Ask the Veterinarian/dog not shedding

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Expert: - 1/22/2012


Question
Ordinarily my little white blue heeler, terrier cross sheds an enormous amount - most particularly  close to and throughout summer. This year he has not - we can't even brush any out of him.
He is 11 year old - his diet has not changed and vaccinations are up to date. He has been well in all other aspects of his health
Should we be worried - his coat is really thick (and slightly yellowing?)which must be uncomfortable with the hot Australian summer.

Answer
I would be worried if he is still carrying around his winter coat. Nothing may have changed that you can see but at 11 yrs old things can change inside.

I would get him to the groomers and have him bathed and then brushed out if you are unable to. He can suffer from heatstroke if his coat is too thick.

You might want to get him on a senior diet if he isn't already on one. That will give him the optimal nutrition he needs for his life stage. We feed and recommend Science Diet.

I hope that you can get to the bottom of this soon.  

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Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

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