Member

Posts: 19
From:Corpus Christi, TX
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 03-15-2003 03:34 AM            

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LOL, sorry for so many posts in one night! BUT I am new to the site and got to reading past posts and realized that I knew so many things that might be helpful to ALL of you.

If you have a dog that is supposed to have a very full coat but it is thin (especially like a shih-tzu, maltese, or other heavily coated breed) then read this!!

In the first place the tiny toy runts and "tea cups" NEVER, EVER have the same full coat of the AKC standard size of the breed. Accept that fact if you own one!

Also, I own just such a tiny teacup shih-tzu. She will of course never have the same coat that is standard for the breed but once she just about went bald! LOL hahahaha I thought that perhaps she had mange or something and rushed her to the vet.

I was embarrased to learn that it was because she had just gone out of season.

YES!!!!!!!!!!! Hormones play a major part in fur production (or loss of hair). It can cause excess shedding as well.

The vet gave mine some hormone therapy and now she is beautiful....ALMOST looks like a show dog!!

Michael in Texas

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Member

Posts: 119
From: NC -USA
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 03-15-2003 02:59 PM         

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I had a patient who had a regular size one, what gorgeous and great little dogs those are! Hers weighed about 8 pounds!
What does your little one weigh? Those dogs are such cuddly lovemongers, like a Chihuahua. I am enjoying and prefer to see patients who have animals! LOL!! You learn a lot. And these patients have the greatest attitudes I think comes a lot from owning these wonderful pets. Hard to have preferences! God bless.

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Member

Posts: 19
From:Corpus Christi, TX
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 03-15-2003 04:49 PM            

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Pauline, I have a tiny female shih-tzu black and white who never got over 6lbs even when pregnant. She is my "child" now that my sons are grown. I would love to share a picture if you like jmbeasley@stx.rr.com. Michael

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Member

Posts: 186
From:
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 03-15-2003 07:39 PM         

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An easier, cheaper way for the "pet owner" to fix that kind of problem is to just have the dog spayed. That will take care of the coat problem, and you won't have to have it done over and over. That's one of the reasons people who do conformation shows don't want altered dogs showing side by side with intact dogs... because the altered dogs (almost) always have better coats.

[This message has been edited by goob (edited 03-15-2003).]

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Member

Posts: 19
From:Corpus Christi, TX
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 03-17-2003 01:35 AM            

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Goob!! Such an interesting thought. Of course this one meshes with what I had already told about my vet saying: HORMONES are normally to blame for the poor coat and it is rarely poor diet at all. I still maintain that those super tiny runts just never develop the coats of their standard sized mates. A dog that has been spayed or neutered of course doesn't have those "seasons" that cause dramatic hair loss. As for not showing them side by side honestly I thought that in most shows neutered dogs were banned! True or false?

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Member

Posts: 186
From:
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 03-17-2003 02:34 PM         

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Poor diet CAN have a lot to do with a dog's coat problem, as can allergies and some skin/coat disorders. Part of the reason the "super small" dogs may have poor coats is because of the lack of quality breeding behind them, and possibly genetic disorders like alopecia. Spaying/neutering will help with any hormonal loss of coat, and will keep females from "blowing" their coat with their heat cycle. Only female dogs come into season though, males are always ready to breed, not cycling like females.

And it's true that in conformation shows, only intact dogs are allowed to participate, because it's supposed to be a way of picking the best "breeding stock", and obviously and altered dog can't breed. However, some dog owners have been creating a bit of a scene lately over letting altered dogs show as well, because that way people who want to show in conformation can do so without their dog being intact and risking accidental litters. I believe some breed clubs are beginning to have "altered classes" for dogs that are not whole, but some owners still want their altered dogs to be competing against the intact dogs. Then some people who show intact dogs in conformation don't want the altered dogs showing, because of things like altered males not being distracted by females, altered dogs having better coats, altered dogs placing above intact dogs will mess up the "selection process" for breeding dogs, etc. Both groups make valid points on the issue.

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New Member

Posts: 6
From:Racine, WI USA
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 03-28-2003 05:16 PM            

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Hi I am new to this site also! Pretty interesting stuff hey?! I wanted to say that I have been told that if you mix in a raw egg w/ your baby's food like once a week or so that is suppose to improve the looks of the coat. Could be an old wives tale but I have been doing that w/ my rottie & she has a beautiful coat. I have a baby beagle/boston terrier mix also, I haven't done that w/ her yet but there isn't really a need to either. Also, I have a question, may sound dumb but can someone tell me what a "teacup dog" is? I assume it has something to do w/ little dogs (I have been a big dog owner my whole life - until now that is, with my little Token!) Thanks!

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Member

Posts: 99
From:Tennessee
Registered: Mar 2003

posted 03-28-2003 07:03 PM         

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"Tea Cup" dogs are little dogs needless to say. Usually, breedesr try to find a small, female, and small, male...And breed them to get a tiny pet! In my opinion...Tea cups are not always the healthiest ones. Not to say that alot are! But if you have A bigger size dog. (bigger in toy) And breed it with a little, that pups can come out not too healthy. But like I said that is not ALWAYS so!

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posted 04-03-2003 03:34 PM           

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I disagree. A well bred dog, no matter the size, if there is coat factoring will have coat. I have Japanese chin, and some of my smallest have the most profuse coats...
Also spaying and neutering will help the coat grow and keep it from shedding as much.

In toys you simple get those tinies every so often...you are dealing with pituitary dwarfism...you are going to get those extremes...

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