kimkathan Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 Has anyone had any experience with a thinning tail? My female has a wonderful coat, nice, thick and shiny, however over the past few months, she's been thinning out in her tail. It's not that its been shedding out, but rather, where she once had a nice thick tail, it's now kind of thin and not as long. I have started supplementing her with an Omega tab daily, but havent seen much in the way of results with the tail, just a shinnier coat. Could it be due to an unusually warm winter, then turning colder so suddenly? What about using Rogain Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb Scott Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 Could she be chewing on it? Barb S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca, Irena Farm Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 That's can be a symptom of a sluggish thyroid. You might want to get her tested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Kim - Our Megan came from a situation where she was crated all day. Her tail was barely covered with very short hair when we got her (and she's a medium coat dog). I believe a combination of chewing on her tail hair and banging her tail on the crate when wagging, resulted in the loss of most of the hair. She's now got a nice "tail of hair" now except on one area - she sometimes is grooming her hindparts and all of a sudden will pull and fuss at that part of her tail and pull out some hair. We've had her to the vet for it and the tail is fine. We think she just developed a "bad habit" as a youngster, and this is the remnant of that habit. When I remember to consistently put some icky-tasting cream on the area, the hair grows back quickly. However, I tend to be forgetful (I only seem to remember when I'm not in a position to apply something), and it tends to stay thin there. Barring other complications (like the thyroid that Rebecca points out, or the possibility of a skin problem or infection in the tail that's causing irritation and she chews or pulls hair as a result), it may simply be a habit that you can try dealing with a preparation that will sooth the skin and make the hair unpalatable. I've got some spray-on stuff but it doesn't work as well for me as cream. For one thing, I it really chokes me up when I apply it, and then I can taste it every time she wags her tail! I'm thinking about mixing some of it with a nice lotion, to avoid the spray getting in the air or onto other things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 One of my dogs loses tail hair with some regularity, usually timed to a couple of months past a heat cycle. I am also planning to check her thyroid as a just in case.... J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dal & Mad's Mom Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 One of my dogs loses tail hair with some regularity, usually timed to a couple of months past a heat cycle. My mom's dog Penny only has long hair on the end of her tail right now. We also looked at her mom Val ( too alpha) who had pups in Aug. and had no long tail hair at all. Anybody know since they were wormy and nutritionally depleted and raising pups how long it will take for Penny's coat to return? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimkathan Posted March 9, 2006 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 I have had her tested for hypothyroid(came back fine) Her last heat cycle was in October, and is due around the begining of May(ish). I haven't seen here pulling or licking at her tail ever. It's more like when they shed out in spring, kind of sparse and not as full. Was just wondering if there were other medical things that people had ever encountered with this sort of thing other that hypothyroid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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