One of the signs of a healthy dog is a healthy coat of fur. If a dog's coat appears to be growing lighter and if the hairs themselves are changing texture, becoming brittle and dry, a dog might have a condition called follicular dysplasia.
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Follicular Dysplasia
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Follicular dysplasia in canines refers to a group of diseases characterized by changes in a dog's coat. Many forms of follicular dysplasia are hereditary and are found in breeds like Siberian huskies, boxers and French and English bulldogs. Some hormonal disorders can cause problems with a dog's hair follicles, resulting in dysplasia. These disorders are most common in pomeranians and chow chows, according to "Muller & Kirk's Small Animal Dermatology."
Symptoms
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A dog with follicular dysplasia will have dry, frizzy fur. Often the dog sheds its primary topcoat, which might not grow back. The softer, secondary coat will remain. New hairs that do grow could be twisted or curly. Some dogs develop alopecia. Some dogs with tricolor coats develop black hair follicular dysplasia, in which only the black fur is affected. Some dogs lose all black fur, leaving behind bald patches where it had been, according to "The Genetics of the Dog."
Diagnosis
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Diagnosis of follicular dysplasia is determined by taking skin and hair samples from a dog and examining them under a microscope for abnormalities. Veterinarians look for damaged or abnormal looking hair follicles, malformed hairs and for an abnormal number of hair follicles in a resting or hibernation phase of growth. A veterinarian might also run tests looking for a hormonal imbalance.
Treatment
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If a hormone imbalance is causing a dog's follicular dysplasia, treating the imbalance will resolve the issues with the dog's fur; however, treatments for hereditary forms of follicular dysplasia have not been successful. Veterinarians can try giving a dog synthetic retinoids or melatonin, which could help with hair condition and growth. Some forms of follicular dysplasia are cyclical and a dog will get better without treatment, but the hair damage and loss will return again.
Considerations
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Because follicular dysplasia has hereditary components, a dog with it should not be bred if its puppies will participate in dog shows, according to "Skin Diseases of the Dog and Cat." Since hair might not grow back, a dog's coat should not be trimmed or shaved to remove the brittle hair it does have; the damaged fur can still provide protection from sunlight and from cold.
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