M.L. Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 I've recently noticed that the hair on Ginger's tail is changing into white, wirey hair. The rest of her hair is smooth and soft and always has been. The new hair on her tail feels wirey, like a terrier's hair. It is very strange. She is five years old. There are no bare patches or irritated spots. The hair is just completely changing from brown to this weird, wirey hair. The underside of her tail has always had white hair on it, but it has always been smooth and soft. She is a BC mix and I have no idea what else she is mixed with but she has never had any wirey feeling hair. I have included photos. They aren't the best quality since I quickly took them with my iPhone. I was trying to find a pic that clearly shows her tail before, but I can't find one. The top of her tail looked like the bottom half in the last photo - brown on top with a few white hairs here and there - but not wirey feeling. Are there any medical conditions that would cause the hair to change so much? Or is it just that she is getting older? This is after I spread the hair apart a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbc1963 Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 Not sure if this is your case, but my own gray hairs are much more wiry and stiff than my regular, soft hair. Mary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted January 4, 2009 Report Share Posted January 4, 2009 Is she possibly chewing on her tail hair? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.L. Posted January 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Is she possibly chewing on her tail hair? I have never ever seen her chew on her tail, nor is she an anxious OCD dog like Bailey and Willow. She is the easy going, relaxed dog. She has shown no signs that it is irritating, either. I wondered the same thing at first, but I'm 99% sure that she is not chewing on it. If she is it is when I'm not home, but I really don't think so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BCjetta Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 Only thing I can think of that could change the hair on the tail would be hypothyroidism... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted January 5, 2009 Report Share Posted January 5, 2009 I, too, meant to suggest having her thyroid function tested. My daughter's dog was found to be hypothyroid and placed on thyroid replacement medication (just like I take, as my thyroid was removed some years ago). I was amazed at the improvement in her coat, physique, and temperment once she had been on the medication (which is not pricey) for a couple of months. Best wishes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M.L. Posted January 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2009 Thanks everyone. It seems strange to me and my first thought was some kind of hormonal issue. Ginger is always kind of shakey. Her hind legs are often very shaky, like she is excited, but at moments when she isn't excited, cold or nervous. At our last visit the vet didn't think it was necessary to do bloodwork. That was almost a year ago. Now with the shakiness and the weird tail change I'll have to get bloodwork done even if the vet doesn't think it is necessary to ease my own worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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