# Losing hair with new food



## Phoebe's mom (Jan 17, 2012)

So I noticed that Phoebe's hair on her body from her shoulders to her tail has become short almost like a lab, she still has a mane and it sort of looks strange. 
She is done with losing the puppy hair and her adult coat was coming in. 
I switched their food from Innova Large breed adult to Nutro Ultra Large breed adult about a week ago. Their stool is fine and they love the food but this concerns me. 
The nutritional value is the same, Nutro Ultra was just $15 cheaper so we decided to switch. 
Has anyone had this problem? Is it possible that the food could cause her to lose her coat and if yes then why?
Thanks


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

How old is she? 

They go through various coat changes between puppyhood and adulthood.... it's not always related to food.


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## Phoebe's mom (Jan 17, 2012)

She is 6 months old.


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## Swampcollie (Sep 6, 2007)

Phoebe's mom said:


> She is 6 months old.


She's losing her puppy coat and the adult coat is starting to come in.


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## Phoebe's mom (Jan 17, 2012)

Nope, that already happened. This is something different. It's all patchy, looks pretty strange.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Phoebe's mom said:


> Nope, that already happened. This is something different. It's all patchy, looks pretty strange.


Do you have a picture? 

Please keep in mind I've always had golden boys and more likely than not they look cute but frumpy between 4 months and 14 months.


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## Phoebe's mom (Jan 17, 2012)

She has lost that stripe down her back, the one that is darker then everything. Her sides were starting to get darker also, now it is all light and it doesn't feel nice.

The first 2 pictures are before she switched food, the second 2 were taken yesterday. Hopefully you can see that the stripe down the back is gone, it starts again by her tail.


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## Phoebe's mom (Jan 17, 2012)

Here is a better picture of the stripe down her back.


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## my4goldens (Jan 21, 2009)

I think I read on another thread that you use a furminator on her, I might be mistaken though. If you are, I think they can be kind of harsh on coats, I used one several times on my older dogs and did not like what happened, I think they strip the coat down. I think they are more to be used very sparingly and maybe for coat blows.


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## Phoebe's mom (Jan 17, 2012)

my4goldens said:


> I think I read on another thread that you use a furminator on her, I might be mistaken though. If you are, I think they can be kind of harsh on coats, I used one several times on my older dogs and did not like what happened, I think they strip the coat down. I think they are more to be used very sparingly and maybe for coat blows.


She hasn't been brushed with the furminator for a couple weeks, I only do it once a month or so. When I do use it, it never takes off the top layer. She has always kept her stripe and her sides. Thanks though.


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## MyBentley (May 5, 2009)

A week on a new food seems a short time to notice a change in coat, but I guess it could happen.

That said, I fed Bentley a Nutro formula for about a year (5 yrs. ago) and his coat was the worst I ever saw it. The fur was more sparse and not as long. Once I changed kibbles it came back in very nicely. You can't always equate the price of a dog food to the results with an individual dog; but sometimes saving a few dollars on a dog food isn't worth it.


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## my4goldens (Jan 21, 2009)

Phoebe's mom said:


> She hasn't been brushed with the furminator for a couple weeks, I only do it once a month or so. When I do use it, it never takes off the top layer. She has always kept her stripe and her sides. Thanks though.


Oh, okay. Well, then not sure what could be going on with Phoebe.


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## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

I really doubt that the coat would change that quickly after changing the food. Since she's so young, this is her first year of seasonal coat changes. I would guess that you are just seeing the normal coat that her body makes... You might try giving her a coat supplement tablet if you're concerned though. There are some good over the counter ones and they do help a lot.


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## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

My two pups blew their first coat just a few months ago, Kye was 9 mo and Coop was 6 mo. We lost so much hair, but they both have a more heavier coat so never lost everything, but about a month later I noticed our two also had lost a lot more, but it was slow, not the blow we had earlier (noticed always hair in the brush) but just didn't put it together. They looked just like Phoebe back in your picture and hair was more guard hairs (not soft at all). Got to say within 2 months the hair was back and undercoat there so coats were softening up a lot. It has been 3 mo now and both are about full coated again (minus a lot of undercoat) and Coop (has the softest coat) is back really soft. 

I think this may be just the slower part of the coat blow and what you are feeling is more guard hairs than the softer undercoat. Think her food is not the problem, just something natural. We have puppies so think the first shed is the worst (looking). I remember my old RB boys would shed and as adults you could hardly see the difference except they were sleek without the heavy undercoat. I have chalked this up to normal loss of first coat, but they went from beautiful golden looking to lab looking on their backs. Thankfully they kept their hair under their chins and feathering, but backs got quite sleek and hard. Now they are beautiful again!

If you are worried you could have her Thyroid checked, but I bet this is just part of the normal first blow.


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## oakleysmommy (Feb 20, 2011)

when my goldens were getting their "adult" fur it was definately coarser than thier puppy fur..now its soft and fluffy but yes i remember saying their fur looks like my labs fur. Give it time


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## Phoebe's mom (Jan 17, 2012)

I switched her back last night. This morning she has a lot more energy and she looks a lot more happy. I will have to see about the coat in a little bit. 
Thanks for your help.


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## Willow52 (Aug 14, 2009)

Honestly, I think you're pinning too much on the food. Nutro isn't a bad brand and you wouldn't see a change, good or bad, that quickly. Puppies go through odd coat changes through out the first year. Her coat looks normal to me.


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