Why is my outdoor dog's fur thinning and getting lighter?

Considering that WHW terriers are seriously predisposed to skin issues (usually atopic dermatitis), I would think Lea's problem is due to a disease rather being genetic. Pictures of her coat, showing eventually any type of skin lesions, may help understanding that. It is hard at this stage to be more specific about it without pictures or more clinical informations. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Well, it certainly could just be the temperature change, but here is what I would look for. If she is itchy, any bald spots or scabs, any redness or odor to the skin. Any hair loss around the head. If you see any of these signs then I would definitely recommend an examination by a veterinarian. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

Do you have any photos you can post? it is hard to say what may be going on. It may be seasonal alopecia, it could be pemphigus or some other autoimmune disorder. It could be from an endocrine disease (thyroid, cushing's, etc). It could be hormone related. It could just be a severe seasonal allergy. I will not be able to tell you via the internet. If you are very concerned it is best to take him to a veterinary dermatology specialist when he is actually showing symptoms. They may need to do a biopsy or some allergy testing. This dermatologist is far from you but they can maybe recommend a closer one or they say they have telemedicine available but they may want to see him at least once before you can do telemedicine follow-ups. I don't know. You will have to contact them for more information. ( https://vetdermcs.com/ )

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.

Thinning hair in a young dog like Pocholo may be due to environment allergies, seasonal changes, nutritional deficiencies (namely vitamins and minerals) or less commonly for a young dog, an endocrine condition like Cushing's disease. I would assess Pocholo's diet carefully, make sure that he isn't being exposed to anything out of the ordinary, and if not, consider having him looked at by your vet for any other problems. Hope this makes sense.

There are many nutrients required for healthy skin and coat color and any one of these can result in dulling and fading of the coat. Ensure he is receiving a well balanced, complete diet and consider converting to a skin support range in order to exclude this if he has no other signs of poor digestion/food absorption (chronic diarrhea or weight loss). Certain hormonal conditions such as cushings and thyroid disease can also affect coat condition and color, a full vet check and blood panel would be recommended to investigate this

Hello and thank you for your post! From the pictures you've attached, it looks like either hair coat color changes which can be seen in dogs sometimes or it could be skin color change due to infection. If Leila has been shedding a lot and you're seeing pigment changes to the skin, I would have your vet examine her to see if there is evidence of skin infection that may be causing these symptoms. If the skin is not infected and these are just pigment changes, I would not be concerned about this. The shedding, however, you can use krill oil to help reduce shedding. There are Veterinary products with krill oil in them that can help with reducing shedding. One such product that we use is called Krillex. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns. I am also available to consult with via phone or text.