Has this ever happened to you????

[EmilyMiller]

I have a blue merle border collie. She is about 4 years old and is a very sweet dog. She seems to have some dry skin issues that we are addressing, but my biggest concern is the hair she seems to be ingesting when she itches. The other day she passed an unusual amount of hair in her stool. Has this ever happened to anyone else? She doesn't have a lot of hair. She is not a show dog by any means, and she gets oil in her food regularly. Any ideas???

[Sophinator]

My Sophia tends to accumulate a lot of hair in her stool. Usually, it's because she's grooming herself a lot. Sometimes it's because she's been playing with a toy and it rolls into a dust bunny/doggy tumbleweed corner. Or sometimes, it's not even her hair but a critter she's managed to devour. Could your dog have swallowed a bunny? Or maybe it really is her own hair from excessive grooming as you mention with your dog's dry skin condition. As long as her digestive system seems to be working properly, I wouldn't worry about.

[SincereArtisan]

My merle girl has been known to pass hair in her stool, and occasionally throw up a hair ball. She's a licker, though, and by this I mean she licks the crate bottom, the carpet, blankets, etc...I correct her for it, but there is nothing stopping her from doing it while I'm not there. She's not huge on licking herself, just surfaces...but if your dog licks itself or surfaces, count on hair passing through. The frustrating part is when they go potty, and they get a lil' poop-on-a-string I have to paper-towel off of their behind. LoL, Ido seems to have gotten the idea that when this happens, I'll take care of it, and now she'll run tail-tucked and hunched to me so I can help her out. Silly puppehs.

[EmilyMiller]

Thanks for the responses!

She seems to pass her stool better as I give her veg. oil 2-3 times a week. She doesn't lick the create bottom or anything like that but she does itch alot. Any suggestions on shampoo for her?

 

P.S. Pictures to come soon, if I can catch her sitting still long enough.

[DixiesDad]

Just a suggestion but have you looked into food allergy. Both my older girls were itching and scratching to the point of hair lost. The vet had given them steriods and I used Benedryl but they just helped temporary. I read on one of the boards about dogs with allergies to corn and checked their feed. It was a good brand but did contain a large percentage of corn so I switched to a rice base. No more itching and their coats look great.

[denice]

I thought I would chime in with a few suggestions. I began my own dog grooming business after working as a vet tech for years. I see lots of dogs with dry coats, especially this time of year. The dry coat and skin makes them itchy so they lick and chew more. Allergies usually are a possibility especially if the dog is licking and chewying on feet and front legs. It could be allergies but if she is inside quite a bit and licking now where she was not at other times durning the year it is quite possibly just dry skin. You might try fish oil capsules in her food. In addition to the oil and vit E there are great antioxidents in fish oil. Something with added vit E will help her skin a bunch. Brushing her will help bring the oil out of her skin and onto her coat. Also I know some folks that bring the dog in the bathroom when they take a shower so they can hang out in the steam. There are special moisturizing sprays and shampoos that most vets carry. I like the Hylite shampoo the best, my second favorite is Micro Pearls available only at vet offices. Both have sprays as well. I am letting out my secret weapon here but - Another spray I like even better is called

"the Stuff" I buy the concentrate and add water put it in a spray bottle and use it after my baths on most of my groom dogs.( I don't use it on dogs with oily coats) It not only adds lanolin but helps with tangles and matts and is a dirt repellent also. I have used it on a dry dog also then rub it in, it smells nice. It will make your tile floor slick if it is sprayed directly on it. There are not many places that seem to carry it but I get mine through a mail order co. called UPCO.

 

Hope that helps

 

Denice