Hi all, my girl is now 5weeks preg from her 1 & only mating, she was scanned last week and is definately preg, I was always told a bitches coat is permanently in its growth phase when pregnant but since Tues of this week she is shedding some coat from around her neck, is it something to be concerned about or not? I know they normally lose some from undercarriage. Thanks Angela

Not a problem I've had, but I do know of bitches (seen with my own eyes ;-) ) who lose their coats in patches during and after pregnancy. Unless there is an underlying problem (eg fleas) then I wouldn't worry about it.

I had one girl lost so much coat you could see the little freckles on her skin without looking for them.  She started round her neck and worked back the way down her body.  about 3 or 4 months after the pups were weaned she had a full and glorious coat again.

Mine had pups 7wks ago..shes looking a bit moth eaten at the mo:(

She has a really good coat, best shes ever had :-) in fact, but it was very significant she had started losing coat from this particular area, glad to say we have absolutely no sign of fleas :-) and to hear it sometimes happens in pregnancy. Her mum went down to her underwear when pups went but had no loss during pregnancy, thanks for the reassurance :-)

Hi Abbeypap did the loss start in pregnancy or after whelping?

Hello Anworth

Hattie had a lovely coat and did her share of normal shedding but she started to really lose it at about 7 weeks into the pregnancy.  She was neither up nor down about it, even got to enjoy wearing her wooly coat to go out walking.  :-)  As I said once the pups were weaned her coat came back in and looked lovely.

I have had other girls lose coat during pregnacy usually the last couple of weeks but none lost as much as Hattie did.

All bitches loose their coats after the pups are weaned, and in a coated breed this can mean they are not even remotely showable until t eh pups are around 5 months old.

I have never had a bitch have any coat loss in pregnancy other than from the around the nipples and belly before whelping.

same here ,only after weening.

Thanks, she is perfectly happy and fit otherwise, but it is reassuring to hear that it happens occasionally without any ill effects. If I went to the vets I'm sure they would think I'd gone mad as she has a great coat :-) but can rely on CD for real experience/understanding :-) :-) . Not worried about showing  the earliest she would be out would be LKA so that should be OK! (I hope!!) LOL.
Thanks again Angela :-)