HAIR SHEDDING IN DOGS

Before knowing about hair shedding, it is essential to know about hair growth cycle in dogs.Hair cycle consists of an active growth phase ,termed as anagen phase,in this hair reaches it's genetically determined length.It then enters into a transient Catagen phase.then it proceeds to enter the resting phase termed as telogen phase.Dogs have a telogen - predominant cycle.The anagen phase lasts from one month to a year or more.The hair then enters into telogen phase & remains there for a prolonged period of time.In this hair is tightly bound to follicle & will not readily fall out or pulled out. In the Nordic breeds, the telogen phase lasts for years.At some points telogen hair falls out and is replaced by a newly developing anagen hair.This fall of hair is known as HAIR SHEDDING.

Hair shedding is one of the biggest nuisance faced by dog owners.Almost every dog regardless of age or breed sheds hair.Often a little bit of shedding is normal where as excessive shedding is a cause of concern.Some breeds tend to shed more, notably Retrievers,Setters,Spaniels & Shepherds whose hair coat have to be combed or groomed regularly.Some have thicker undercoat and shed more.Dogs shed to get rid of old damaged or extra hair.
The causes of hair shedding in dogs are also believed to be climatic changes,some because of poor nutrition,pregnancy or lactation stage also contribute to this.Another very important factor commonly noted in Malaysia is frequent bathing,this results in reduced body oil that leads to dull, dry and lusterless coat.So bath your dog once a week which is most ideal in a tropical climate.But in winter bathing can be done once a month.Despite this combing and brushing especially for thick coated breeds must be practiced and not to be taken lightly.

Some of the tell-tale signs of excessive hair shedding that needs immediate attention are:

1) Hair shedding due to change in feed supplement.

2) Hair shedding due to allergies or any other diseases.

3) Hair shedding in stress, long illness & poor diet.

4) Hair shedding due to lack of grooming.

5) Hair shedding in large patches leaving bald spots may be accompanied by chewing or scratching.

Follow following points to reduce hair shedding as well as effectively removing hair.Always brush your pet with right kind of brush like Slicker brush,Shedding blades, Metbreakers and Love Gloves,Feed an appropriate good quality pet food, Feed a fatty acid supplement in diet rich in Omega 3 & 6 fatty acids especially, Control allergies & fleas, Bathe your pet occassionally in summer with good quality oatmeal shampoo, Cover your furniture and car seats, Clean home by vacuumed cleaner, Remove hair from upholstery and from your dog's bed at earliest using Tap Roller, Have regular check-ups of your pet from your VET.

The most effective way to have manageable hair is good brushing.The Slicker and Rake brushes are best to be used on the double coated breeds such as Collies etc. because they reach under the outer coat and pull out the soft, undercoat.

For dogs with thicker hair coat you should brush regularly and remove long , straggly, hairs from ears, neck and underside with finger and thumb. For the long coated dogs, brushing alone is insufficient because only the top coat will benefit, while the under coat which gets matted, usually remains untouched. For these coats, you need not only a bristle brush or a metal comb that will be able to penetrate through to the skin. It is advisable to look for a professional groomer or a veterinarian for severely matted coats.Generally short coated dogs should be brushed regularly with a firm brush . This should be used in a long, sweeping strokes following the lie of the fur.For grooming follow the sequence from back ,belly, chest, limbs and lastly tail .