My dog's fur won't grow back after vet shave. How can I help?

There is something called post-clipping alopecia that is most likely the problem. Happens quite frequently after shaving for a fentanyl patch. The reason the hair fails to regrow is unknown. Total hair regrowth may take 6 to 24 months, although most animals regrow hair within 12 months. Some things that may help the hair to grow back faster would be: * vigorous brushing of the area * massage * hydrotherapy with warm water * covering the bald area with a sweater to increase skin temperature All of those things increase blood flow to the skin and may stimulate hair regrowth in some cases. So, give it some more time and if after about 10-12 months the hair has not grown back then speak to your vet about testing for underlying diseases like a low thyroid, cushing's disease, etc. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I'm glad pickle seems to be recovered from her initial illness. Many times shaved hair doesn't always grow back at the same texture it was before or may grow in thinner. Discuss with her vet if a fish oil or fatty acid supplement may be ok to add as this may help hair growth. But don't add any supplements without checking with her vet. Some medications can also slow hair growth so that may be part of it. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

Unfortunately there isn't anything that can help the fur to regrow. You can try some omega 3 fatty acids or fish oil. If the hairloss hasn't been seen by a vet recently I would have your vet take a look at it to ensure it isn't a thyroid problem or something else. If it is truly just due to the injury, you can put some baby sunscreen on her to prevent any burns if she has light colored skin. Most dark colored skin will not burn. I hope this helps!

The fur will eventually regrow. It will not be as soft as the original coat and it may grow in darker. The redness and peeling may indicate infection due to irritation or licking after the clipping. Consider an exam with your veterinarian in case Jasper needs systemic antibiotics and/or topical treatment. Place an e-collar (cone) on him to prevent licking or chewing until the hair has grown in. A fish oil supplement, such as DermCaps or EicosaCaps, can be added to the diet to promote healthy skin and coat. If he spends time outdoors, consider a small tee shirt to protect his skin from sunburn.

It might take a long time, don't worry but, if there are not even tiny hair or if it is more than 6 weeks without improvements, consider to bring Music back to your local vet for a check up. In rare cases metabolic diseases (i.e. thyroid disfunction) can increase the length of time necessary for the hair regrowth and a blood test might be necessary to diagnose it. In the meantime make sure Music does not lick the affected area and add to her diet some omega 3/6 that can be find at your local pet shop. Please post again on the forum if you would like to discuss it further. I hope my answer was helpful.

Many breeds with heavy under coats will have extremely slow hair regrowth if the hair is shaved. This can take up to 2 years to regrow. That's why is is so important to keep these dogs regularly groomed to avoid needing to have them shaved (because something that is the only option). You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can't make his hair grow faster but you can give it the best building blocks that you can to help it. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi, there is nothing you can do to aid or speed up growth apart from making sure that you feed him an appropriate good quality diet. You can supplement his food with a omega 3-6 supplement to aid skin integrity and a healthy coat. You could give Chicago a fish oil supplement, but I would speak to your vet regarding which one would be better considering the diet he is on and his age and weight. Hope this helps !