Border Colie bitch had pups over 4 months ago and never lost her coat but has now drastically shed all her undercoat, some topcoat  and most feathering.  We were drowning in hair for a month.   (I think new coat is growing) she is still moulting long hairs from back and mane. My previous male collies never shed like this; is it normal? I have heared of blowing the coat after whelping but I have no experience of bitches
She started scratching after losing her coat and vet prescribed ADVOCATE but could find nothingwrong.  She then prescribed Predicare steroid, and scratching stopped immediately, but seems to make her very lethargic I would like to stop them.  Any breeders had experience of this drastic coat loss?

The weather this year seems to have messed with all my dachsies coats both sexes, never had problems post season only post whelping but this year they look like smooths in places instead of longhaired.

> Border Colie bitch had pups over 4 months ago

> is it normal?

Post partum moult (down to bare skin) is very normal.

Some start when pups are about 8 weeks, but occasionally the coat won't drop until later (perhaps during a cold snap?).

My pup is 12 weeks old tomorrow and Mum is down to just the top coat (which is also shedding), and is so bare in places like her neck you can see skin.

I have not found bitches to be fit to be seen at a show until the pups are 5 - 6 months old, at which point they come in season, so when breeding from a coated breed bitch you basically loose a whole show year.

She is being spayed tomorrow, so this should avoid a similar moult that often happens some weeks after spaying (due to loss/change of hormones)

My BC bitch had pups coming up to 11 weeks ago and has been on a heavy moult for the last 3 weeks. She is actually bald in places. She was also scratching a little - no 'visitors', I think the scratching due to the heavy hair loss! It's been a little alarming as whilst I expect a coat loss after pups, she didn't lose anything like this amount with her first litter. However, she is fit and well. I have bathed her a couple of times, just in warm water with a little mild shampoo, just to help soothe her. I'm putting the heavy moult down to the summer weather too ... in my part of the country we've been going from extremely hot (this morning) to freezing cold (this afternoon in torrential rain :-( ).

A vet friend did recommend I bathed her in Seleen shampoo, I haven't but you might want to try it.

Sounds like your girl is just like my Myka. :)

Our Nutka had pups 10 weeks ago, and has been losing coat steadily for at least 2 weeks - you can see a bare bum under her  tail now.   Quite normal.    Two of our other bitches have had a spontaneous heavy moult in the last week - seems as if all the coat has come out together in a lump.     I'm not worrying about it, and just maybe when the new coat is growing it's a bit stubbly and itchy - never do anything about it and it sorts itself out.

Jo

Yes perfectly normal. Last time my bitch started while she still had the pups. No matter how much you brush out, I kept fishing it out of the pups mouths. It will go down to the skin and they look terrible for ages. Heavy moulting also causes itching so I can see no reason for the steroids. Don't think you can stop steroids just like that I think you have to wean them off giving less and less until they are on nothing.

Trouble with vets, unless they are breeders themselves, they know all about dogs and cats being ill but very little about the normal processes of whelping and its after effects.

Thanks to everyone for all your information and help.  I feel much happier now and I can definitely see new coat growing. I've not had her long and is the only bitch I have ever owned, always had males.