My dog is scratching and losing fur after giving birth. Is it normal?

This may be caused by excessive licking due to pain or itching, or could also have a hormonal cause. I do see a skin lession on the first photo, so you may want to review your regime of flea control. If you observe your dog and/or the puppies itching, check for fleas. You may also take her and the litter to a veterinarian for an exam if this continues or expands.

That's a good question. The hormonal changes, the energy drain of having puppies and nursing them and the additional stress are all reasons female dogs lose their coats after having puppies. This is normal and once the pups are done nursing and she starts relaxing and gaining back weight the fur will come back in. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Jimmy.

Hormones affect shedding in Chows. A female Chow’s shedding cycle is affected by her heat cycle and pregnancy. Anywhere from one to three months after giving birth, a female chow will rapidly blow out her coat, sometimes leaving her with thin hair along the ribcage, flanks and her lower back area. It takes two to four months for the fur to fill back in. This is nothing to worry about.

After having puppies they go through a lot of changes and their hormones are sometimes out of wack. I would recommend to give her a dog omega 3 fatty acid to help with her coat. If she continues to have thin or dull haircoat then I would contact your vet to do a thyroid test on her to make sure that is normal. I hope this helps. i have attached a link of a product I like. https://www.chewy.com/vetoquinol-care-triglyceride-omega/dp/57311?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Vetoquinol&utm_term=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjdiUivLi1AIVyCSBCh3GdQpVEAQYASABEgISG_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

It is normal for the hair coat to thin out and then appear bald in places after the puppies are weaned. The change in color and odor can be a sign of an infection though. You can try a medicated bath until you can get her to the vet to check for an infection

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Poor Betsy! She is very cute! Hormones from pregnancy and lactation can affect the skin and hair. If the puppies are all weaned and have new homes, then I would suggest full blood work. Low thyroid and Cushing's disease can cause thin hair coats and pigment changes in the skin. Starting an Omega 3 fish oil (http://vrshealth.com/canine-products/omegadog/) won't hurt. Be sure she is on a good balanced commercial diet and if she is still nursing be sure it is puppy food. She should also be dewormed, pregnancy and nursing activates "sleeping" round worms. Parasites can cause a dull, thin hair coat. I also suggest having Betsy spayed. At 7 years old I worry about being intact impacting her health (pyometra, mammary cancer) and that is a bit old to have puppies again. I hope this helps and I wish Betsy the very best!

These are not typical of a dog after having a litter of puppies. Her age and having difficulty jumping make me think she may be painful from arthritis. Hair loss can be caused by a range of things, including stress, decreased nutrition, mites, fleas, allergies, infection, etc. I would recommend starting with a good physical exam with a veterinarian who may be able to determine what is going on.