• Everyone can read this forum. To post on this forum, you must be a Community or VIP member. You can register here. If you are a member, to login use your email address for the username and the same password you use for the main site. If you have problems logging in to the forum, please email support@holisticactions.com.

Hair loss in a young female dog

KatjaB

Registered
Joined
Feb 2, 2023
Messages
11
Hello,
My husband and I have a boston terrier girl named Evey.
She’s 1 year and 3 months old, weighs 19.6 LB and is intact.
She eats fresh organic foods such as beef, fruit, vegetables, sweet potato, potato, flax seeds, celery juice, supplements (B12, zinc, wild blueberry powder, barley grass juice powder, spirulina, propolis, olive leaf - all from Vimergy).
She gets daily exercise, play, mental stimulation, socializing, lots of cuddles.
She’s been vaccinated once against rabies and twice against other diseases with Vanguard Plus 7 vaccine.
Evey used to be extremely fearful and sensitive, didn’t sniff on walks, didn’t want to be touched, didn’t really like food and was very picky.
We put tremendous effort into getting her better (good food, socializing, tons of learning through play, sniffing practice, favorite exercises). She has come such a long way and she’s doing so much better now.
Her overall BEAM is good at the moment.

On 23rd of January Evey was given antibiotics at first as she was wrongly diagnosed with mammary gland infection which was in fact false pregnancy.
A week later, on 30th of January, when a different vet corrected the diagnosis she was given Cabergoline for false pregnancy.
Not long after I asked about false pregnancy on the forum and we learned the vets were giving us a false scare since false pregnancy is common in female dogs that are intact and no special treatment is necessary except for homeopathic remedies in case of troublesome symptoms.
Approximately 10 days ago all of a sudden Evey started loosing hair.
At first we thought it was because it got warmer outside but now it’s cold again and she’s still loosing so much hair she already has some patches of almost bare skin (pictures attached), especially on her backsite.
She has flaky skin (on some parts more then the others, picture attached) that looks like dandruff.
She has a bit of redness on her tummy.
Also she lost a bit of weight although I’m not sure if the weight loss is related.
She used to have such a beautiful shiny coat people often complemented her on walks. But now when I gently pet her I can feel the hair falling out beneath my fingers.
Yesterday I bathed her with a gentle and 100% natural shampoo and the whole shower was full of hair (picture attached).
I’m trying to stay positive but seeing her loose so much hair is breaking my heart.
What can we do to help her get better?

Do you think hair loss is related to medication mentioned above?
She never had this problem before and this was the first time she received medication.

Also I think I saw Micro-C from Vimergy recommended for dogs here on the forum. I know vitamin C is highly beneficial but I’m wondering if I can give it to her since it contains grape seed extract?
Please help us @Dr. Jeff @Dr. Christina @Dr. Sara

C3045359-4B86-49B5-A121-47D3B18F1821.jpeg

6B3282E7-4F4D-4149-8BFE-BDF1B0D00803.jpeg

481C5394-D45D-4CD7-8039-0A55EFB5EF78.jpeg

9ACB4CAA-FA6B-485D-A3B3-A4232507A7B3.jpeg

6F121120-8579-434F-AF43-A1EA62A1FDF6.jpeg

360EF622-2360-4CD2-B4F0-310610BB71C5.jpeg

5800DF9D-3548-4E89-9D6F-50F6C8C058F2.jpeg
 

GinnyW

Community Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 3, 2021
Messages
490
I'm not the doc, not the homeopath, but I am inclined to think that the falling hair is one way her body is getting rid of the toxic drugs. I wouldn't panic, but rather see this as a positive progression. Keep up a diet of fresh foods, organ meats, and lots of love:) Do work with a homeopath!
My feeling is that this girl is plenty strong, and we just need to support her in this healing process.
 

Dr. Sara

All-Access Member
Veterinarian
HA! Faculty
Joined
Dec 30, 2018
Messages
331
Cabergoline has been shown to affect coat colour. (Abstract below.) I read two case studies where it affected coat quality. Because of this, it is not used in females intended to be shown.
As cabergoline is an ergot alkaloid, it will affect to some extent circulation to the skin, so such side effects make sense. It should improve with supportive treatment as she eliminates it from her system.
Stay well,
Dr. Sara
Coat colour changes associated with cabergoline administration in bitches.
J Small Anim Pract 44[8]:352-4 2003 Aug

Gobello C, Castex G, Broglia G, Corrada Y
Small Animal Clinics, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences (CC 296), National University of La Plata, Argentina.
Cabergoline or bromocriptine were administered orally to 60 bitches at doses of 5 microg/kg and 15 microg/kg daily, respectively, for two to 45 days for the treatment of pseudopregnancy or for oestrus induction. Seven of the dogs which received cabergoline for more than 14 days developed coat colour changes from the second week of administration to the next coat shedding. Of these, fawn-coloured bitches developed a yellowish coat colour while Argentine boar hounds became black spotted, mainly on their extremities. In previous untreated oestrous periods, these bitches had shown no coat colour changes. It is concluded that a colour shift in certain haircoats of particular breeds could be mediated through the inhibition of the secretion of melanocyte-stimulating hormone by the administration of the dopaminergic agonist cabergoline for more than two weeks. Transient coat colour changes should be considered a possible side effect when planning long-term treatment with dopaminergic agonists in dogs.
 

