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my boy has a short thin coat

Discussion in 'General Health' started by beccalee9, Feb 18, 2014.

  1. beccalee9

    beccalee9 Forums Novice

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    Feb 18, 2014
    calgary
    Hi everybody. I have a purebred male sheltie named Helo. He is 1 year and 4 months old and im really quite concerned about his coat. As he was growing I assumed he would be a late bloomer because his coat was always rather short. As he hit About 9 or 10 months old he started getting some fluff but nothing crazy.when he turned a year old I got him neutered and that seemed to wreck havoc on his coat.now it is thinner than ever and short and very scraggly. Upon doing some research I decided to get his thyroid checked but his test came back perfectly fine. A friend of mine suggested I get him checked for liver shunts but he doesn't seem to show any other signs of it aside from the odd bout of diahrrea. I'm starting to go a bit crazy here! :gaah Any help or advice from you guys would be greatly appreciated!

    -becca
     
  2. Jess041

    Jess041 Forums Enthusiast

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    Do you have a picture so we can get a better idea of what you're describing? Usually Shelties don't get that full adult coat until they are closer to 2 years old, but it varies by dog.

    Did your vet give him a full check-up when you took him for the thyroid check? How's his skin? Any sore, dryness, etc?
     
  3. Mom2Melli

    Mom2Melli Forums Enthusiast

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    Is it possible that he blew coat from anesthesia? That may have caused a set back in coat growth. It can take up to about 3 years to grow the full coat on any dog. Lots of dogs don't have the heavy heavy coat either. Even the comb/brush you use could break the coat. Bathing too often will also blow coat. Nutrition also plays a part in coat growth. There are many variables to getting that long flowing coats from genetics, to time and age, to environmental.
     
  4. Greenepony

    Greenepony Forums Enthusiast

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    I agree with others that he could be a late bloomer. My current sheltie is only started to get much of an adult coat at 2, and 2 and a half it's still pretty scruffy. When we got her at ~9-10 months she had a very, very sad short coat. Patience, good nutrition, and not over brushing.
     
  5. beccalee9

    beccalee9 Forums Novice

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    Feb 18, 2014
    calgary
    His skin is healthy.no sores or dryness. I would love to post a picture but I'm not sure how to go about doing that :(. I thought it would take some time for his coat to grow in but the problem is that it seems to only get shorter and thinner as he gets older.the hair on his nose seems to be thinning out as well. As for him blowing his coat he's never really been a heavy shedder. I am a dog groomer so i know the problems associated with over grooming these coat types. He is also currently eating blue Buffalo fish and sweet potato And I add additional fish oil to his food everyday. Thanks for your input guys!
     
  6. Caro

    Caro Moderator

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    Only premium members can post pictures, but you can include a link to your photos saved on photo sharing sites or facebook, members are happy to follow the link.
     
  7. beccalee9

    beccalee9 Forums Novice

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    Feb 18, 2014
    calgary
  8. Caro

    Caro Moderator

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    That is a short coat, it does look like the coat of a 6mth old. I have a friend whose female sheltie had a similarly short coat all her life, it grew some in length as she got older, but she had no undercoat. I'm afraid it was genetics and there is not a lot she could do to grow the coat longer.

    His coat itself looks healthy though so it could be genetics.

    He could be losing fur at a faster rate. I know from my male - who has had various parts shaved at various times (bad groomer and surgeries) - that you are seeing about 3 mths coat growth in length in your dog. So he may not be holding onto his coat for as long as a sheltie normally does. His hair may look thinner in winter because he is in a heated building - undercoat grows in response to ambient temp, if you want a thicker coat have him spend more time outdoors in the cold.

    Try upping the brushing with a soft tipped brush to stimulate the blood vessels and air the skin. Regular baths with a good quality dog shampoo can also help. If you use a good shampoo there isn't a limit to how often you can bathe - dogs with skin problems are bathed every day to promote health. It will loosen any loose fur but it won't make hair fall out.

    In the end though I don't think you'll get the big coat you usually see in a sheltie, although as he gets older you will see more growth.
     
  9. melbell

    melbell Forums Enthusiast

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    Feb 4, 2013
    Erie, Pennyslvania
  10. Mom2Melli

    Mom2Melli Forums Enthusiast

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    Wow. Your dog is SO much like my Melody I had to look to see if you were in Central California. From coat length to facial markings, Melli's too fat, only difference.

    Melody has a short coat (it's more like an aussie than sheltie). I believe she was shaved down last spring before I adopted her and it has gotten a lot fuller but not the long flowing coat I would have expected. It's OK by me as she is simple to care for.

    In looking at the pix and hearing of your grooming/feeding/supplements, it looks like he is going to always be the short coat (join me and Melody and Sheltie.Mama and her Tarra). Interesting all three of these are black tri and super similar.

    I bet it comes back in fuller but not the long flowing coat, gentically.
     

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