Lexi is dropping fluff balls everywhere - any ideas?

[Shari Becker]

Hi everyone,

Lexi is a very fluffy, curly doodle. She has been more or less non shedding until this winter (She's 19 months now). We have let her go long this winter to keep her warm, but we did last winter, too, and we didn't have the same issues.

Anyhow, we are finding - not hairs - but fluffy, cotton-ball-like clumps of fur everywhere in our house. It may not sound like a huge deal, but I have worked really hard to keep my dog allergies in check with her, and it's making me nervous.

She turned out not to be quite as hypo-allergenic as we'd hoped when we got her. (I know it's not just me because she's caused allergic reactions in a few people who have dogs of their own - not even non shedding ones.) Also, we are going to be seeing my sister in two weeks, and she is severely allergic to dogs, but can generally tolerate Lexi alright (with all her meds, asthma, etc...). But there was no shedding the last time we saw her.

My thought is that I will shear her short (esp. since we are almost at April), but I am a little thrown by all this fluff. It's everywhere. And new.

Any ideas? Could it just be that she is an itchy, winter dog, and she's pulling it out with her scratching? Do you think that shearing her will solve this issue?

Thanks,

Shari

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

This is a tough one because there are people out there saying these doodles don't shed and they are hypoallergenic when in fact that is not always the case.  As for what is happening with the fur balls, your guess is as good as mine.  My Lucy drops a few more of these when she is longer.  Brushing more regularly could help some.  If you brush it out it isn't going to be on the floor.  As for shaving down, it really depends on what is causing the allergies to begin with.  If it is dander or saliva it doesn't matter how short she is it isn't going to help.  If she is itchy I would try giving some EPO (Evening primrose oil) daily.

[Shari Becker]

Thanks Lucy, we give her the primrose daily, and it makes a huge difference. As for the allergies - I'm guessing it's her dander. Her saliva doesn't make me break out, nor my sister (who gets huge hives from other dogs). But I guess I always feel like the shedding disseminates more dander, if that makes sense. I tolerate her fine without meds all year until hayfever season when I need to medicated anyhow, but we've gotten so lazy about my allergies that she now hops into bed with me to wake me in the morning, etc... I was just hoping I wasn't going to begin getting more allergies. We definitely don't brush her nearly enough either. None of my brushes were working, and I'm paralyzed by the price of the activet brushes, but maybe I just need to suck it up and buy one.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

We use the Les Poochs brush which is now the activet.  Worth every penny in my book.  However, that being said, we have one doodle that needs it and the other we comb out with a comb.  Someone once said to me "how much money have you spent buying brushes that don't work and are now stuck in a drawer?  You could have bought a Les Poochs".  We are actually on our second one.  The first one we bought when we got Lucy and Sophie 7 years ago.  

[Joyce]

Do you use a EPO capsule?  Any particular brand preferred?

[Shari Becker]

Yes, Joyce, I use a capsule. I just buy the Whole Foods store brand. It seems to work well.

[Joyce]

Thanks Shari, appreciate this info. 

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

I don't know if this is true for Lexi, but Winnie is definitely dropping her "winter coat" right now, and it is coming out in clumps as you described. I take her outside and use a double rowed rake to brush it out- it works like a charm in getting all of the dead coat out. Maybe it didn't happen last year at this time as Lexi probably didn't have her adult coat yet?

[Shari Becker]

That's an interesting thought. I didn't know that dogs get winter coats. It's been just this month, so you could be right. I need a good brush. Do you use an activet, too? I'm sort of horrified by the price tag. (As I mentioned above.)

[Lori, Winnie, Bob and Indie]

I do have an Activet, but honestly I only use it prior to bathing her. My usual brushing routine is to use the double row rake (< 10$) to get out the dead hair, followed by a steel comb. The rake is very gentle on the skin, but very effective at "grabbing" any loose hair out. And, you don't have to" line brush" with it like you do the Activet brush.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

There is truly not a hypoallergenic dog breed, however 'non-shedding' dogs tend to be more allergy friendly. Here is a link to the most allergy friendly breeds: http://www.justdogbreeds.com/low-shedding-dog-breeds.html

While doodles are great dogs, not all of them are non-shedding or allergy friendly, even if they don't shed. Doodles also have a coat change from pup to adult that can cause a change in allergic reactions to them and that may be where Lexi is. Many doodles shed, some as much as a retriever.  Here is an article about determining allergy levels with a particular doodle. http://doodlerescue.org/group/isadoodleforyou/forum/topics/the-alle...  No one should make a guarantee that a doodle is or will be hypoallergenic - this is marketing hype.

I love my Activet brushes.  I prefer the single so the cost is a bit less.  I just noticed that Amazon is carrying them.

[Shari Becker]

Nancy, this is interesting to me because it seemed to us that Lexi never actually lost all her puppy hair, and this fluffing did begin last month, but it just seemed late to me -- for her to just be starting at 18 months. I just assumed she was going to have fluffy, puppy like spots in the middle of her curls. It's just disconcerting to go from having a dog who barely sheds at all to suddenly finding lots of clumps everywhere, everyday. I think that's my big issue. The groomer commented at her last cutting about 6 weeks ago that she was pulling out gobs and gobs of hair, too....

Anyhow, I am getting her cut short next week, so it will be interesting to see if the fluffing stops. If it does, then we know it was either a coat change / winter coat / or just length. If it doesn't then I guess I need to look into it more.

My vet has been tossing around the idea of testing her thyroid, and I wonder if this could be related ...

Also, as for allergies, I'm really okay. I think I've developed a tolerance, it's more neurosis. I carry guilt about family members who are much more allergic to her than I'd hoped... I know they don't live with us or even see us all the time because we live in different cities, but I'm a 'pleaser,' so I'm struggling a bit. That's my own issue.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

If you are having more problems with her with the seasonal changes (hayfever) as you mentioned above, you can also try wiping her down with a damp cloth when she comes in from outside. She is going to bring pollen etc. into the house with her every time.