We have a 2 year old FCR - Dilly, who is the most wonderful dog - however, we have a severe problem with hair loss and I am wondering if anyone else has had the same problem with a FCR or with any other breed of dog. 

Her diet consists of James Wellbeloved adult dog food with a spoonful of meat (we have cut the meat out but it makes no difference).  She also gets treats at the weekend occasionally - pigs ear, dried tripe or paddywack),  Her only negative side is the fact that she is a thief and driven by her stomach so any food left unattended is eaten - this is usually if one of my daughters forgets ..... but the opportunity does not happen often.  She also gets little biscuit treats on walks as rewards.

A brief history of her problem is as follows.

After her first season at 9 months, her coat literally came out in handfulls, you could see her skin.  First trip to a stand-in vet diagnosed mange - though no tests were taken and this was incorrect diagnosis and problem did not clear up.  The next trip was to our normal vet who diagnosed an 'after season zinc deficiency' and she was put on compliderm and evening primrose oil.  The hair loss stopped and her coat started to grow.   I then stopped the compliderm but she takes her evening primrose oil tablet every day.

We were hoping to breed from her, but due to 'not so good' parentage (dad should not really have been bred from) and the Zinc deficiency we decided to have had her spayed and breed at a later date with a puppy that we will extensively research.

End of problem.. I hoped?   No. 

She was spayed well before her third season and immediately after the season 'would' have finished, the hair started to drop out (This was January).  We put her on extra zinc and compliderm as well as her evening primrose but her coat still fell out in handfulls.  Then she got Mange (skin scrapes confirmed).  Back to the vet, advocate, anti-histamines and for a week there was no itching but I put this down to the anti-histamines.  The coat still came out.

We are now in March, she has no signs of mange, but she is going back to the vet tomorrow as her coat has just has not stopped falling out in handfulls.  she has virtually no coat at all on the insides of her legs and tummy, she is itching again though there are no signs of skin trauma (Eczema was another worry of mine) and every day I am sweeping up handfulls and handfulls of black coat.  The compliderm seems to be ineffective now, though what coat she does have is shiny and glossy and soft (as you would expect with a FCR).

She is not moulting as the hair coming out is from her feathers (or what is left of them) and tail as well as underbelly and back (ie- long black hairs, not the downy hairs assocated with winter coats).  She is not allowed upstairs at all, but tends to like to sleep on the highest stair allowed and by the morning, the stair is black with hair.

I was worried that she was stressed, though what she has to be stressed about I don't know!  We live in a forest and she has an hours walk a day in the winter, two walks in the summer.  I don't work so am at home all day and if I do go out, I tend not to leave her for more than 4 hours or she comes with me.  She is a loving dog and is very docile - she knows her place within our 'pack' and we also have a 15 year old westie - who occasionally gives her a hard time but mostly over bone ownership!  (ie, he wants his and he also wants hers!)  I have 3 daughters how dote on her and she is a much loved dog.

She is frontlined regularly so I have ruled out fleas.  We do not have a cat.  Her skin is not broken, red or raw but she nibbles at herself more than is usual and there are far far far more hairs coming out than is normal.

If anyone has or has had a similar problem or thinks they know what it could be - infact ANY suggestions we could try as I desperately want to help her but don't know what else to do.  Our vet is good, but we seem to get the same remedy (injection, anti-histamine, coatex bath, £big fee), but no long term solution.  He has mentioned testing - but what for?? HELP!

Many thanks.
Ingrid

Hi Ingrid

Has she been tested for hypothyroid? Hair loss is often a sign.

GET HER TEST FOR TYHROID,

NOT THE NOMAL BOG STANDED ONE,

WHEN WAS SHE SPARYED WAS IT 3 MONTHS AFTER HER LAST SEASON.

IT COULD BE ALIGERYS AS WELL.TO DUST MITES,STROAGE MITE.

IF YOU WANT TO RING ME GIVE ME A CALL ON 01252310267 AFTER 8PM.

HAD FCR FOR 20 YEARS. HAD ONE DOG WITH MAJOR SKIN PROBLEMS.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would say thyroid also.  You need to get the T3(think that's the right one though someone on here will advise) and T4 tests done, not just the T4 which most vets only do.

You say she is docile, is she always docile?  Is she not as active as most FCR's?  If not then thryoid again would make this a sign.

Hi

Thank you all so much for your replies.  I had not thought of thyroid and will bring this up with the vet tomorrow and ask for the T3 and T4 tests.

She was spayed last october - her season before was in July.

She does have the FCR energy!  and bounds around everywhere so perhaps docile was the wrong word to use, but she does have less energy than she used to, but I put this down to growing up and calming down... but it is a thought that perhaps this could be due to thyroid.

I will let you know how we get on tomorrow.

Ingrid

Briedog - I notice that your phone code is surrey?  we are just the other side of Birdworld!  I will try and ring tonight.

Thanks

which side of birdworld i am on the hampshire side

Another Flatcoat owner here.

I would also suggest the thyroid testing - I have a flatcoat who had similar problems, droped her coat and then it just kept getting worse untill she was very thin in places, after many trials of things from the vets we asked for a complete thyroid test - and low and behold we found the problem.

I would also suggest allergy testing (york test?), I am currently working with a couple dogs who have very thin coats/bold patches, and the one we have been able to test so far is allergic/intolerant to many things. And in my experience the itching/nibling is usually a sign of something irritating the skin.

We are back from the vet.  He still is sure that it is a parasitic infection so she is in for another skin scrape on Monday. Around we go in circles again!  I also requested the T3 and T4 thyroid test and he will take blood for this on Monday too - though he did say that they have to send the test off to America to get a more acurate result???  If this is inconclusive then I will ask for the York Test to be done (thank you Het).

Briedog, we are in Bucks Horn Oak, about 1 mile south of Birdworld (Hampshire side) - right in the middle of Alice Holt Forest (dog heaven! - though it sounds like parasite heaven too if the vet is proved right!)

ash/guildford.

please ring before you go head with the scape

Not sure about the sending thyroid tests to america. I Know when we tested mine we were given the option of two tests, one was just a simple blood test and less accurate and the other was two blood tests several hours apart and im sure after the first test the dog was given somthing but cant remember what.

Good luck with all the tests and hope you find an answer soon