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I am a little worried because Belle has started scratching and licking. Then, tonight, I noticed some small pieces of her fur on the carpet. She started scratching and licking a few weeks ago. I checked with the vet when it first started. The vet checked her for flees, but said she doesn't have any. Has anyone else seen any of these symptoms? If so, what might cause it? Thanks!

 

[Kathie]

Could be itching due to dry skin. This seems to be a problem for dogs and humans in the winter. How old is she? Blowing coat could start around 8 mos.

 

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Hi. Thank you so much for your reply. Belle is a little over a year old. What is "blowing"? Is that something natural for Havanese? Belle is the first Havanese in my family, so I don't know what may be normal and what isn't. I appreciate your help!

Nancy

 

[Suzi]

Hi. Thank you so much for your reply. Belle is a little over a year old. What is "blowing"? Is that something natural for Havanese? Belle is the first Havanese in my family, so I don't know what may be normal and what isn't. I appreciate your help!

Nancy

Yes it is natural for a Havanese to blow a coat I have not gone threw it yet and I hear some don't . I hear they get a lot of Mats. So it is best to stay on top of it lots of comping and brushing. Or if you want put her in a puppy cut.
She could have dry skin you can tell by looking at it usually looks dry like dandruff and if she is really bad her skin will be pink and soar looking.
Maddie went threw the same thing with itching but she was to young to be blowing her coat. Vet did three skin tests and found nothing. We treated her for mites just to eliminate that.
I do not really know what caused it. I added fish oil to her diet got the mite treatment and a special shampoo from the vet. It took about two weeks and she is normal now.
It can also be a allergy .

 

[krandall]

Hi. Thank you so much for your reply. Belle is a little over a year old. What is "blowing"? Is that something natural for Havanese? Belle is the first Havanese in my family, so I don't know what may be normal and what isn't. I appreciate your help!

Nancy

This doesn't sound like blowing coat. The hair doesn't come out in patches. The puppy coat DOES start to come out, and tangles in the longer adult hairs, which is what causes mats. I've never heard of it making a dog itchy, either.

 

[TrishK]

my first thought also is dry skin. I know it's a problem we have here in the winter, especially since we have a wood stove as our main heat source. Getting a humidifier may be a good idea. If it's too dry in the house then dry, itchy skin, dandruff, nose bleeds, sore throats, scratchy eyes, are all people symptoms and I wouldnt think dogs would be any different, except the nose bleeds maybe.

 

[Judy -- Toby & Jaime's mo]

Dori has been chewing and biting her skin for several months. Her coat is noticably thinner. She has some bare spots. In the late fall I did find a couple of fleas on her -- none since. She may have had a bad allergic reaction to flea bites. When she was groomed about 10 days ago, I had to leave her coat a little longer as she was cold with her bare spots on her legs and rear, plus the thinner coat. The groomer used some kind of soothing shampoo and it has been noticeably better since then.

 

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Well, I guess I'll give the vet a call on Monday just to make sure nothing serious is wrong with her. I feel like an overprotective mother sometimes. Thanks everyone for your comments. It always helps to get the opinions of other Havanese owners.