My labradors coat - advice please!

[jakesmum30]

My 5 year old black lab has got some brown patches on her back near her tail. When I look closely if seems like the soft undercoat is showing but I've never seen it before. Anyone experienced this? Thank you!

Hard to tell (and I'm only an owner, not a vet). It could well be completely normal and just the winter coat coming through.

There are certain conditions which present in coat colour change though - vitamin deficiency, alopecia, hormone deficiency and follicular dysplasia to name a few. Best bet would be to pop him into the vet and have him checked over if you have any concerns.

Check too the skin under the area, in case it's inflamed or sore.

I hope that the problem is nothing to worry about but, as I said, rather than stress, have a word with your vet.

Sounds like the undercoat - it you give a gentle pull on a sticking out patch it will probably come away. If so this is part of a normal moult. Give her a good brush and repeat ad nauseaum until she is finished ...some days/weeks later!

you could maybe try buying a Furminator - its just a brush with a blade - and giving her a thorough going over with it. You can get them from Ebay. It will remove all the excess undercoat and hopefully you'll be able to see if it was just her winter coat coming through.

My boy gets this when he's moulting. A good go with a furminator or shedding blade ought to sort it.

I swear they moult like horses - the front end starts first, and the back end catches up a few weeks later

BELLA! Good to "see" you! How goes it?

Sorry for hijack Jakesmum. The vets have spoken, told you I was no expert. I'm glad to hear that it's considered to be just the undercoat. :)

I seem to be permanantly attached to a dog comb these days!

Good to see you too, Val

Hope you & yours are well

Thank you! It was the undercoat and I've given her a good brushing and the patches have disapeared. I think I could brush her for hours and she'd still shed hair all the time! I always get worried when I see something new as when she was 1 year old me and DH took called out the vet as an emergency as she had a growth on her ear. Turned out it was a tick, the vet was laughing through the whole consultation But when it's your first dog you just don't know!! I try to get advice before I panic now...