5 Causes of Excessive Dog Shedding and How to Manage It
For most dog owners, dog hair is an accessory that you’ll always live with and a special way that you remember your furry friend.
No outfit is complete without dog hairs. They’ll be all over your clothes and home.
Shedding is a normal biological process that dogs go through.
But when canines shed more than usual, it’s indicative of problems like infections, poor diet, allergies, stress, and diseases.
Excessive shedding is worrying, and as a pet parent, you deserve to know how to manage it until it goes back to normal.
Quite simply: you can manage it by changing your dog’s diet, using supplements, consulting with a veterinarian, and getting medication for any infections and diseases.
Regular shedding in dogs varies depending on the dog breed. These breeds experience more shedding compared to other dogs:
- Siberian Huskies
- Chow Chows
- Labrador Retrievers
- Beagles
- Border Collies
- German Shepherds
Normal shedding also varies depending on the climate and the season.
According to the American Kennel Club (AKC), many dogs shed their coats the most during spring and fall.
In spring, your furry friend will shed off the protective coat that it grew to keep warm during the winter. And in the fall, the light coat is shed to prepare for the fresh, thick winter coat.
However, abnormal shedding can happen any time of year and isn’t tied to the regular shedding cycle.
With this in mind, let’s look at some of the causes of excessive hair loss in dogs.
Poor Nutrition
A poor diet is the most common cause of dog shedding. Many times, pet foods don’t contain all the nutrients required to maintain a healthy dog coat.
A poor diet may include too many high carb foods, low quality, cheap pet food, the wrong food for the dog’s age, and overfeeding or underfeeding.
When this happens, a healthy coat can’t be maintained because the minerals, vitamins, and fatty acids required aren’t available to your furry friend.
Water also plays a role in maintaining a healthy coat in dogs. Dehydration can lead to hair loss in your dog.
Infections and Parasites
Parasitic infestations and fungal infections cause dog shedding.
Your pet’s hair may have fleas, ticks, and other parasites. These parasites bite your pet, and their saliva causes an immune system response in your dog.
Your dog’s skin gets inflamed and irritated, causing it to scratch and bite itself for relief, leading to hair loss.
Fungal infections like ringworms have a similar effect; the dog scratches its skin and loses a lot of fur in the process.
To combat ticks, mosquitoes, and other external parasites, we crafted some excellent anti-parasite treats. Nutrani Anti-Tick Treats are high-protein in nature, all-natural, and cold-pressed to ensure nutrient retention.
Nutrani Anti Tick Treats for Dogs - 120 count
With 120 in a pack, these treats are a creative way to have your dog’s coat healthy and parasite-free. This handles excess shedding because your pup’s skin won’t be irritated.
Allergies
Some dogs suffer from allergies, just as human beings do. This happens when a pup is allergic to a certain ingredient in pet food, medication or even, an irritant in their shampoo.
Allergies can be hard to pinpoint because the cause may be one ingredient in a treat or even a cleaning product that you use in your home.
The dog’s immune system produces histamine to fight the allergens, and as this happens, a side effect is severe scratching and itching. This skin problem leads to excessive shedding.
If an allergy is causing your dog to shed, adjust the diet or shampoos or whatever you suspect is causing the allergy until you’re able to identify the allergen.
Allergies in dogs are treated with antihistamines and anti-inflammatory drugs. They should be prescribed by a vet.
Doggysups has a solution as well. Our Pet Parents Allergy Soft Chew Supplements for Dogs ensures that your dog has the immune support that it needs when seasonal or other allergies kick in.
Stress
Stress occurs in animals and causes dogs to shed.
Dogs easily react to changes in the environment. If you leave your pup unattended for long periods, it can develop anxiety and stress. A change in homes and the introduction of another pet into the home can also lead to stress and, subsequently, shedding.
On most occasions, shedding from stress is accompanied by other symptoms like loss of appetite, excessive and aggressive barking, and neediness.
