What is Brittle Coat?
Have you heard the comment that glowing skin means you’re healthy? The same can also be said of your dog. If your dog has healthy skin and a shiny, smooth, silky coat, it is safe to say that he is probably pretty healthy. But, what of those canines who suffer from a dull, dry and brittle feeling coat? Something in their diet or lifestyle may not be right and your veterinarian should be consulted in order to pinpoint the problem. Diet, disorders such as thyroid problems, parasitic infestations and digestive issues are just a few of the causes for this condition.
Brittle coat in dogs is defined as a condition of the fur of the canine’s coat which is dry and breaks or splits. This condition generally is influenced by environmental conditions, dietary regimen and systemic conditions.
Symptoms of Brittle Coat in Dogs
The symptoms of brittle coat in dogs can start with poor skin condition and progress to the coat from there. Here are some of the symptoms you might notice:
- Dull, lackluster look to the coat of your pet
- Brittleness or dryness when you feel the coat
- “Dandruff” or scaly flakes on the hair of the coat
- Frequent Itching, licking or biting of various areas
- Foul odors from the skin and coat of your canine family member
Types
Brittle coat in dogs is a condition which has no real types except as those which apply to the cause of the dry, dull and brittle look and feel of the canine’s coat. This coat condition can be the result of a variety of issues (systemic, environmental, allergies and dietary), which can begin with the condition of the skin from which the hair follicles grow.
Causes of Brittle Coat in Dogs
There are a variety of issues which have been found at the root of brittle coat in dogs. Some of these issues are more involved than others, but they are fairly easily treated if addressed appropriately and in a timely manner. Here are some of them:
- Low quality commercially prepared food - Poorly digestible ingredients can be used to keep the price of the product down. However, all products on the market should be approved and fully balanced. Be sure your dog is eating enough of their dog food and not filling up on treats or chews.
- Imbalanced homemade diets - Can include homemade diets which are not properly balanced to contain all of the nutritional elements required to keep your pet healthy (some nutritional education intervention might be needed. If an owner wishes to make a homemade diet it is essential they consult with a nutritional expert)
- Thyroid disorders - Decreased production of thyroid hormones can affect the quality of the look and feel of the coat
- Diabetes - Can lead to thinning of the skin, followed by patches of dull and lackluster hair actually falling out
- Grooming practices - This can include too frequent as well as not frequent enough bathing and brushing of your beloved doggy family member (can also include the use of shampoos and bathing products not properly formulated for the canine skin)
- Digestive disturbances which can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
- Parasitic infestation - Both internal as well as external ones
- Cancer
- Obesity and arthritis - Can cause the canine to be unable to properly clean himself
- Environmental conditions like the cold, dry, artificially heated atmosphere in your home during the winter season
Diagnosis of Brittle Coat in Dogs
Diagnosis of the cause of brittle coat in your canine family member will be a multi-step process, involving you, your vet and the local lab. Your part will be to discuss your pet's complete history which will need to include the symptoms you have noted, their severity and duration, the animal’s health history and vaccinations, husbandry (this includes feeding regimen, housing, bathing), behavior and attitude changes, appetite and any changes noted, elimination habits with any changes noted, any exposure which your pet may have had to other animals and any travel situations in which your pet has been involved within the past 6 to 12 months. This information will be included in the information and clinical findings when your veterinary professional does his physical examination and prepares to order any required testing to get to the root of the skin/hair problem.
During his examination, your vet will be looking for any skin lesions and scaling to help him identify the cause of the brittle coat and skin condition of your pet. Since there are a variety of causes of dry, flakey skin and dry, brittle coat in dogs, your vet will need to do a number of tests to eliminate some of those causative factors. He will likely order a CBC (complete blood count), biochemistry and urine testing to start. Additional testing might include scrapings or other skin samples and biopsies, cultures to look for bacterial and fungal activity, cytology testing (involves getting samples of the skin surface or fluids from pustules for cell evaluation by the lab), microscopic examination of the hairs and “flea combing” (a process involving combing large amounts of scaling and other debris from the coat for lab evaluation).
Treatment of Brittle Coat in Dogs
Once the results of the required testing are collected, your veterinary professional will develop a treatment plan which is based on the cause of the brittle coat/dry skin problem in your dog. He will need to address any systemic issues which were identified in the diagnostic process and focus treatment toward that systemic problem as the underlying root cause of the external brittle coat problem. Your vet will likely recommend:
- A topical treatment for the immediate problem of the dry skin and possibly some medication to ease the itching and discomfort being experienced by your family pet
- Antibiotics or antifungal medications if there is infection present
- Hormone treatment if the cause is endocrine in nature (thyroid dysfunction, diabetes, Cushing’s disease)
- Possibly an anti-inflammatory medication to ease more of the discomfort and help to promote healing.. Corticosteroids, for example, work well to break the itch-scratch cycle.
- There might be recommendations made for special bathing regimens which include medicated and other special shampoo preparations to help the skin heal
- Skin supplements
- A skin supportive diet
These treatment options could be combined and may need to be repeated until the condition is brought under control, which could be a lengthy process.