Dr. Jeff

Administrator
Moderator
Veterinarian
Joined
Feb 23, 2017
Messages
5,242
Hi Katja!

Great work with helping Evey get over her fears!!

Keep socializing her, playing games with her, doing lots of sniffing and loving her up.
I’m trying to stay positive but seeing her loose so much hair is breaking my heart.
What can we do to help her get better?
Has her BEAm changed along with the hair loss. If it hasn't then I wouldn't be too concerned.

As Ginny and Dr. Sara said, this may be a result of her body's response to the drugs that were used.

However, the hair loss will improve as her internal balance improves.

You can help this with the use of probiotics (such as The Wolf from Adored Beast) and adding organs and glands and variety to her diet.

Is her beef a blend designed for dogs which includes bone, organs (especially heart) and glands?
Do you think hair loss is related to medication mentioned above?
Probably.
Also I think I saw Micro-C from Vimergy recommended for dogs here on the forum. I know vitamin C is highly beneficial but I’m wondering if I can give it to her since it contains grape seed extract?
Yes, grape seed extract is a fantastic and safe antioxidant for dogs, cats, and people.
 

KatjaB

Registered
Joined
Feb 2, 2023
Messages
11
I'm not the doc, not the homeopath, but I am inclined to think that the falling hair is one way her body is getting rid of the toxic drugs. I wouldn't panic, but rather see this as a positive progression. Keep up a diet of fresh foods, organ meats, and lots of love:) Do work with a homeopath!
My feeling is that this girl is plenty strong, and we just need to support her in this healing process.

Hi Ginny!

Thank you for your support and trust in our girl! ❤️
 

KatjaB

Registered
Joined
Feb 2, 2023
Messages
11
Cabergoline has been shown to affect coat colour. (Abstract below.) I read two case studies where it affected coat quality. Because of this, it is not used in females intended to be shown.
As cabergoline is an ergot alkaloid, it will affect to some extent circulation to the skin, so such side effects make sense. It should improve with supportive treatment as she eliminates it from her system.
Stay well,
Dr. Sara
Coat colour changes associated with cabergoline administration in bitches.
J Small Anim Pract 44[8]:352-4 2003 Aug

Gobello C, Castex G, Broglia G, Corrada Y
Small Animal Clinics, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences (CC 296), National University of La Plata, Argentina.
Cabergoline or bromocriptine were administered orally to 60 bitches at doses of 5 microg/kg and 15 microg/kg daily, respectively, for two to 45 days for the treatment of pseudopregnancy or for oestrus induction. Seven of the dogs which received cabergoline for more than 14 days developed coat colour changes from the second week of administration to the next coat shedding. Of these, fawn-coloured bitches developed a yellowish coat colour while Argentine boar hounds became black spotted, mainly on their extremities. In previous untreated oestrous periods, these bitches had shown no coat colour changes. It is concluded that a colour shift in certain haircoats of particular breeds could be mediated through the inhibition of the secretion of melanocyte-stimulating hormone by the administration of the dopaminergic agonist cabergoline for more than two weeks. Transient coat colour changes should be considered a possible side effect when planning long-term treatment with dopaminergic agonists in dogs.

Hi Dr. Sara!

Thank you so much for your help!

The study you attached was very interesting to read.
 

KatjaB

Registered
Joined
Feb 2, 2023
Messages
11
Hi Katja!

Great work with helping Evey get over her fears!!

Keep socializing her, playing games with her, doing lots of sniffing and loving her up.

Has her BEAm changed along with the hair loss. If it hasn't then I wouldn't be too concerned.

As Ginny and Dr. Sara said, this may be a result of her body's response to the drugs that were used.

However, the hair loss will improve as her internal balance improves.

You can help this with the use of probiotics (such as The Wolf from Adored Beast) and adding organs and glands and variety to her diet.

Is her beef a blend designed for dogs which includes bone, organs (especially heart) and glands?

Probably.

Yes, grape seed extract is a fantastic and safe antioxidant for dogs, cats, and people.

Hi Dr. Jeff!

Thank you so much for helping us out! ❤️

We will keep on doing that.

Her beam is actually better than ever.