If your dog is stressed, giving them Pet Parents Calming Soft Chew Supplements For Dogs will relieve their anxiety and reduce shedding.
Diseases and Chronic Conditions
Diseases like hyperthyroidism cause excessive hair loss in dogs. Your pet’s shedding will be accompanied by the respective symptoms of the disease.
Hyperthyroidism in dogs occurs when the thyroid gland, which is located near the trachea in canines, is either overactive or underactive. The gland controls several functions, such as body metabolism.
If your dog has this condition, it’ll have the following symptoms in addition to shedding and balding:
- Frequent and recurring infections of the ear and skin
- Gets cold easily and quickly
- Augmented blood cholesterol
- Weight gain without eating more food
- Rapid darkening of the skin color
Thankfully, this disease can be diagnosed and managed by a vet.
How Pet Owners Can Manage Excessive Shedding In Dogs
Excessive shedding isn’t unmanageable. With a combination of factors, your dog’s coat will be restored to its former glory.
Below are some simple ways to manage excess shedding:
Consult With a Licensed Veterinarian
For excessive shedding that’s caused by parasites or bacterial and fungal infections, consult with a veterinarian doctor so that you can get the right tests done, establish the root cause of the excessive shedding, and treat it.
Parasites can be internal or external, and the treatment for both may be topical or to ingest, or both. Bacterial and fungal infections in dogs are treated using antibiotics and antifungal medication, respectively.
Improve Your Dog’s Overall Nutrition
Excessive shedding can be improved by ensuring that your dog gets all the nutrients required. Good nutrition is directly proportional to a healthy coat and minimal shedding.
A good way to ensure that dog food is of good quality is to look out for the ingredients. Too many artificial additions like preservatives show that the food likely has less nutritional value and can end up triggering allergies in your dog.
Fats, in particular, are an excellent food group to combat excessive shedding. Fatty acids like Omega 3 restore the coat and deal well with the effects of shedding. This is where supplements come in.
At Doggysups, we created some lovely supplements that’ll get your pup’s coat full and glossy in no time.
| Supplement Name | Form of Supplement |
| Nutrani 100% Pure Blackseed Oil For Dogs | Blackseed oil for Topical Use |
| Nutrani Anti-Tick Treats For Dogs | Treats for ingestion |
| Wholistic Pets Organics Coconut Oil Supplement For Dogs | Coconut oil for topical use/ can be fed directly |
| Pet Parents Omega 3 Skin and Coat Soft Chew Supplements For Dogs | Treats for ingestion |
| Paws and Pals Wild Alaskan Salmon Fish Oil Treats For Dogs | Treats for ingestion |
Many of our supplements contain Omega 3s or Omega 6 fatty acids that are excellent for fur and skin restoration after excess shedding.
Your dog also should drink a lot of water. Water positively impacts your dog’s overall health, and it leads to healthy and hydrated skin. Hydrated skin reduces excess shedding.
Proper Grooming and Coat Maintenance
Regular and consistent grooming and coat maintenance are important when it comes to managing excessive shedding.
When you regularly bathe and groom your dog, you keep its skin and coat clean and fight external parasites. Our dog shampoo is one of a kind; it contains aloe vera and argan oil and is free of allergens that would potentially trigger shedding in your dog.
Nutrani Dog Shampoo with Argan Oil & Aloe Vera - 7 oz.
Using the right brushes and grooming tools is also important. Be it a hound mitt, or slicker brushes, specialized brushes depending on your dog’s coat will manage excess shedding.
Doggysups Supplements Will Keep Excessive Shedding at Bay
A dog’s coat is its pride, and at Doggysups, we’re determined to ensure that your dog’s coat is smooth and silky as it goes through its shedding cycles.
Our supplements are all-natural, affordable, and made of the highest quality ingredients. They are aimed to improve the overall health of your dog and are approved by veterinarian doctors and backed by scientific research.
Choose Doggysups for a healthy and happy pup.
Featured Image: Freepik by user18526052
