Our 3 year old, mixed-breed dog Dharma, has been shedding EXCESSIVELY!!
I'm talking, 2 inches of hair on the seat each morning, yet she isn't "balding". (she is a short-haired dog, but seems to have 2 coats)

We've tried everything from grooming daily,to changing her diet, to shampoos, to vitamins.
NOTHING is working! We ALL choke on the hair floating around in the truck! YUCK!!!

We asked her vet, but he just said, "live with it"...(he only sees our money..I mean, our dog, Dharma, once a year,so he isn't very interested in helping us with this...)

Any suggestions??

Thanks!
Judi Kay

__________________
Livin', Lovin',Laughin'...Makin' Friends, & Lovin' Life, Rollin' Down That Big Road!!! Redneck Women RULE!! Hell, YEAH!!!!

The biggest difference in my opinion would be the change to the highest quality food you can afford. I took in one of my friends dogs, who was fed whatever the store had on sale that week. She stank and shed bad. After a month of a higher quality food she was a changed dog. My dog sheds too, when the seasons change, but not bad the rest of the year.
I hope this helps.

Here is a link to a site that reviews dog food. I found it pretty helpful.

[LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link.

On the truck it's always a bit worse, since you drive through different climates often daily.

__________________
For Anthony 12-21-1973 to 9-29-2006
Baby, I was always amazed by you. Till we meet again. I love you always and forever.

Thanks, Sabine!
She is on the truck 365 days a year, almost. So, the changes in climate DOES contribute, I'm sure.

We have also noticed that along with the excessive shedding, she has excessive thirst.
Could this be a symptom of canine diabetes?

Thank you!
Judi Kay

__________________
Livin', Lovin',Laughin'...Makin' Friends, & Lovin' Life, Rollin' Down That Big Road!!! Redneck Women RULE!! Hell, YEAH!!!!

If you give her dry-food try a little oil (teaspoon) like canola or some say fish-oil in her food about 2 to 3 time's a week also try the same dosage of plain yogurt. Remember to exercise her as much as possible...I know that has to be a tough one in a truck all the time,but Ive noticed with my dogs more exercise = less shedding..Good Luck if I come up with anything else I'll mail you back........

Find a different vet, have her checked out again. Don't let them push the Science diet on you, it is full of grains and fillers, and overpriced. I would make sure there is no medical reason first, before I did anything else. If your dog has a thyroid issue, it too can cause the excessive thirst and shedding problem.

__________________
For Anthony 12-21-1973 to 9-29-2006
Baby, I was always amazed by you. Till we meet again. I love you always and forever.

Along with a better food (spend some time researching- TONS of info out there, and no...don't let anybody talk you into Science Diet) I would absolutely reccomend getting her checked out by the vet.

Shedding alone isn't a huge concern....most double-coated dogs "blow coat" once a year. It CAN be overwhelming!! A 3 year old dog is in the early stages of "full maturity"- this could just be your first experience with a full-blown shed cycle!!

BUT coupled with excessive thirst, this hair loss could be a sign of several possible issues. Diabetes is a possibility....he is a little young for thyroid or Cushing's but anything is possible. A urinalysis and blood test are definitely in order, just for good measure. The thirst is what would have me concerned.

In the meantime, you may want to invest in a Furminator. They are pricey but THEY WORK!!! "Bamboo" brand makes a knock-off that is half the price but works just as good (I own the Bamboo kind; the hunting dog kennel I work for has Furminators, I don't see a difference). I have two dogs with "double" coats and shorter hair....they "blow coat" once a year and if I keep after them 2-3 times a week with the Bamboo shedding tool and a rubber curry brush, I keep the hair down to a minimum!

I am pretty sure Petsmart/Petco carries both the Furminator & Bamboo tool....I bought my Bamboo at Tractor Supply for about $15, I think?

__________________

Us & The Dogs

-I travel a lot; I hate having my life disrupted by routine. ~Caskie Stinnett

First, dogs shed, no matter what, especially long haired breeds in hot climates. Excessive shedding can be caused by stress, a skin condition, or a deficiency however, if the dog shows no other symptoms, they probably just need a good brushing.

What you need to get is called the "Furminator" as someone suggested above. The videos on their website are exactly how well the things work and the pictures are not lies. There is really that much loose hair on an animal.

You would not believe how much undercoat these things remove. They do not pull hair out. They do not hurt the animal. They simply remove the loose hair, especially from the undercoat. The first time we used one of them, the amount of fur that came off was exactly like the amount in the pictures. [LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link.

You can find them at PetSmart and PetCo. however, they do run around $35-$45, but you will never find anything better and as long as you do not lose the guard on the teeth part of it, and replace it after you use it, the thing will last forever. They are available in dog and cat versions, however the dog version does allow you to change the comb if it does ever wear. The cat version does not have a replaceable blade.

Amazon also sells them however, you can pick them up cheaper on ebay and other places on the web.

Thanks so much, woofless and Steele!
I'm going home in two weeks, so will be taking Dharma to the vet, have her checked out for diabetes, or anything physical that may be causing the thirst.
In the meantime, I've already told hubby, the first pet store we get to that has large enough lot for this truck/trailer, we are STOPPING and buying one of those shedding tools!

Although we comb her out several times a week, it just doesn't work very well. And I'm REALLY tired of breathing dog hair!! LOL

Thanks again, to everyone who responded!
Judi Kay

__________________
Livin', Lovin',Laughin'...Makin' Friends, & Lovin' Life, Rollin' Down That Big Road!!! Redneck Women RULE!! Hell, YEAH!!!!

Not sure if your into this kind of stuff but if you can find a homeopathic store on the road there is stuff we use to give our dogs and it worked well.

I had an Akita for 13 years. Always lots of hair. But one yr like this with temps all over the place she was shedding all summer long. Tried this and it sure helped. Good luck.
[LINK POSTED BY MEMBER] Only Members Can View This Truck Forum Link.

__________________