Excessive Shedding

E

emilyr

Forums Regular
I know that Shelties shed, but I am really worried about my girl. I got her in February and 10 days after getting her she had to get surgery to remove objects from her stomach and get spayed. This dog has the most luxurious coat I have ever seen on a Sheltie! Well about a month ago she started shedding, and it is getting worse. She is almost completely bald on her belly and hind quarters. Her hair just falls out in handfulls! I have had Shelties for 7 years and have never experienced this. She is probably a 'higher quality' Sheltie than my boy I have now. I am really concerned about the amount she is losing! She is about 6 years old and came from a breeder.

Should I be this concerned? Is this what happens when really hairy Shelties blow their coat? Should I take her to the vet? Sorry I sound so freaked out... I lost my first Sheltie boy last year to undetected cancer that they said was his Thyroid.... :cry:

Thank You Sheltie experts!!
 
We hav'ent experianced blowing coats here,as the puppies are young yet.But I do have a lab.Prior to being supplemented with Vibrant Pets,he was a year round shedder.Spring and fall,the worst.

We don't have the problem now.Yes he does shed,but his coat does not come out in clumps anymore.Better food helps also.It was an amazing transformation in a 2 week time frame.

Can't be without VP~
 
It's hard to say if that's normal blowing coat or a medical issue. When my dog Bentley is blowing coat, you can pull little tufts out here and there that are like little handfuls. Also, if you run your hand through his fur you get a lot of hair. But, it doesn't affect his appearance, and I never see any bald spots.

You may want to head to your vet just to make sure it isn't something else like an allergy.
 
That sounds to me like the post-surgery shed. Any time you knock them out, they blow their coats. Especially with a bitch that just lost all her hormones. She could have been in season right before then too, which can make them blow coat like crazy. Just pull the dead hair out and wait for the new hair to grow back.
 
I am sure it's nothing to be overly concerned with, but with her having bald spots, a call and trip to the Vet is probably worth doing! If she was just shedding and creating hairball tumbleweed everywhere, haha like my Megan, that would be one thing, but she has bald spots, :cool:, I'd call my Vet!
 
Ok, so there IS a post surgery shed? It was a very serious surgery and she was under for quite a while. AND she did just come out of heat when we spayed her as well. I have just never experienced this... How long do you think this will go on? I have brushed her and furminated her a couple times already.. My poor girl had such a luxurious coat and now looks all stringy. :(
 
emilyr said:
Ok, so there IS a post surgery shed? It was a very serious surgery and she was under for quite a while. AND she did just come out of heat when we spayed her as well. I have just never experienced this... How long do you think this will go on? I have brushed her and furminated her a couple times already.. My poor girl had such a luxurious coat and now looks all stringy. :(
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I've been told by the breeder Sadie and Ginny came from that they shed when they come out of heat. I believe they also shed when a mature bitch is spayed, due to the sudden lack of hormones.

Sadie and Ginny's Mom was spayed recently and looked absolutely terrible.

That being said, I'm not sure if bald patches are normal or not, but given that she'd just had a heat AND was spayed, I wouldn't be too worried. If her fur doesn't start to grow back in a few weeks then I'd look into it more.
 
emilyr said:
Ok, so there IS a post surgery shed? It was a very serious surgery and she was under for quite a while. AND she did just come out of heat when we spayed her as well. I have just never experienced this... How long do you think this will go on? I have brushed her and furminated her a couple times already.. My poor girl had such a luxurious coat and now looks all stringy. :(
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Oh yes. Anytime they knock them out, the hair comes out. She would have blown it a few months after her season anyway, so just keep on brushing. :smile2:
 
Checkers has blown her coat after having puppies too. Last time, she shed for months and ended up looking like a smooth Collie, she was so naked. It took a full six months for her new coat to come in, but when it did it was gloriously full and thick. So hang in there!

A good supplement like Vibrant Pets will help too. Many of us use it here on the Forum. I also give salmon oil.
 
In general, you're going to get a bigger coat blow from a bitch than a male dog, so that probably has to do with why you haven't seen nearly as much with your boy
 
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