine).

• Azinox;
• Azinox plus;
• Dirofen;
• Transit;
• Caniquantel plus.

Video - How to deal with molting

home care

The owner can also influence the condition of his pet. To do this, it is enough to correct some of the nuances in your usual life:

• be sure to measure the temperature in the room where the animal lives. The temperature should not exceed 25 degrees Celsius. If the house is warmer, then warm air is the main cause of molting;
• try to ventilate the room, do not close it. So you will provide metabolic processes in the skin of the animal;
• the dog must go outside, even in bad weather. Be sure to consult with your doctor about how to make a rational and correct menu;
• eliminate all possible stressful situations that occur at the time of treatment;
• do not forget that the animal must be anthelmintic at least once every six months;
• with the permission of the doctor, give the dog a course of vitaminization.

Combing

If the coat is shedding heavily, you can help your pet shed it easily. Also, this measure will ensure cleanliness in the house. Brush your dog more often. Choose a comb-brush that is right for your breed. It is best to purchase brushes with natural bristles pork or horse. It is necessary to comb an animal that suffers from seasonal molting once a day. Apart from general recommendations on combing, it should be remembered that each type of wool involves individual approach. You can read about the types of coat found in dogs and tips for caring for it below.

Important! If the loss is associated with an illness, then you need to comb the dog every few days.

pay attention to special means with which you wash the animal. Give preference medicated shampoos, which, at the same time, repel fleas and promote smoothness. This will make brushing less painful. Do not forget that the dog's skin tends to dry out during shedding. If traces of peeling appear, it is necessary to offer the animal to drink more often. This is how you try to avoid dehydration.

Video - How to comb a dog

Diet change

Particular attention during molting should be given to the nutrition of the dog. If all the necessary substances and elements are present in the body of the animal, it will be easier for him to endure the treatment, to cope with the consequences of hair loss in the body. If your animal is on food, you should talk to your veterinarian about changing the food and manufacturer. It is likely that shedding is caused by improperly selected products. In order to choose the right food, you need to observe the animal.

Also, for sure, the doctor will consider it a good idea to add vitamin complexes. They must be purchased at specialized veterinary pharmacies. Make sure that the main component is vitamin B, nicotinic acid, zinc and copper. If your animal does not eat food, but gladly prefers natural food increase your protein intake. Wool will become stronger, elastic, a healthy sheen will appear. Meat should be lean. Ideal for beef, chicken and turkey.

You can also offer the animal offal, such as chicken hearts or liver. You can spoil the animal with sea or river fish, after removing the bones. Include in your diet fish fat as well as cereals and vegetables. Try to make sure that the animal consumes more water.

Conclusion

If you are a caring owner, then you can easily overcome the problems that appear in the animal along with molting. It is important to notice the process in time, to prevent it for initial stage. Perhaps in this way you will notice the symptoms inherent in more serious illness and start treatment on early stages. We hope that your pet's molting will be seasonal, which means it will not bring discomfort neither you nor the dog.

The process of changing the coat is absolutely natural for animals. Twice a year, in spring and autumn, our pets get rid of old dead hairs, allowing the coat to renew itself. Normally, the process lasts 2-3 weeks and the rest of the time the dog practically does not shed.

Despite the fact that most of our pets continue to live according to natural rhythms, abnormal molting is not such a rare occurrence. Often, animals not only lose most of their hair, up to the formation of bald spots, but also do it throughout the year, forcing their owners to live in an eternal woolen cloud.

What is prolonged molting and how to deal with increased hair loss?

Causes

Most often, the reason for year-round hair loss is called the poor ecology of our cities and the rather warm temperature in the room where the pets live. However, in reality, the problem is much deeper and is not limited to these two factors. Here are some of the most probable causes protracted molting from your furry friends:

Guessing on coffee grounds which of the reasons your pet owes its intense molting is a thankless task. Proper diagnosis will allow you to accurately determine the cause of the pathology and choose the most effective method dealing with the problem.

First of all, you should conduct a thorough clinical examination of the pet. An experienced veterinarian will advise you, in addition to general analysis blood, take a test for giardia (protozoa can also cause hair loss), check markers for hormones thyroid gland, and also make all kinds of scrapings from the surface of the skin.

