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My husky’s fur is thinning!!


Brody1290

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I adopted my husky about 1.5 years ago. She recently blew out her under coat about 1.5 months ago, but her fur hasn’t stopped shedding. She is constantly shedding her top coat and the hair around her back legs is thinning to the point I can see her skin threw the thinning hair. Her hair has also become more coarse and dry.  She has also become increasingly itchy on her belly and legs. She has no signs of fleas. Has anyone else experienced this? Should I be concerned about diet/nutrition? 

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I have checked the detailed nutrient profile - and it certainly appears to be one of the better  kibble/freeze dried foods  -  so whilst it is unlikely to be the food itself - it could be that your dog is getting allergies to some of the ingredients in it.   I would try to get her to an holistic vet who should be able to pinpoint the reason  - although a quick internet search came up with the following:

https://topdogtips.com/dog-hair-loss/

One other thing to consider is that bearing in mind the skin is the body's largest organ  - it might mean there is something going wrong deeper within your dog  - and again a good holistic vet whould be able to pinpoint this.

Sorry I cannot be of more help.     

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  • 4 weeks later...
6 hours ago, naylie said:

NEW HERE, IM HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM BUT INSTEAD SHES NOT ITCHING OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT . JUST HER COAT IS NOT THE SAME AS BEFORE ITS SUPER THIN AND ROUGH. ANY TIPS OR HELP . 

You don't really give much information  -  can you put a picture up?    What do you feed your dog,  what is your dogs age?     What has changed since 'before' when the coat was ok?     Have you checked with a vet?

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In the spirit of openness  -  I am a raw feeder.    I am also a qualified raw dog food nutrition specialist.

Had a quick look at the food you mentioned  and would make the following comments

Zinc Sulphate tends to be very hard on the stomach causing unnecessary stomach upset.    (I have a 'thing' about zinc - so it is the first thing I look for - it gives a fairly accurate indication of the actual quality of the food versus what the manufacturers claim)  I note that the manufacturers use zinc sulphate.

From Zinc deficiency in sled dogs:-

The various types of zinc are as follows  -  from best to worst:-

Zinc forms ranked from best to worst:

● Zinc citrate, picolinate and gluconate are very easily absorbable and well utilized by your dog’s body. ( 25mgs up to 100mgs daily)

● Chelated Zinc does not bind to iron so it tends to upset the stomach less than some other forms of Zinc but maybe slightly less absorbable than picolinate and gluconate forms.( dosage is the same as above)

● Zinc Methionine combines Zinc with Methionine and is reasonably well utilized in most dogs. ( 40 mgs daily dosage)

Zinc Sulphate tends to be very hard on the stomach causing unnecessary stomach upset. For that reason it is recommended that it be crushed and added in with food but this also makes it less absorbable. ( 200mgs daily dosage)

● Zinc Oxide is a very cheap and highly un-absorbable form of Zinc. Sadly this is the form of Zinc being used by most mid to low end dog food manufacturers. No wonder so many Snow Dogs suffer from Zinc Deficiency

This alone is enough to make me question whether you are getting the quality you are paying for.    If they use the next to last (next to cheapest) zinc product this says they do not really care about your dog's long term health.   The same could be said about the majority of the  'sulphates'  mentioned

The first ingredient is a type of meat  - which is good as far as it goes,  however the vast majority of the ingredients is grain & rice in the one I looked at  (you did not say which type you are feeding)    Grain & rice has never been part of a dog's natural diet - going back millions of years.   Many dogs have an allergy to grain & rice  -  one of my dogs included.

https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/meat-in-pet-foods-is-it-really-meat/

The above will give you some indication of what meat meal actually is   - at least the one I looked at does state beef meal (so you know the main meat)

All the vitamins/minerals/omegas etc stated on the back of the pack are there because they have been added to the kibble   - because the kibble itself is nutrient deficient  - all nutrients are destroyed in the manufacturing process.   The vitamins added are not natural vitamins - but man made vitamins.   They still are vitamins  - but the actual chemical structure  are mirror images of the natural vitamins they are replacing  - and these are not readily recognised by the body.   It therefore means that they need more 'energy' to utilize them  -  not as easily absorbed by the body.

I am not saying that your dog's fur problems are a result of her food - but its a good place to start  - I did note you have only just changed over to this food.    Did you ask the vet about her fur condition?

The following posts may be of interest to you:-

https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/kibble-never-a-good-option/

https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/kibble-vs-raw/

I am not saying that changing to a raw diet is the answer to your dog's problem  - I am not a vet and not able to do the blood tests required to try and find an answer  -  I am also aware that feeding a raw diet is not for everyone   -  it took me years to change  (mind you I have been vegetarian for 40+ years).    I have two huskies and it costs me around £20 a week to feed them (including their treats)  - however I go overboard nutritionally and it need not cost me that much, however with my allergic boy I have to buy grass fed beef and meat.    A reasonable raw diet should cost about the same as the higher priced kibbles  - and cheaper than the top quality  freeze-dried/raw  foods available.

One other thing to consider when looking for an AAFCO  'seal of approval'  - their minimum requirements - are exactly that  -  this is the barest minimum nutrition you can give to your dog without making her sick.

I hope you get your dog sorted,   if you ever decide to change to a raw diet I am happy to help you transition.  

 

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