Hair Coat Shedding Related to Seasons
My-Dog.info > Dog Health
While excessive hair shedding is a common complaint heard
among pet owners, in most cases, the shedding is usually normal.
An understanding of why dogs and cats lose their hair coat, and
what causes shedding, goes a long way towards explaining why they
shed hair all the time.
Dogs and cats do not grow hair continuously, but rather in
cycles. Each cycle has a growing phase, a transitional phase and
a resting phase. These hair cycles are controlled by such factors
as nutrition, hormones, state of health, but most importantly,
the amount of light (called photoperiod) and changes in the
surrounding temperature. Dogs in northern latitudes tend to shed
their hair coats twice a year, in the spring and fall, as the
outside temperature and the amount of daylight changes. As the
weather turns colder or warmer, and as the period of daylight
gets shorter or longer, the brain sends a message to the hair
follicles to increase activity. Hair growth tends to be maximal
in summer and minimal in winter. Pets that are kept primarily
indoors tend to experience changes in both temperature (going in
and out of the house) and light (artificial lights turned on and
off) all year round. As a result, these pets tend to shed their
hair, sometimes profusely, throughout the year.
If you suspect that your pet's hair loss is abnormal, you
should first consult your veterinarian. If a thorough physical
examination indicates that your pet is healthy, steps can be
taken to minimize the effects of shedding. Diet is very important
to the health of the skin and hair coat. Supplements such as cod
liver oil are unnecessary if a complete and balanced diet is fed.
If the diet is questionable, it is best to change over to one
that is well- balanced. Nutritional supplements such as omega
fatty acids can help reduce shedding if the cause of the shedding
is related to a fatty acid deficiency.
Daily brushing is good for the hair coat and will remove those
hairs that would normally fall out. From a housekeeping point of
view, it is better to have the hairs come out on the brush than
around the house.
Frequency of bathing and the type of shampoo used can also
factor into the amount of shedding that occurs. Using a
human-type shampoo, for example, can cause excessive shedding
because these shampoos can be quite harsh to a pet's skin and
perfumes can cause hypersensitivity reactions. Bathing too
frequently can dry out the hair coat and cause excessive
shedding.
Stress can also play a role in hair shedding. It is quite
common for dogs and cats to start losing excessive amounts of
hair during a visit to the veterinarian. This is because of the
effects of the stress hormones that are released into the
bloodstream. The coat is often "blown" when a female
goes through the pregnancy/birth/nursing cycle.
Reprinted with permission from www.animalhealthcare.ca
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