[Honeybun]

Hello,

I have a Havanese & Maltese mix - we never had this breed before. She recently started losing her coat. We got her, and she was severely underweight at 14 weeks weighing in at 1lb. She is now 4 months and gaining weight quickly. When we first got her, her coat was FULL now, she has lost almost all of it, HOWEVER, new short hair is coming in. When she started to lose her fur it came in knots. She does have seasonal allergies where she scratches herself and with spring coming it's gotten pretty bad. I have attached images from when we first got her to today...has anyone had this happen with a 4month old pup? I'm quite concerned. It shows like she is "blowing coat" but isn't she too young for that?

She's lost even more fur than the picture shows. Again, it seems like her long fur is being replaced with short fur. She's nice and healthy and the vet isn't concerned. BUT I am. We will love her NO matter what but I am not sure if this is normal or not.

 

[krandall]

Hello,

I have a Havanese & Maltese mix - we never had this breed before. She recently started losing her coat. We got her, and she was severely underweight at 4 weeks weighing in at 1lb. She is now 4 months and gaining weight quickly. When we first got her, her coat was FULL now, she has lost almost all of it, HOWEVER, new short hair is coming in. When she started to lose her fur it came in knots. She does have seasonal allergies where she scratches herself and with spring coming it's gotten pretty bad. I have attached images from when we first got her to today...has anyone had this happen with a 4month old pup? I'm quite concerned. It shows like she is "blowing coat" but isn't she too young for that?

She's lost even more fur than the picture shows. Again, it seems like her long fur is being replaced with short fur. She's nice and healthy and the vet isn't concerned. BUT I am. We will love her NO matter what but I am not sure if this is normal or not.

You got her at four WEEKS old?!?! Most puppies are still nursing at that age!!! I also don’t know how it is possible to diagnose “seasonal allergies” in a puppy who has not ebpven lived through more than one season. If she is really only 4 months old, she is too young to be blowing coat. I would be looking for a second opinion, probably from a specialty hospital. I would be concerned either about a metabolic disorder or a nutritional imbalance caused by her being taken from her mother so young.

 

[mudpuppymama]

What @krandall says is good advice.

What makes your vet think that the allergies are environmental? What food are you feeding? Could it be the food? Vets almost always give environmental allergies as the probable cause of allergies.

Has she had a rabies vaccine yet? Someone I know had a dog whose hair started falling out after a rabies vaccine. Your dog obviously has some immune system issues so I would hold off on the rabies and any other vaccines until things are resolved. Hopefully she is done with the other vaccines anyway. In fact all of this could be due to an immune response from vaccines.

Also do you use any flea tick preventatives? If so, I would stop those asap.

I would support her immune system as much as possible by feeding a nutrient dense food and avoiding chemicals, drugs, flea tick preventatives and further vaccines. If you got her at 4 weeks that is way too young and she may really struggle to develop a healthy immune system. Please do not give any more vaccines right now, especially rabies. That could spell disaster.

 

[Honeybun]

You got her at four WEEKS old?!?! Most puppies are still nursing at that age!!! I also don’t know how it is possible to diagnose “seasonal allergies” in a puppy who has not ebpven lived through more than one season. If she is really only 4 months old, she is too young to be blowing coat. I would be looking for a second opinion, probably from a specialty hospital. I would be concerned either about a metabolic disorder or a nutritional imbalance caused by her being taken from her mother so young.

OH man lol I thought I put 14 weeks old. 14 weeks old and only weighed 1lb I think I am getting a second opinion as he wants to put her on some injection for her "allergies" poor baby.

 

[Honeybun]

What @krandall says is good advice.

What makes your vet think that the allergies are environmental? What food are you feeding? Could it be the food? Vets almost always give environmental allergies as the probable cause of allergies.

Has she had a rabies vaccine yet? Someone I know had a dog whose hair started falling out after a rabies vaccine. Your dog obviously has some immune system issues so I would hold off on the rabies and any other vaccines until things are resolved. Hopefully she is done with the other vaccines anyway. In fact all of this could be due to an immune response from vaccines.

Also do you use any flea tick preventatives? If so, I would stop those asap.

I would support her immune system as much as possible by feeding a nutrient dense food and avoiding chemicals, drugs, flea tick preventatives and further vaccines. If you got her at 4 weeks that is way too young and she may really struggle to develop a healthy immune system. Please do not give any more vaccines right now, especially rabies. That could spell disaster.