Can we expect new hair growth when her internal balance improves?

Yes, we do use organs (heart etc.) but I’m not sure about the glands. Can you please tell me what kind of meat would that be? I’m sorry I’m not a native speaker of English. 🙈
 

Dr. Jeff

Administrator
Moderator
Veterinarian
Joined
Feb 23, 2017
Messages
5,242
Can we expect new hair growth when her internal balance improves?
Yes!
Can you please tell me what kind of meat would that be?
In the US this can be found in various brands of raw frozen food. And all the glands can be added via powders like Pet's Friend Pet GO (glands and organs) and various Standard Process supplements.


@Dr. Sue might be able to help direct you to appropriate SP glandulars.
 

KatjaB

Registered
Joined
Feb 2, 2023
Messages
11
Yes!

In the US this can be found in various brands of raw frozen food. And all the glands can be added via powders like Pet's Friend Pet GO (glands and organs) and various Standard Process supplements.


@Dr. Sue might be able to help direct you to appropriate SP glandulars.

Thank you Dr. Jeff! We’ll include it into her diet.
 

Dr. Jeff

Administrator
Moderator
Veterinarian
Joined
Feb 23, 2017
Messages
5,242
🙏 💚🦋
 

Dr. Christina

All-Access Member
Veterinarian
Joined
Jun 15, 2017
Messages
1,211
Great work, Katja, moving her with diet and attention from fear into feeling happy. Keep that up while you patiently work on healing her hairloss. Could be hormonally related as well. She was doing a normal false pregnancy, then the drug stopped the process, so her body is still trying to get back in balance.

And no dog dies of hair loss, so do avoid all drugs at this point. There are homeopathic vets who will consult virtually. Search for a Veterinarian | IAVH

One client of mine called, saying her dog had lost hair after whelping. I said that could be normal. All else was ok. After a few months, maybe around weaning, she had an appointment and the dog had hair ONLY on her head. Not one speck anywhere else!! Felt fine otherwise. One dose of the homeopathic medicine that had been good for her in the past and she was covered in fuzz within 2 weeks and completely recovered.

Dr. Christina
 

KatjaB

Registered
Joined
Feb 2, 2023
Messages
11
Great work, Katja, moving her with diet and attention from fear into feeling happy. Keep that up while you patiently work on healing her hairloss. Could be hormonally related as well. She was doing a normal false pregnancy, then the drug stopped the process, so her body is still trying to get back in balance.

And no dog dies of hair loss, so do avoid all drugs at this point. There are homeopathic vets who will consult virtually. Search for a Veterinarian | IAVH

One client of mine called, saying her dog had lost hair after whelping. I said that could be normal. All else was ok. After a few months, maybe around weaning, she had an appointment and the dog had hair ONLY on her head. Not one speck anywhere else!! Felt fine otherwise. One dose of the homeopathic medicine that had been good for her in the past and she was covered in fuzz within 2 weeks and completely recovered.

Dr. Christina

Thank you Dr. Christina for your kind words and your response!

Actually it did cross my mind that the hair loss could be related to hormonal changes/disruption too.

We do have one IAVH homeopathic vet in my country, but it looks like Evey’s getting better!
For the past few days I’ve been noticing way less hair on the bed, couch and so on and I can see a bit of new ones growing. 😍

Wow, what an amazing story! Thank you for sharing it. ❤️
 

Dr. Christina

All-Access Member
Veterinarian
Joined
Jun 15, 2017
Messages
1,211
Wonderful!! We celebrate when the body is healthy to begin to heal itself.

Even with the improvement, I would connect with the homeopathic vet and start keeping the healthy dog journal.

The time to be working to balance and optimize the vital force is before there are clear symptoms.
Dis-ease happens first with energetic imbalance with imperceptible symptoms (unless you are super tuned in), then functional - itching, hair loss, then inflammatory (red, swelling, pain, fever, heat, lack of function) then pathology.

You are at the functional level (noticing symptoms) so start now to see if this a vet you will be comfortable working with.

Dr. Christina
 

KatjaB

Registered
Joined
Feb 2, 2023
Messages
11
Wonderful!! We celebrate when the body is healthy to begin to heal itself.

Even with the improvement, I would connect with the homeopathic vet and start keeping the healthy dog journal.

The time to be working to balance and optimize the vital force is before there are clear symptoms.
Dis-ease happens first with energetic imbalance with imperceptible symptoms (unless you are super tuned in), then functional - itching, hair loss, then inflammatory (red, swelling, pain, fever, heat, lack of function) then pathology.

You are at the functional level (noticing symptoms) so start now to see if this a vet you will be comfortable working with.

Dr. Christina

Thank you!
 

Weekly Digest

Weekly Digest
Subscribe/Unsubscribe
Top Bottom