Is a white patch on my chocolate Lab's tail a sign of mixed breed?

This can be due to a skin infection or allergies. You can check him for fleas to make sure this does not need to be addressed first. You can also get a medicated shampoo to bathe him in weekly to help clean the hair and hair follicle. Adding an omega 3 fatty acid and fish oil supplement to the diet can help with shedding Your vet can check the skin for an underlying infection or a low thyroid as these will need medication to clear

Hi, that is absolutely fine for his breed. His colour will change until gehas reached maturity and turns into an adult. Hope this makes sense. For more information about Labrador breed colours you can have a look at https://www.thelabradorsite.com/labrador-colors/

Unfortunately we cannot tell if a pet is 100% anything without a DNA test. Also a pet this young is impossible to tell what breed it is. I would recommend having the pet grow up a bit and then have him tested when he is about 4-6 months of age. You can go to any vet of your choosing, although it may require you to drive a bit to get to if there isn't one that isn't affiliated with the breeder in your area. It sounds a bit ridiculous that your vet isn't willing to do a simple DNA test though, so I would look into getting another vet if this is the case. You need an unbiased opinion here and someone willing to do tests that you are requesting. I hope that you get things sorted out, and hopefully you have gotten what you have paid for. Best of luck to you! Take care.

White hairs can be a normal color variant for a Labrador, and can also be part of the aging process. Feeding a balanced diet is always best, but if you are seeing other issues such as hair loss, itching, or irritation, or changes in appetite or weight in addition to the color change, then it is always a good idea to have Tasha checked by your vet to rule out any issues such as illness, allergy, or metabolic disease.

The lighter hair may be old puppy hair which after it falls out, will likely grow in much darker. Also, if your puppy is outside in the sun a lot the hair will bleach, especially on the head, ears and tail. So unfortunately this is why it is not possible to say whether he will get lighter permanent fur in these areas. I dare say not. Best to wait until his permanent adult coat comes in, as until then the hair coat can and will change in shade several times. Feeding a top quality puppy food will also influence the hair coat positively and will ensure that the coloring and texture is at its best.

Great question. Hypothyroidism is very common in labradors but can easily be diagnosed with a simple blood test performed by your local veterinarian. Seasonal alopecia can also occur but typically can be eliminated with routine bathing and grooming. Since your dog is un-neutered, much of your dog's nutrition is going into energy and activity, so be sure to feed a high quality diet with plenty of fat for energy and haircoat production. Usually the better diets are highly digestible and produce low stool volume compared to cheeper diets. Bottomline, if you're worried about thyroid disease, ask your veterinarian to pull blood and rule it out, otherwise feed great diet and bath/groom as needed to control hair loss. If the coat doesn't look right, then schedule an appointment to have it examined to check for other possible causes such as parasites, allergies, or nutritional causes, Good luck and thanks. Steve Popish, DVM

For chocolate labs you need to find a male that is a carrier to throw that gene. The best luck is a dog that came from chocolate parents. Your dog will need that color gene also to pass on half the DNA. Generally you will get a mixed color litter. If you find a make that has already bred before, knowing what those puppies turned out like can help decide which colors they carry