I need to edit that. We got her at 14 weeks old SAVED her. She had worms, she had hypoglycemia as the people were not feeding her well. I am so glad she is under our care now... We are feeding her science diet for puppies. She did just get vaccinated for rabies and everything else she was missing. I am worried - do you know what nutrient dense foods I can feed her?

 

[Sheri]

Science diet is not a good food, you can research dog foods about that. And if she got "all" shots at the same time that is not good for puppies and can make them pretty sick and set them up for problems physically. I recommend finding a good vet for second opinions. Poor baby. I hope you can find a good alternative vet to try. Good luck.

Dr. Jean Dodds - Dog Vaccine Protocol - The Animal Health Foundation

The following vaccine protocol is offered for those dogs where minimal vaccinations are advisable or desirable. The schedule is one I recommend and should not be interpreted to mean that other protocols recommended by a veterinarian would be less satisfactory. It’s a matter of professional...

www.animalhealthfoundation.org

 

[mudpuppymama]

I need to edit that. We got her at 14 weeks old SAVED her. She had worms, she had hypoglycemia as the people were not feeding her well. I am so glad she is under our care now... We are feeding her science diet for puppies. She did just get vaccinated for rabies and everything else she was missing. I am worried - do you know what nutrient dense foods I can feed her?

I would feed a raw or freeze dried dog food that is appropriate for all life stages. Kibble is a very low quality food that is not very bioavailable and Science Diet is one of the absolute lowest quality kibble out there. Your dog's beginning has not given her much of a chance, however I believe that with great nutrition and avoiding chemicals like flea tick preventatives that your dog can overcome these challenges. Please also do not vaccinate your dog further. If you are worried about immunity, you can do titer tests instead. However, she will likely be immune for life. Also, don't let the vet give allergy shots or steroids to further damage the immune system and decrease the chance of it ever recovering.

 

[mudpuppymama]

I would also recommend finding a new vet. A vet who thinks an allergic dog whose hair is falling out is healthy is not a vet I would want near my dog. And please do not let vets talk you into prescription diets. Those are terrible and make it virtually impossible for the dog to ever have a healthy gut.

 

[krandall]

OH man lol I thought I put 14 weeks old. 14 weeks old and only weighed 1lb I think I am getting a second opinion as he wants to put her on some injection for her "allergies" poor baby.

Oh, thank HEAVENS!!! So she has developed these problems in only a couple of weeks? Depending where you got her, it is HIGHLY likely that she was hit with a BUNCH of vaccines all at the same time. Did she come from a breeder or a pet store?

Edited: Just read the rest of the posts. I agree with Sheri and MPM. Her recent past may very well explain her sudden, un-natural coat blowing. Sick or physically stressed dogs will often blow coat. The good news is that if THAT is the reason, her coat should grow back in just fine once you get her on good, nutritious food, and stop exposing her to so many toxic substances at once. And as the others said, find yourself a new vet!!!

 

[Missy]

Oh Dear! I can't imagine a 1lb puppy at 14 weeks. Thank you for taking in Honeybun. She looks like she is beautiful, would love to see her pretty face. I agree with a really good nutrient dense food (raw, freeze dried or air dried or fresh) I would also recommend no matter which food you pick, picking a protein other than what is in the Science Diet (I'm guessing it's chicken so maybe try beef or rabbit) You are supposed to transition slowly, but I would just go for it and get that poor girl the best nutrition you can. Have some probiotics on hand for any runs. I am not sure about this for dogs, but reading about it for humans, I wonder if Bovine Colostrum would be helpful for her. Her Mother would have provided Canine Colostrum while nursing... But it sounds like maybe her puppyhood was not that great. Colostrum is supposed to really help with allergies and immune function, But you would need to consult a good vet about the amount to give such a tiny girl. Please keep us posted.

edited to ad a link about Colostrum: so much supplement stuff is all promise and marketing so do check with your (new) vet.

