# How long does it take for hair to grow back...



## VickiR (Jun 16, 2011)

Olivia was spayed on November 15th.
The hair is growing back but is not yet the same length as the hair surrounding the surgical area.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Okay, so it does take a while...

He has a little spot on his side, too, that they had shaved for the echo on December 2nd (I _think _it was the 2nd, anyway) and the hair there is just now starting to come back. Just in the past couple days, I've noticed that it doesn't feel like stubble anymore.

I just wondered if it was normal for it to take a while, or if it had something to do with his needing thyroid meds (which we just started.)


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Toby gets a sonogram every 6 months and it takes almost that long for it to grow back to the same length! I feel for him in the winter!


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Needing thyroid meds will slow the hair growth down, but when my Faelan was shaved down it took a good 4 months for his coat to recover - and he was young & healthy - I did have some very strong words with my vet about that btw; I think vets can have a tendency to think of the coat as optional rather than protection and needed. 

Anyway, it will take months.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Sunrise said:


> Needing thyroid meds will slow the hair growth down, but when my Faelan was shaved down it took a good 4 months for his coat to recover - and he was young & healthy - I did have some very strong words with my vet about that btw; I think vets can have a tendency to think of the coat as optional rather than protection and needed.
> 
> Anyway, it will take months.


Yeah, I'm a little concerned about the lack of protection, since we're getting some pretty cold weather, now. We bought him a coat, thinking that it would give him at least _some_ protection until his own coat comes back, but he's having none of it.
At least this vet warned us that it might be a real hatchet job. He said that he's not a groomer, so it wouldn't be pretty. lol. We were so worried about what the ultrasound might reveal, and focused on keeping Riley calm and still on the table, that I didn't think too much about it. I just told him 'do what you have to do.' I understand that they had to shave him, but now I'm wondering what to do about the exposed skin when we have windchills in the lower teens and he refuses to wear clothes. 



Dallas Gold said:


> Toby gets a sonogram every 6 months and it takes almost that long for it to grow back to the same length! I feel for him in the winter!


Aw, poor Toby! Would he wear a coat, or is he like Riley?


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## AmberSunrise (Apr 1, 2009)

Unfortunately there was a disconnect between my vet & the specialist with Faelan - my vet told me he would only need to be shaved a bit along the midline but when I picked him up he was shaved all the way up his sides to his spine - his entire abdomen and rib cage.

I literally put sun screen on him each time he needed to go outside, and kept him inside for a month or more - no training, no hiking, no swimming etc. He did not even go to indoor classes since he literally had NO protection. He was miserable. About the only good that came out of it was I learned to never again leave my dog at a vets for an ultrasound - unless my vet is the one to do it, and even then I'd insist on going back with him.

About the coat, my dogs will wear coats sinc ethey are used to hunter safety vests, which they associate with good things. So perhaps put the coat on, put him in the car and take him somewhere fun?



LifeOfRiley said:


> Yeah, I'm a little concerned about the lack of protection, since we're getting some pretty cold weather, now. We bought him a coat, thinking that it would give him at least _some_ protection until his own coat comes back, but he's having none of it.
> At least this vet warned us that it might be a real hatchet job. He said that he's not a groomer, so it wouldn't be pretty. lol. We were so worried about what the ultrasound might reveal, and focused on keeping Riley calm and still on the table, that I didn't think too much about it. I just told him 'do what you have to do.' I understand that they had to shave him, but now I'm wondering what to do about the exposed skin when we have windchills in the lower teens and he refuses to wear clothes.
> 
> 
> ...


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Sunrise said:


> Unfortunately there was a disconnect between my vet & the specialist with Faelan - my vet told me he would only need to be shaved a bit along the midline but when I picked him up he was shaved all the way up his sides to his spine - his entire abdomen and rib cage.
> 
> I literally put sun screen on him each time he needed to go outside, and kept him inside for a month or more - no training, no hiking, no swimming etc. He did not even go to indoor classes since he literally had NO protection. He was miserable. About the only good that came out of it was I learned to never again leave my dog at a vets for an ultrasound - unless my vet is the one to do it, and even then I'd insist on going back with him.
> 
> About the coat, my dogs will wear coats sinc ethey are used to hunter safety vests, which they associate with good things. So perhaps put the coat on, put him in the car and take him somewhere fun?


