Is Daphne changing color?

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Daphne is now 16 months old and I had assumed that her coat is the one she will have always. As a baby she was creamy colored. As she grew and her coat changed, she is now mostly white with just a hint of creaminess on her ears and tail. She had her last grooming on June 7 and everything was normal. Three weeks later, we were visiting my parents when my Dad pointed out what I thought looked like a dirty spot on her back. Since then, the spot appears to be getting a little larger. The fur there is a dark cream and seems to be coarser than the rest of her. Everyone always says she feels like a cotton ball. The larger part of the spot is closest to her tail and seems to be inching slowly up her spine.

I don't know if this is anything to be concerned about or just a normal occurrence.  A CGC trainer suggested to me that she may be becoming parti colored. Thats kind of funny since Lucy (her Mama) is not a parti and neither are her parents. Her father is an ice white mini poodle. Others have said it looks like what happens when dogs chew on certain spots. I have never seen her chewing on her back.

Any thoughts?

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Lol, Thats funny! It does kind of look like a heart. Thank you for the sweet comments! Sophie is adorable!

[Samantha and Socrates]

I haven't heard anything about fur changing due to injury. I know Socs was a much darker color when he was younger and that has consistently lightened over the years, now only his tail and ears are the darker color. His fur has always been the cottony consistency but he has individual darker, coarser hairs poking up all over when you look close. His fur also lightens up considerably after a bath even when they don't use a whitening shampoo, I assume from the oils on his coat. Your Doodles are adorable!!

[Adrienne]

Daphne and Lucy are down right adorable.  

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Thanks Samantha and Adrienne. Your comments are very sweet!

[Cathy C. Bennett]

Hi - please don't panic. I went through this last July with Harley. Ran to the vet thinking all sorts of horror stories for her to tell me that his skin was not infected, and his blood work was normal, his coat seemed healthy, just "different". 

By the time I became accustomed to it, (several weeks if I remember correctly)  one day I looked down and it was gone! Harley was 3.5 yrs. old at the time. This summer, his brother Leo (a new 3 yr old) started showing the same identical hair "issues" on him. Same location as Harley and ironically similar to what you described. This time I saved my $$ and skipped the vet visit.

It's been a few weeks now and the brown coarse "golden retriever" type hair has gotten thicker and now I'm noticing the original hair growing back in. I nor my vet, nor their groomers, nor several breeders know what is causing is or why. I am still concerned, but no longer "worried" and so far, Leo seems to be on the same track pattern as Harley was last year. FYI: neither one of them seem interested or irritated with the area.

Just wanted to share my story with you when I saw the uncanny resemblance from your photo. If you'd like to talk, please do not hesitate to call me 703-400-3498. And know that I am not trying to discourage you from seeking expert vet opinion. I just thought you'd like to know you are not alone with this crazy hair metamorphous. Best of luck, Cathy

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Oh wow, Thanks Cathy! I feel so much better looking at your pictures. That looks exactly like Daphne's spot. Maybe I just need to be patient and wait for it to go away. Daphne does have a vet appt to get her yearly shots at the end of the month so I will just wait to get it looked at then. They might just think I am one Crazy Doodle Mom! And they would be right...Lol!

Thanks for giving me your phone#. Its a little late now but I may call another day.  I really appreciate your help! I just took a peek at your website...LOVE it! Harley and Leo are gorgeous!

[Jennifer Tramell]

My Charlotte has a very light blond coat.  On her back end, to the left of her tail she has a dark reddish blond spot about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.  There have been many times when I thought it was a dirty spot and started to clean it off but it is just the color of her hair.  I don't know what caused it, don't know when it started, but I guess it's her "beauty mark" ;-)

[Joanna, Zoe & Bender]

Bender had that a couple months back where it looked like his roots were darker.  I was actually excited to see if his color would change but it went away.  I do see some scattered random apricot/brownish fur but all are singles so you cant even tell.  Today I found a black one too!!!  I thought it was Zoe's fur and was trying to take it off but noticed it was attached at the roots!  

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

LOL!

[Kary, Sparty & Stella]

OMD! Your doodles are tooooo adorable, cute and beautiful! I have partis, so don't know about coat changes. :)

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

Thank you. I always wanted a parti. Yours are so precious!

[Donna K & Quincy]

I don't think it's anything to be concerned about. There have been several discussions about this same issue. Tell  Daphne that she's not the only one with dark roots. :>) The girls are adorable and Daphne always looks like she is smiling. :>)

Here are links to a couple of other discussions. The first one is a link to the discussion Ricki was referring to.

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/doodlegrooming/forum/topics/stran...

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/doodlegrooming/forum/topics/what-...

http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/my-5-month-old-cream-labra...