Hair Loss and Lots of Groaning

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone's doodle has had a lot of hair loss. I'm worried about Winston because he seems to be losing a lot more fur than normal. I thought he just needed a good grooming but while I was grooming and bathing I noticed a lot of skin showing through. He's definitely much thinner than he used to be. It's like an even, all-over thinning, not patchy or anything. Although he does have a patch of fur on his back that changed color and developed a bit of a wiry texture. I thought maybe it was the chronic yeast issues but now I'm not sure.

He groans a lot too. Not in any serious way but Like he's unhappy or frustrated. He's also been sleeping on the bed and couch which he never used to like doing.

I emailed his vet for an appointment but I'm not sure if I should go see his dermatologist instead...  His appetite is as good as ever so I'm not too concerned but still I am a bit worried about him.

Any thoughts? Am I over reacting? Maybe it's just the aging process? ...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I do think some of what you're describing is just part of the aging process. My last dog never slept in my bed (or even in my room!) until she was past 10 years old. Jack has just this past year first started to stay on my bed when I get go to sleep at night; he used to get down when I got into bed! 

Sleeping on padded surfaces combined with the groaning might indicate some age-related arthritis, or not. :)

I think the thinning hair might be part of the aging process, too. It is for humans. With most of the diseases that involve hair loss, there is a pattern to it; it's not a general all-over loss. I've also seen many people here post about their doodle having one patch of hair, usually on their back, that changed color and is wirier than the rest of the hair.

I think that a vet visit just to be sure there isn't anything going on with him is not a bad idea, but I'd start with the regular vet rather than the derm vet. Or you might just keep an eye on him for now.  

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Ok thanks Karen. I feel better now.

[sandy b]

I wonder if it could be a thyroid disorder. Not sure how it affects dogs but hair loss is very common in humans!

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

it could be. His old vet said his thyroid was low and put him on thyroid pills but when I moved a few years ago the new vet didn't think he needed them. His thyroid wasn't that low and he said it was likely the allergies suppressing his thyroid so we worked on keeping that under control. He's been off thyroid meds for at least three years and I haven't noticed a difference from before or after until this started. It might be worth having him retested though.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I think I would take him to the vet, just in case. Two of my dogs had thinning hair that was indicative of two different medical conditions (one was thyroid), although it was NOT all over but on the torso.  Clancy is a vocal dog.  He moans, groans, talks to himself.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Thanks Nancy. I will take him in. Winston's groaning just started a couple months ago. He does it sometimes when we're snuggling too. I'm never sure if it's a happy, purr-like groan, or a frustrated uncomfortable one. It's hard to tell.

I'm also pretty sure he has sleep apnea. He snores like an old fat man. He sure is special ;-)

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Another thing I noticed is that his hips seem to be a bit stiff. He turned 9 in August. I don't want him to get old!

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

So just wanted to share that Winston's full thyroid test came back. Even though the initial test showed slightly below normal thyroid levels, the full panel came back saying he's definitely not hypothyroid. Now the vet wants to test his urine, first thing in the morning. He didn't say why in his voicemail.

In the meantime, Winston's hair loss seems to have slowed down a bit, but he's really thin in some spots along his body. For a while there he was getting red blotchy patches on his skin over his torso and desperately trying to roll around to scratch himself. He still does it, but not as much. And he groans a lot. Anyway, I guess this is just his allergies taking on new symptoms. He still seems like his old self when we go out for off leash walks so I don't think this is anything serious. Just wanted to update you.

And in other, non-doodle related news, Miss Kitty is now suffering from allergies too. As if one pet with allergies wasn't enough. She's licked all the fur off her lower body. We're doing a food trial and trying antihistamines. If that doesn't work, I'm going to try atopica on her (much cheaper for her dose than for Winston's, thank goodness). The Vet clinic said their clinic cat had the same issue and it worked well for her.

[Stella]

My Chase has seasonal alopecia. His hair falls out every winter and grows back in the summer. It is a fairly distinct pattern - back of his neck, over his shoulders, along his spine and flanks. He was tested for several metabolic conditions and all his tests came back normal. It happens consistently every winter which led to his diagnosis. Shortened days and decreased exposure to sunlight lead to less melatonin production which causes the hair loss. Longer days in the summer and more sunlight increase melatonin production and his hair grows back - canine seasonal affective disorder. The worst is that his skin gets very dry in the hairless areas, so now we 'moisturise' in the winter!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I hope the urine test gives you some answers so you can begin treating it.  Gordie's skin condition was not ever diagnosed fully, but one issue was a huge sensitivity to Cortisone and was one cause of his hair loss.  He seemed to get infections in his hair follicles also, which caused bald spots that spread.  At one point Addison's was suspected.  What worked for Gordie was a long term antibiotic.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Hi Sherry ~ any update on Winston? I hope he is feeling better?

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Thanks for asking. He's actually totally fine. I'm just your regular every day helicopter pet parent. I think it's just a combo of his allergies targeting new areas of his body and his age showing through. Although the vet said the hair loss might have been stress and he thinks it will come back. I dunno what he was stressed about though. Maybe his itchy back.