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Recovery of Brittle Coat in Dogs
The skin condition which is causing the brittle coat in your dog will need to be treated and brought under control before the coat will return to its previous shiny, smooth and soft condition. This outcome may take weeks or months to achieve and maintenance of it may mean lifelong regimen changes for you and your beloved doggy family member.
These regimen changes might include bathing practices, dietary changes, grooming product changes and even exercise changes for your canine family member. You might even find yourself administering prescription medications to your dog for the treatment of those ongoing systemic issues. Of course, throughout all of this and beyond, profuse administration of the three A’s (affirmation, attention and affection) are always part of the treatment plan.
Brittle Coat Questions and Advice from Veterinary Professionals
Maltese
Four Years
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My pet has the following symptoms:
Sneezing
What should you do if your dog constantly sneezing regardless of the weather and having a dry coat regardless of a good nutritional dog food.
Sept. 27, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question.
They may have something affecting their nasal passages or hair coat or skin. It would be best to have your pet seen by a veterinarian, as they can examine them, see what might be going on, and get treatment.
Oct. 12, 2020
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Golden Retriever
Three Years
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My pet has the following symptoms:
Brittle Coat
My dog has flaky skin in a small patch on his leg. The fur on his leg is getting sticky and kind of matted and he keeps licking it. If I try to comb the fur on his leg it just starts falling out
Sept. 25, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. I apologize for the delay, this venue is not set up for urgent emails.
I hope that your pet is okay. That area appears that it may be infected. If they are still having any problems, It would be best to have your pet seen by a veterinarian, as they can examine them, see what might be going on, and get any testing or treatment taken care of that might be needed.
Oct. 20, 2020
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German Shepherd
Two Years
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My pet has the following symptoms:
Dull Hair
I think my dog might have a parasitic infection how might i know if she does before i take her to the vet?
Sept. 25, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question. I apologize for the delay, this venue is not set up for urgent emails.
It can be difficult to see a parasitic infection, as we look at stool under the microscope for eggs, and skin samples for mites. If they are still having problems, It would be best to have your pet seen by a veterinarian, as they can examine them, see what might be going on, and get any testing or treatment taken care of that might be needed.
Oct. 21, 2020
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Mini goldendoodle
Three Years
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My pet has the following symptoms:
Patch Of Coarse Hair. Also Fur / Hair Is Darkening At The Roots In Only That Rea
What is causing this?
Patch of coarse hair. Also fur / hair is darkening at the roots in only that area
July 18, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question.
If there was an area of infection or trauma that caused the hair loss, as the hair grows back it may darken and then normalize. Without being able to see your dog or know the cause or where this is happening, it is hard to say what might be happening. If this continues, and does not become like normal hair, then it would be best to have your dog seen by a veterinarian. They will be able to look at the area and see if things are abnormal or not. I hope that all goes well for your dog.
July 18, 2020
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Chihuahua
Three Years
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My pet has the following symptoms:
Itching. Biting Paws Scratching Face
It looks like he is losing fur around hos collar
July 15, 2020
Answered by Dr. Michele K. DVM
0 Recommendations
Thank you for your question.
There are many reasons that he might be itchy and losing hair, including an allergy, a parasite, a Mite, or a bacterial or fungal skin infection. Since those are all treated so differently, it would be best to have him seen by a veterinarian. They can look at him, see what might be causing his problem, and get him treatment so that he is more comfortable and not losing hair. I hope that all goes well for him.
July 15, 2020
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Great Dane
Simon
3 Years
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My pet has the following symptoms:
Excessive Shedding
Went to the vet a little over a month ago because he was licking his butt alot and he needed his anal glands squeezed did the procedure and his poop got analyzed and he had hookworm unfortunately. Vet said since he was on heartworm it should deal with the issue but just a little slower than using a dewormer so I didn't buy any. A few weeks after his diagnosis I noticed he started to shed excessively and certain parts of his fur were turning a brownish red color. It seems as if he's slowly losing fur in certain areas around his legs and his skin seems to be a little more red than usual aroind his belly and legs. The shedding has continued and hasn't stopped since. It seems as if it won't stop and I need to take him to the vet because by this time his shedding should have curtailed and the hookworms haven't been dealt with,he stopped licking his butt for a bit after going to the vet but the last 2 weeks or so he's been doing it much more and it's starting to worry me that his worm problem has gotten worse. Before this we've had him on the same food we've been on for aroind a year and his coat was extremely healthy and looked great.
Labrador Retriever
Deuce
1 Year
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My pet has the following symptoms:
Excessive Shedding
Baldness
Our 1 ye old black lab has lost the hair on his neck and also shedding excessively. We are starting to notice other areas on his hips and back that are thinning too. Took him to the vet and had him on a special shampoo and antibiotics for 2 weeks and that didn’t help. Just brought him back to have his thyroid tested. Any ideas on what else we can try. He is an avid swimmer - lake and pool daily.