If everything is in order with health, it is worth taking a closer look at the domestic side of the dog's life. Check the animal's diet, see if it is comfortable for him to sleep in his place - there are times when a hard, uncomfortable bed or coarse cloth mattresses provoked hair loss, especially in small dogs with fine hair.

It should be remembered that there are breeds that initially lose hair more intensively than other dogs. This most often applies to northern native varieties that are not accustomed to living in warm and cramped apartments. For a Malamute, huskies or prolonged molting in urban conditions is a completely natural phenomenon.

How to speed up molting

To make the shedding faster and more efficient, experienced groomers advise how to properly prepare the animal's coat for the process:

• First, carefully bathe your pet with a conditioner. Wools, freed from the load of dirt and sebum, easier to leave the hair follicles. The subsequent combing of a four-legged friend or a rubber mitten (depending on the length and structure of the coat) will several times accelerate the rejection and change of hair.
• While bathing in the bathroom, pay attention to the temperature of the water. Better if it is slightly warm. cool water will not wash the hair properly, too hot - will increase hair loss.
• Drying your dog is best normal temperature. Too hot dryer air also increases the intensity of shedding, as well as too vigorous rubbing with a towel, damaging the skin structure.
• The ideal way to get rid of excess moisture is to gently blot your pet's coat with an absorbent cloth ( terry towel or a special microfiber cloth that absorbs water).
• Enhanced vitamin therapy will also be useful during the molting period. oil solution biologically active substances will strengthen weak hairs, and also give hairline animal strength and healthy shine.

Complaining about prolonged molting, it should be remembered that with age, the structure of wool changes, which means that the intensity of the process will increase with each passing year.

An attentive owner, noticing such changes, will definitely try to find the reasons for the lengthening of the process. If it's all about physiological processes you have to accept the inevitable and adapt to change. If your pet's health has deteriorated, intense hair loss will help you pay attention to the problem and prescribe proper treatment friend whose life and health depends on your care.

07.05.2017 by Eugene

There are a number of artificially bred breeds that are not subject to seasonal molting. These dogs were specially selected by selection and bred for people who are allergic to animal hair, but dream of a pet. These breeds include the Maltese, Tibetan Terrier, yorkshire terriers, poodles, irish spaniel. But when purchasing a pet of a non-shedding breed, you should know that this in no way relieves the owner of the problems of caring for the puppy's coat. The point is that if ordinary dogs the fur is renewed on its own and requires intensive combing only at the moment of molting, then in non-shedding breeds (especially long-haired ones), the wool begins to curl and clog into tangles. Therefore, these dogs need regular combing and haircuts.

Excessive hair loss: causes

First you need to figure out what a strong molt in a dog means. Wool loss in winter can be called abnormal, especially in December and in autumn period. It is not at all difficult to check whether excessive molting is taking place - by wetting your hand and running it along the withers. More than 10 hairs (not fluff) are considered abnormal.

A very intense shedding over a period of three weeks also fits into the category of abnormalities.

Dogs living in apartments, especially rare breeds, often suffer from a number of diseases that primarily affect the condition of the coat.

Methods for dealing with severe hair loss

If you notice an intense hair loss in your pet, you need to observe his behavior. If the dog behaves calmly, does not itch, does not whine, the shell of the eyes is normal Pink colour Most likely, this is a typical allergy. In this case, veterinarians recommend a detox course (of course, if a food reaction is suspected). This course involves feeding the dog with kefir 1% for 10 days.

Do not worry that the pet will lose weight or that such food will not be enough for him. After the diet for one component, you need to introduce other products. For example, 11-22 days - beef (chicken), 13-14 - cereals can be added to meat. More simple
way to determine what exactly a dog is allergic to is to take a special test in veterinary clinic, but, unfortunately, not every doctor has the necessary equipment.

In order for a dog's coat to remain healthy, it is necessary to balance its diet. Vitamins A and E positively affect the condition of the coat. Do not get carried away with synthetic analogues of these substances, to normalize the metabolism of the animal, it is enough to add 1 teaspoon olive oil into porridge (food), and also introduce carrots into the diet.