# Excessive shedding- clumps of undercoat



## GoldensGirl (Aug 2, 2010)

This is so familiar. It happened every spring and fall with my beloved Charlie, who had a very heavy undercoat and very full feathering. Check with your vet if you're not sure, of course, but I suspect frequent brushing will help and a good grooming will prove to be the best solution. If it turns out to be a health issue, I'll be kicking myself 'til the day I die.


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## Hunter'sMom (Sep 5, 2011)

So it's normal for the fur to get very thin (just a top coat covering)? If so, I will feel so much better. I just didn't expect his fur to really thin out in his hips like this (Hunter's never really did, at least not this noticeable).


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## CITIgolden (Mar 9, 2013)

The fur is thinning around this time, I've recently experienced similar thing going on and since I was taking my dog to the vet for something else I pointed out and ,y vet didn't think it was an issue - he recommended omega 3 supplements which I already give to my dog. His fur is back to normal after a week. You should of course make sure with the vet, maybe even take pics and email to your vet for the peace of mind.


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## Hunter'sMom (Sep 5, 2011)

So the vet thinks that it may be a reaction to something, maybe the azithromycin that he was on. If so, then his hair follicle cycle may have been interrupted, and he will lose all the rest of his undercoat before the follicles restart growth. So he could be naked for a while. To cover our bases, he is starting on cephalexin and we did a thyroid panel. Poor buddy


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Poor Jackson! Hope it is just the spring and the thyroid panel comes back normal.


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## Hunter'sMom (Sep 5, 2011)

The thyroid test came back low (1.5 on a scale of 1 to 4), which is strange since he is a) so young (20 months) and b) his only "symptom" is shedding his undercoat (he is a healthy weight, spunky, etc). But he is rather sparse of fur in the hips now and is starting to shed a little above the tail and in his neck/shoulders. We are running another, more sensitive, thyroid test to confirm the results... but they were pretty sure yesterday that the results would be fine because he doesn't match the profile for hypothyroid, but they are definitely low on the first test :/


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## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

If i am recalling conversations on the forum correctly, the low end of normal is too low for Goldens specifically. You might want to bring that up to the vet. 


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## doggymom (May 7, 2015)

Hunter'sMom said:


> For the past several days, Jackson (1.5 years old) has been excessively shedding his undercoat. He is losing it in the hip and pants areas, primarily on the hips. It comes off in big white clumps (my carpet yesterday looked like the Easter Bunny had met his demise!). The skin looks fine underneath, and he isn't bald, there is still a layer of darker fur (outer coat?), but it is quite obviously thinner where the undercoat has shed. He was on a course of azithromycin to treat a couple oral papillomas, which have regressed, not sure if there could be a link. My last golden never shed in clumps like this... what is going on??!! Help!!! I'm thinking I will try to get him into the vet tomorrow.


Sounds just like my problem with Kassie. Let me know what you find out. I have clumps of hair in the same area coming off my girl.


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## jennretz (Jul 24, 2013)

This is an old thread doggymon. You may want to start a new thread to get the right responses.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

doggymom said:


> Sounds just like my problem with Kassie. Let me know what you find out. I have clumps of hair in the same area coming off my girl.


doggymom, you may want to have Kassie's thyroid checked.
I found this info that was put out by Golden Ribbon GR Rescue regarding low thyroid in Goldens. It gives symptoms-


http://grr-tx.com/sites/default/files/thyroid_problems.pdf


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## doggymom (May 7, 2015)

*Excessive Shedding*

Carolina's Mom

I have had the thyroid level checked (last week). Vet told me it came back as normal. In the "low" range of normal. I may pursue that more the first of this week. It worries me that you can just pull bunches of the under coat out as it is sticking through the top layer. Never ever have experienced this with any of my other dogs. Thanks Carolina's Mom:wavey:


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## doggymom (May 7, 2015)

CITIgolden said:


> The fur is thinning around this time, I've recently experienced similar thing going on and since I was taking my dog to the vet for something else I pointed out and ,y vet didn't think it was an issue - he recommended omega 3 supplements which I already give to my dog. His fur is back to normal after a week. You should of course make sure with the vet, maybe even take pics and email to your vet for the peace of mind.


How much omega 3 do you give. I have the same problem with my Kassie and she weighs about 73 lbs. Big white clumps of undercoat sticking out and you can just reach down and pull them out. A brush is completely full with just one swipe. Throyid has been checked.


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