Hair loss

Question
Our 4 yr old female has recently began to lose her fur on her underside and creeping up her sides.  We have had her for a year.
Her diet consists of Royal Canin mini special 30 and canine u/d can and dry (our male pom had calcium oxalate crystals)We mix a small amt of "little ceasar" can food in the wet u/d.
I give her baths every 2-3 weeks with DOC Akerman's Orange Dream Shampoo. The breeder said she is probably shedding. I'm concerned because our male pom has a thyroid problem and appears to have black skin disease.  The are from the same blood line.  Thank you for your help.

Answer
Shedding is not an all over bald thing.  Has your bitch had a litter? That can cause extreme shedding. Most major shedding is done at 1 yr with MILD shedding seasonally.  Do you know if your male has thyroid for sure? Have you had him ttested? If they are from the same lineage then they could both suffer from hypo or hyper thyroid.
The food you feed is a good one and the shampooing wouldn't be causing it.
I would talk with you rvet about your newest addition and find out if she needs thyroid meds.  Is your male on any?

Here are a few sites on the conditions.

http://www.mirage-samoyeds.com/thyroid3.htm

http://www.offa.org/thyinfo.html

http://www.offa.org/thyproc.html

http://linda.lawrie.com/Articles/ThyroidIssues.htm

BSD information-
http://www.caninegeneticdiseases.net/CGD_main.htm

http://www.acvd.org/index.htm

http://www.pcoc.net/black-skin-disease.htm

Best of luck!
-Trish
www.geminipoms.com