losing fur on tail

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

I have two eleven year old shiz tzus.  Both have had vets checks and everything checked out fine.  My question is that one of the dogs is losing his fur on his tail.  His eating habits have not changed, he has lots of energy and seems fine.  Since the vet could not find anything do you think this could be a vitamin problem?  They are not on vitamins now.

ANSWER: Hi Trisha,

Yes, It may be a deficiency.  I always suggest pets be on a supplement no matter what they are fed.  You may want to look into NuVet.com/42299 These are great supplements.  Has your groomer said anything about the hair loss?  I recommend a good skin & coat shampoo for dogs with thin hair as well.

Susan Potts,CPG
www.pipschoice.com   

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your quick response.  Yes, the groomer is the one that had noticed the hair loss on his tail.  She noticed it about four months ago, we changed the dog's diet, shampoo and asked the vet, but the hair loss has gotten worse.  We certainly will try the supplements should I mention trying a different shamphoo for the groomer?  Again, thank you for your time.

Answer
What food did you switch to?  Has it gotten worse after the switch?  Poor nutrition and diet, stress and nervousness are common causes of hair loss.  If you are willing to try food & supplements together check into www.lifesabundance.com/iluvmypetz  Even at the age of 11, a dog can develop food allergies and they definitely need more supplements in their diet.

The shampoo that I like to use on dogs with hair that is falling out is one with Oatmeal that soothes dry skin and removes the red inflammation from the skin if any. Avocado oil in a shampoo will moisturize skin and hair so that it is soft and promote better growth.  As your groomer is she has anything that has these ingredients.  Also, tell her not to use cologne after grooming in case this is causing the problem.  By trying these things, you have a good chance to turn this hair loss around.
Best wishes.

Susan Potts,CPG
www.pipschoice.com