My Pit Bull sheds a lot. Is this normal, even with supplements?

One of my favorite breed books has a great line about Pugs. In describing how much they shed, it says, "A LOT...Yes, a lot!" Pugs shed much more than you would expect based on their size and coat. If Harley is developing area of hair loss, certainly have your vet examine her, but otherwise her shedding may just be normal. I do not expect a vitamin supplement will help with her shedding, but you could certainly try something like Missing Link (https://missinglinkproducts.com) just to be on the safe side. I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hello, dogs may shed their coat normally at least 2 times per year. Other causes of increased shedding include stress most commonly, metabolic abnormalities (hormonal imbalances), and infectious causes. If her shedding doesn't resolve in a few days, I would recommend visiting your veterinarian for an evaluation. Best of luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is possible to cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal upset by giving too much fish oil. I really like the American journey wild Alaskan salmon oil product for this purpose. I think this product can help Buddy a lot with his hair coat. Good luck!

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.

Shedding fur, even seemingly large amounts, is completely normal for most dogs. If your dog has never shed like this in the past, or if she is losing so much fur she is having bald patches, then I would be concerned. Poor hair growth and cost condition can be due to poor nutrition/diet or an underlying medical condition like hypothyroidism. If you feel like the amount Soska is shedding is abnormal I would recommend a visit to your veterinarian to have her examined and possibly to have blood work performed. In the meantime you can supplement her diet with some fish oil (specifically omega 3 fatty acids) and see if that helps her coat. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!

If you are noticing actual bald areas on the skin, then this could be a sign of an underlying skin disorder, skin allergies or mange (Demodexx mites). I would recommend a vet appt to have this skin tested (skin scrape/cytology) and treated based on the findings. However if there is just increased shedding with no actual bald skin areas, then I would not be concerned. This could just be a response to the change in weather or seasons. Continue to brush the hair daily and make sure Thor is on a high quality dog food (Royal Canin, Eukanuba, Evo, etc). Also adding in daily pet formulate fish oils from your local pet store can promote a healthy shiny haircoat.

Dogs typically have a heavy shed in the spring and fall, but they do lose hair all year. Brushing daily to remove the dead hair helps, and giving a fatty acid supplement for the skin and coat will reduce the shedding. This is normal unless you are seeing bald spots or Rex is chewing off the hair. During times of stress they often shed more, like going to the veterinarian. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.