My bald dog. Looking for help

[Justanotherbitoffur]

My family’s golden lab freya had a big trauma recently, a big operation followed by immediate owner going overseas for a year.

for the last month her fur has been falling out, initially she was diagnosed with a yeast infection and I have been shampooing her as per vets (and then a friend breeders) instructions, this past week I’ve done it EVERY day as both vet and breeder friend have said it’s the only way BUT it doesn’t seem to be working, I did think a couple of days ago to drop back to every other as it didn’t seem to be coming out as much (as per instructions) but just done it today and it’s clumps coming out.

Im leaving the medicated dog shampoo on for twenty minutes.

the dog is depressed im sure, the only dog I have ever met who hates water, although she does stand well as I do it, fortunately have wet room to do it indoors so not outside in the awful cold.

hoping someone might have an answer as im really struggling to put her through this more or less every day.

Have you changed food? Allergies can cause hair loss. Hypoallergenic dog food helped ours.
I imagine daily shampooing is pretty stressful too tbh.
The vet could medicate for stress if one of those plug ins or OTC dog meds don’t help, just to see if it regrows when they are less stressed.
I’m assuming that the big op was a while ago and they aren’t anaemic or something?

You need blood tests from your vets. Load of medical reasons for losing fur. Hormone issues, parasites, infections. Cushing disease etc

Has she had skin scraps from the vet.

Go back and ask for more tests from the vet.

Have a look at Vince the Vet products. I have had incredible results with them. I was very sceptical at first but the results speak for themselves. I only tried them on someone's recommendation when I was tearing my hair out to find a solution and heavy duty painkillers were no longer working.

My 15 year old dog has arthritis and stage 1 kidney disease and she's gone from creeping around slowly to scampering about and enjoying walks again. You can use them in parallel with whatever the vet prescribes (at least that's what my vet told me) so at this stage you have nothing to lose by giving it a try. Good luck..

If the dog has had a major trauma, plus an op, and in top of that is grieving their favourite person going away… I’d be tempted to give up the washing and supplement with a million cuddles, the bestest food and lots of fuss and close contact. The dog sounds really stressed and out of sorts :(.

Of course you should get medical advice but it seems like the shampooing isn’t helping anyway. The vet may have another recommended course of action.

We’re going to the vets on Tuesday and hopefully they can come up with something else. I’m sure this washing malarkey is actually depressing and if it’s not depressing her, it’s definitely depressing me.

I’m also just about to run out of shampoo again at £37 a bottle it’s not cheap although I found it online cheaper but then you have to pay for a prescription.

She’s been having lots of cuddles. I just think it’s been a shit couple of months. One thing after another this was kind of the icing on the crap cake.

My dogs fur started falling out it was ages ago someone on here suggested antihistamine/allergy tablets. So i did that and it worked

My elderly rescue dogs fur started to fall out two months after l adopted him. After countless blood tests, they found he had a B12 deficiency. He is now on Cobalaplex twice a day. His fur is back to normal.

Is it falling out, or is the dog licking/plucking it out?

A traumatised, depressed dog now losing its hair - do you think the dog has much quality of life currently?

Thank you for all your thoughts. I think finally it stopped falling out.

What does that mean or imply?? FFS.

i do get very irrationally angry about the ‘vet recommended’ products like shampoos and specialist foods.

id want to know, what skin condition is the shampoo treating and what is the evidence the dog actually has this skin condition? Presuming there is no evidence of lice or other parasites? Otherwise you’re just paying for a very expensive hairdo.

OP I hope your poor doggy feels better soo, it definitely sounds potentially psychological - dogs are social creatures and can bond very strongly with their owners.

My dog blows fur in very stressful environments: I think that’s quite normal - examples are when I had pneumonia for 4 weeks, when my son was hyper anxious, and memorably when we went away with my mum for a week, when she was in a full blown depressive crisis. Nothing less relaxing than trying to comfort my poor mum plus ensure a nice holiday for two young kids, while hoovering up 3 times a day and dealing with the pacing hound :/

When was the operation? It is fairly standard for general anaesthetics to be followed by a huge moult.

Also it is not far off spring. If you have your heating whacked up then it may very well just be natural cycles. Many breeds blow their coats in early spring and summer.

Also this. And the vet should really know this rather than rinsing you for £40 shampoo. Maybe get another vet.

Another thing - if the major operation was reproductive ie spaying or any surgery for ie pyometra, this may be part of the picture. Removing a dog’s ovaries is brutal, mine has been prone to portliness and crap coat ever since. Pyometra/any kind of phantom pregnancy is going to send them very weird.

I’m really glad it seems like her hair loss is stopping. Hopefully you and she can now have some relaxed time ❤️

the operation was a few months back now.

seeing our old vet on Tuesday as im back in that area visiting my parents.