my chiwinnie dog

Question
I have a light haired chiwinnie dog with hair about a half inch long it looses alot of hair can i cut it off ive never seen a dog loose so much hair i thought i would cut it short then grow back can i do that thanks ron.

Answer
Hi Ron,

Thank you for writing to me about your Chiweenie.  I don't advise that you cut all your dog's hair off.  Hair is protection and helps to regulate temperature and protect from sunburn.  Rather, have your dog's thyroid checked.  Make sure it is right in the middle of normal.  Low normal or high normal may still indicate the need for herbal or medical supplementation.  You might also speak with your vet about hair thinning as a sign of Cushings Disease.

Another possibility is over vaccination or even vaccinosis which is a bad reaction to vaccinations.

Lastly, consider allergies.  Eliminate all grains and feed a human grade high quality dog food or something like Primal or Stella & Chewy.

Add fish oil to your dog's diet.  It is great for all skin conditions.

Do not use flea baths.  Rather give soothing oatmeal baths and only very occassionally.

Best of luck,
Shelley Davis