Is my dog's dull, thin fur and weight loss normal after puppies?

If she is healthy otherwise, try transitioning her to a puppy diet or high performance diet. Once she is at an appropriate weight, transition to a maintenance adult diet. A vitamin supplement, such at Pet-Tabs, can be used but as long as she is on a quality diet, she shouldn't need vitamin supplements. A fish oil supplement, such as DermCaps or EicosaCaps, can be used to promote healthy skin and coat. Use a monthly flea and tick preventative as well as a monthly parasite preventative. If her condition does not improve in the next month or two, have her rechecked by your veterinarian.

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!

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.

Hello. If your veterinarian has not checked Moka's thyroid levels, then yes this needs to be looked at. Otherwise, this is a good fatty acid supplement, but it can take 6-8 weeks to see results after a supplement is started. If this does not work, she may need some additional testing. You can ask your veterinarian if there are any veterinary dermatologist specialists in your country. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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

This nirnak when the puppies get weaned that the mothers hair thin and fall out. They often look like they have the mange and are not cared for. Don't worry, it all grows back and fills in and returns to normal with time. The scratching is usually not associated with this process though so you can try a medicated shampoo to help and it does not help then consult your vet about potential allergies

Minor skin and coat changes can be normal in older dogs, however it is always best to rule out anything underlying such as a metabolic issues, especially if you are seeing any other changes such as weight gain/loss, irritation of the skin, increases in thirst/urination, or changes in eating habits as these can all indicate a metabolic rather than an aging problem. If he checks out healthy, it may just be that he got the genetics for having a thinner coat, whereas some dogs may go gray faster or not at all, etc. Keeping the area groomed and free of mats may help keep any remaining hair from being pulled out, and in some cases a supplement such as fish oil or vitamin E may help with overall skin and coat health.