Yikes! I would not have been happy about that, either! At least our guy only shaved Riley's belly - thank god they didn't go all the way up his sides!
That's not a bad idea. I think we'll _have_ to get him used to the coat, somehow. Right now, he's at a stage where he won't even walk with it on. He'll take two steps and stop, looking up at me with the most pathetic expression I've ever seen. I tried to coax him along, figuring he'd get used to the feel of it, but he just kept fighting me. Maybe we do need to find something fun enough for him that he'll forget about the coat long enough to get used to it.


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## GoldenCamper (Dec 21, 2009)

Tucker had spots shaved off both sides for a thoracentesis (lung tap) and 364 days later when he passed all that came back was a tiny bit of peach fuzz. He was on thyroid meds. He had no problem growing hair back anywhere else like around his cysts that opened up and I still trimmed the feet and pads too. I will never know why he did not grow hair back in those spots they shaved.

Hope Riley's hair grows back quick. :crossfing


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

LifeOfRiley said:


> Aw, poor Toby! Would he wear a coat, or is he like Riley?


Toby is all naked, all the time, except for his collar! He destroys bandanas and doesn't handle anything like t-shirts or booties very well. We are about to go to an annual sonogram/echocardiogram and if I can get it scheduled in April or May I think he'll be fine since it gets so hot here in the summers. His next one will be in February--the coldest month here, but it usually starts to warm by the last week or so.


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Dallas Gold said:


> Toby is all naked, all the time, except for his collar! He destroys bandanas and doesn't handle anything like t-shirts or booties very well. We are about to go to an annual sonogram/echocardiogram and if I can get it scheduled in April or May I think he'll be fine since it gets so hot here in the summers. His next one will be in February--the coldest month here, but it usually starts to warm by the last week or so.


 
Sounds like my boy. Riley is such a dog's dog that I think he's truly offended by the idea of wearing clothes.  

We're supposed to be in the upper 30s/low 40s through the weekend, so we're going to work on getting him to tolerate a coat, before we go down into the low 20s again next week. Mom made him a real cute fleece jacket that covers a little more of his belly than most store-bought coats, so it would be perfect if we can just get him to accept it. :crossfing


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

I know this is an old thread, but I wanted to add a comment in case someone finds it through a Google search or similar.
Tito had an abdominal ultrasound yesterday (results were totally clear, yay!) at a large Veterinary specialty center. 
I asked them to shave only as much as absolutely necessary. They shaved a 3" x 3" diamond on his belly right above his boy parts. You can't see it unless you roll him over onto his back and look for it.
The radiologist himself showed us all of the images, live, and they were able to get great clear images, including the spleen and liver.
Tito carries quite a bit of coat and furnishings on his belly, so if it can be done on him, I'd guess it's quite possible on any dog.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Here are the photos, you can see the shaving is minimal:


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Thanks for sharing Barb - that doesn't look that bad. 

Do you do ultrasounds every 6 months or? 

I've been trying to decide whether I want to add that to the list of things I need to do with Jacks. He's already getting full blood tests done every 3 months and will permanently going forward.... but haven't opted for any ultrasounds... yet.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

No, I don't do ultrasounds routinely, I don't believe in it. This was diagnostic for some minor vomiting, and all looks good. Vet thinks it's most likely related to where he had been swimming, and he seems fine. Just like to be cautious with these older guys.
I do extensive blood/urine every 6 months.


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## Bella Bernadette (Mar 26, 2020)

Sunrise said:


> Unfortunately there was a disconnect between my vet & the specialist with Faelan - my vet told me he would only need to be shaved a bit along the midline but when I picked him up he was shaved all the way up his sides to his spine - his entire abdomen and rib cage.
> 
> I literally put sun screen on him each time he needed to go outside, and kept him inside for a month or more - no training, no hiking, no swimming etc. He did not even go to indoor classes since he literally had NO protection. He was miserable. About the only good that came out of it was I learned to never again leave my dog at a vets for an ultrasound - unless my vet is the one to do it, and even then I'd insist on going back with him.
> 
> About the coat, my dogs will wear coats sinc ethey are used to hunter safety vests, which they associate with good things. So perhaps put the coat on, put him in the car and take him somewhere fun?


Hey! my retriever has an underlying skin condition and we had to shave off her hair can someone please guide me?


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## Ffcmm (May 4, 2016)

Bella Bernadette said:


> Hey! my retriever has an underlying skin condition and we had to shave off her hair can someone please guide me?


 This is a rather old thread, would you like to start a new one to get more replies? What skin conditions does your dog have?


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