No it happened around september
Boxer loosing hair
- Thread starter GurpM
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No it happened around september
a full panel was done and I'm leaning towards thyroid issues as well
im going to make an appointment with another vet to see if they can figure it out
Cami
Boxer Insane
Do you have a copy of the results? If so you can't post them and there is a formula you can use which determines if supplementation would be beneficial. If you don't have a copy on hand have the vets office e-mail it to you or stop in and pick up a copy.
Here is the info on the formula used to analyze the results (scroll down to page 2).
http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/howtoanayzeyourdogsthyroidtestresults.pdf
Here is the info on the formula used to analyze the results (scroll down to page 2).
http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/howtoanayzeyourdogsthyroidtestresults.pdf
Thanks bro I'm going to try that.
But first i want to try the thyroid medicine that i received today in combination with a new set of antibiotics.
I can't tell from these photos, but is the hair loss symmetrical -- similar on both sides of the body? Moxie's hair started thinning at this time last year, starting on her flanks and then progressing to her back. You could see the skin in these patches through her otherwise beautiful and shiny brindle coat.
Because of the symmetry in her hair loss, my vet diagnosed it as a type of alopecia that's common in boxers and caused by a melatonin deficiency. I'm not sure why this happens or how the melatonin is related, but we put her on a daily dosage of a general melatonin supplement (we got it at GNC, and it's not expensive). Within a month, her hair was growing back and her coat was normal and thick two months later.
Strangely, she just started thinning again, so I'm assuming this type of thing is seasonal, at least for her. I put her right back on the melatonin and hope to keep it from worsening this time.
You might want to try the melatonin before you go down the road on a bunch of other tests or thyroid treatments, unless he's having other symptoms that are more serious. Moxie is on 6 mg, 2x daily, and she weighs 62 pounds, if that helps you figure out the dosage.
Because of the symmetry in her hair loss, my vet diagnosed it as a type of alopecia that's common in boxers and caused by a melatonin deficiency. I'm not sure why this happens or how the melatonin is related, but we put her on a daily dosage of a general melatonin supplement (we got it at GNC, and it's not expensive). Within a month, her hair was growing back and her coat was normal and thick two months later.
Strangely, she just started thinning again, so I'm assuming this type of thing is seasonal, at least for her. I put her right back on the melatonin and hope to keep it from worsening this time.
You might want to try the melatonin before you go down the road on a bunch of other tests or thyroid treatments, unless he's having other symptoms that are more serious. Moxie is on 6 mg, 2x daily, and she weighs 62 pounds, if that helps you figure out the dosage.
GingerLooney
Boxer Pal
Seasonal Alopecia- GETTING WORSE
Guys, really need some advice from anyone who has experienced and beaten Seasonal Flank Alopecia.
Dulcie is 2 years old. We haven't taken her to the vets as we don't want to pay so much money for tests to come back all clear. After reading loads of posts on here, we assumed it was SFA.
We've been keeping an eye on it, using medicated shampoo, adding fish oil and evening primrose oil to her food twice a day, and we're seeing NO improvements. Infact, we think it's getting worse!!
* we can't get Melatonin in the UK so easily- it has to be imported *
She's had it for almost 3 months, and we don't know what else to do. Do we wait it out?
Here's a picture of it (on just one side)
SFA | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Guys, really need some advice from anyone who has experienced and beaten Seasonal Flank Alopecia.
Dulcie is 2 years old. We haven't taken her to the vets as we don't want to pay so much money for tests to come back all clear. After reading loads of posts on here, we assumed it was SFA.
We've been keeping an eye on it, using medicated shampoo, adding fish oil and evening primrose oil to her food twice a day, and we're seeing NO improvements. Infact, we think it's getting worse!!
* we can't get Melatonin in the UK so easily- it has to be imported *
She's had it for almost 3 months, and we don't know what else to do. Do we wait it out?
Here's a picture of it (on just one side)
SFA | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
packblt
Completely Boxer Crazy
That looks just like what my Bandit would get each winter from the time he was about two. We consulted our vet (former) who assured me it was not seasonal flank alopecia yet another vet in that practice assured me it was. Our new vet also told me it was and that there was nothing to be done about it.
As soon as spring came he would start to grow his fur back but it never fully filled in. In August he had a few head tremors and we tested his thyroid an it came back low. Not low according to the generally accepted lab standards, but low for the breed specific range for a boxer of his age (we used Hemopet Lab in CA).
My vet did not really agree with the Hemopet advice to start him on Soloxine but said if I felt confident to try it we would. He was started on .6mg Soloxine and we never saw another head tremor and his fur totally filled in and he has not lost any this winter so far.
You probably should go ahead and do the bloodwork to see if it's a possibility that her thyroid is low. I like them to have complete bloodwork each year just to keep an eye on things also.
Good luck
As soon as spring came he would start to grow his fur back but it never fully filled in. In August he had a few head tremors and we tested his thyroid an it came back low. Not low according to the generally accepted lab standards, but low for the breed specific range for a boxer of his age (we used Hemopet Lab in CA).
My vet did not really agree with the Hemopet advice to start him on Soloxine but said if I felt confident to try it we would. He was started on .6mg Soloxine and we never saw another head tremor and his fur totally filled in and he has not lost any this winter so far.
You probably should go ahead and do the bloodwork to see if it's a possibility that her thyroid is low. I like them to have complete bloodwork each year just to keep an eye on things also.
Good luck
Roge
Boxer Insane
Roge got it at 2 also and I dont want to alarm you but if it is SFA it more than likely will get worse ,Roge was completely bald in patches, As Iv said in a previous post I had a skin biopsy done and thyroid tested before we came to this conclusion as I felt that I had to rule out any medical issues or mites ect.
Unfortunatly I think that there is not a lot to be done it just has too run its course however once the hair started to grow back it grew very quickly and you would never know he had infact had bald spots.
I also had a look around for Melatonin last year with no luck, I dont think its sold in Europe and was afraid to buy it online incase I was buying from a rogue site ( I dont trust the internet for buying medication ect).
Along with giving him evening primrose oil I switched his food to one thats only source of protein if fish.
His coat is fine at the moment but last year he didnt start to loose hair until the end of febuary to mid March so I will just have to wait and see.
GingerLooney
Boxer Pal
Thanks
Thanks guys! I'm glad some other boxer owners have experienced it. We're starting to worry that the poor girl is getting cold! It's 2 degrees here today (Wales, UK).
Apparently SFA is more common in places where there isn't much definition between seasons. And we had such a wet and cold summer that it sounds like that's what has triggered it.
We've bought a lamp that is usually used for humans with SAD, but can also be used for animals too. It's basically a sunlight lamp. We're hoping that may trigger it, as the UK weather is appalling and Spring could be months away.
Looks bloody awful today!
photo | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
Thanks guys! I'm glad some other boxer owners have experienced it. We're starting to worry that the poor girl is getting cold! It's 2 degrees here today (Wales, UK).
Apparently SFA is more common in places where there isn't much definition between seasons. And we had such a wet and cold summer that it sounds like that's what has triggered it.
We've bought a lamp that is usually used for humans with SAD, but can also be used for animals too. It's basically a sunlight lamp. We're hoping that may trigger it, as the UK weather is appalling and Spring could be months away.
Looks bloody awful today!
photo | Flickr - Photo Sharing!
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