Top 12 Benefits Of Colostrum For Dogs - Dogs Naturally

Why is mother's first milk so important to your dog? There are some serious health benefits of colostrum for dogs. Here are our top 12 ...

www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com

 

[Missy]

I wanted to add that Nutrition can truly work. I had a wonderful Havanese Cash. Who really struggled as young pup. He had unusual reactions after every vaccine (especially rabies.) And he had hot spots, infected ears, and really itchy skin. Vet suggested a raw diet with novel protein, we used Natures Variety Bison (which they don't make anymore) Within two weeks his ears cleared up. A month his hotspots and itching were gone, and he stopped the disgusting habit of eating his own poo. And, in a few months he lost the 3 lbs he needed to and was no longer ravenous. Our little boy lived to an amazing almost 16 years after we almost lost just over 1 year old.

 

[mudpuppymama]

Another thing that would benefit this dog is postponing spay until after at least one heat. Many vets put the pressure on to spay at six months. That is only two months away and this dog needs some time to build up her immune system before getting slammed by a spay surgery and all that entails, including stess, anesthesia and loss of hormones. Going through at least one heat would benefit any dog but could be especially beneficial for this little gal that needs some extra help. This of course would require diligence that she not get pregnant. I wonder if her first heat might come later than normal anyway based upon all she has been through and her current condition. Beware of the usual scare tactics like mammary cancer.

 

[Dee2andVera]

Hello,

I have a Havanese & Maltese mix - we never had this breed before. She recently started losing her coat. We got her, and she was severely underweight at 14 weeks weighing in at 1lb. She is now 4 months and gaining weight quickly. When we first got her, her coat was FULL now, she has lost almost all of it, HOWEVER, new short hair is coming in. When she started to lose her fur it came in knots. She does have seasonal allergies where she scratches herself and with spring coming it's gotten pretty bad. I have attached images from when we first got her to today...has anyone had this happen with a 4month old pup? I'm quite concerned. It shows like she is "blowing coat" but isn't she too young for that?

She's lost even more fur than the picture shows. Again, it seems like her long fur is being replaced with short fur. She's nice and healthy and the vet isn't concerned. BUT I am. We will love her NO matter what but I am not sure if this is normal or not.

Please take her to the vet. ASAP. I can’t stand to see her suffer like this.

 

[Honeybun]

Science diet is not a good food, you can research dog foods about that. And if she got "all" shots at the same time that is not good for puppies and can make them pretty sick and set them up for problems physically. I recommend finding a good vet for second opinions. Poor baby. I hope you can find a good alternative vet to try. Good luck.

Dr. Jean Dodds - Dog Vaccine Protocol - The Animal Health Foundation

The following vaccine protocol is offered for those dogs where minimal vaccinations are advisable or desirable. The schedule is one I recommend and should not be interpreted to mean that other protocols recommended by a veterinarian would be less satisfactory. It’s a matter of professional...

www.animalhealthfoundation.org

This place is amazing. Thank you for the advice! I have switched her diet and she is getting better: I’ve also switched vets as the last one wasn’t taking me seriously.

 

[Honeybun]

I wanted to add that Nutrition can truly work. I had a wonderful Havanese Cash. Who really struggled as young pup. He had unusual reactions after every vaccine (especially rabies.) And he had hot spots, infected ears, and really itchy skin. Vet suggested a raw diet with novel protein, we used Natures Variety Bison (which they don't make anymore) Within two weeks his ears cleared up. A month his hotspots and itching were gone, and he stopped the disgusting habit of eating his own poo. And, in a few months he lost the 3 lbs he needed to and was no longer ravenous. Our little boy lived to an amazing almost 16 years after we almost lost just over 1 year old.

Thank you! We switched her diet and she’s doing better now. We still need to go to a follow up appointment but so far so good. So glad your pup made it! It’s seems like Honey and Cash have very similar symptoms.
What are hotspots?

 

[mudpuppymama]

This place is amazing. Thank you for the advice! I have switched her diet and she is getting better: I’ve also switched vets as the last one wasn’t taking me seriously.

That is wonderful!!! It is amazing what good nutrition can do which unfortunately is sometimes the last thing vets look at.

 

[Missy]

Thank you! We switched her diet and she’s doing better now. We still need to go to a follow up appointment but so far so good. So glad your pup made it! It’s seems like Honey and Cash have very similar symptoms.
What are hotspots?

I am so happy to read this! Hot spots are little scabby red spots that they scratch a lot. And can get infected. So happy for Honey!

 

[krandall]

This place is amazing. Thank you for the advice! I have switched her diet and she is getting better: I’ve also switched vets as the last one wasn’t taking me seriously.

Good for you for taking such good care of your little one!