Canine Recurrent Flank Alopecia

[SuzAndTheDiva]

Val, can a thyroid reading read low then ok at next testing? or vice versa?

[Anonymous]

Yes

[*Nat*]

Fingers and paws crossed then  🙂

[SuzAndTheDiva]

Fanks Val – sorry not trying to take over the thread nat, just being nosey – so guessing is always sensible to have it checked twice?

hope Pipers ok  :-*

[*Nat*]

No it’s fine Suz ask away, more I know the better  ;D

My vet rang today as she’d received all the info regarding her scan and test results – she said no rush to get the retest done as she is a low normal and showing no other signs other than the hair loss so a month or 2 should be fine!  🙂

Will keep you posted when I have it done  🙂

[*Nat*]

Been looking at Piper’s coat over the last week or so and I think it’s improving again  :-\ I’ve not had the thyroid test done again yet, lack of funds mainly  ::) But I’m sure the coat’s starting to grow back again. This is what happens, gets worse through winter then as soon as we start getting some sun again it starts to improve! Hense I’m still going more towards the Flank Alopecia than a thyroid problem!

[Justine&Rafe]

Nat – when Bev came and saw us recently (she hadn’t seen us for a couple of months) she mentioned that Rafe’s coat was v poor and possibly had a bit of the seasonal flank alopecia… Obv he has bigger probs at the mo with the allergies and maybe that’ll sort out the coat when they sorted…

But wondering if there is any way you can kinda up the quality of Piper’s coat to start with to give her the best chance of keeping hold of some of it?  Am I talking crap here?  Would it be worth supplementing her with zinc (or whatever!) in the few months leading up to her coat issues as it maaaaay (but I might be corrected here) lessen the severity of the coat loss…

[*Nat*]

To be honest her actual coat is in fab condition, shiny and soft, she’s not as scurfy as she used to be either! The skin where the coat has gone isn’t dry, no redness, just hair loss! We tried zinc before on Bev’s reccomendation but it didn’t do much, maybe worth another go though. Can’t remember the dose  ??? I’ve upped her fruit & veg lately so that could be helping  :-\

[Justine&Rafe]

Rafe’s on one a day of the human one-a-day ones.  (And about half a ton of olive oil – his coat REALLY rubbish!)

Yeah, Bev said it’s the fructose in the fruit and sweet veggies that helps them absorb the zinc.

Looking forward to Rafe’s coat being less scurfy poor fella!

[*Nat*]

Hope it works for him, must be miserable  :-*

Will see what Bev says re dosage and get some zinc again, thanks Justine  🙂 Only other supplement she’s on is Evening Primrose oil, she has sardines in vegetable oil about 3 times a week too  🙂

[*Nat*]

Would these be the right ones?

http://www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=219

[Justine&Rafe]

Anything like that – Rafe’s are just tescos own stuff but the H&B ones aren’t exactly mega expensive…

Rafe is a large dog (40kg) and on 1 a day of the 15mg tabs.

My guess as Piper is also a fairly decent sized lass would be that she’d be on the same dosage – one a day of those H&B ones.

Check with Val/Bev tho if you aren’t sure coz I have nooooo proper knowledge of ths stuff!!

[*Nat*]

Ok thanks  🙂 Piper’s about 33-34 kg  🙂

[Author]

Posts