So, since nature deprived me of a full
natural coat, I have accumulated many fashionable man-made
sweaters and coats that I wear when I go for walks,
shopping or visiting friends. With this in mind and
needing to store all of my fashionable items, Amber's
ArmoireTM was born.
You don't have to be losing your natural
coat to own my armoire. Lots of my friends wear clothes
or just leashes and collars. To name a few are my poodle,
yorkie, spaniel, schnauzer, greyhound, lab and mutt friends
and would you believe my cat buddies do, too!!!
Color Mutant Alopecia
Color Mutant Alopecia appears in a number
of dogs that have a variation in coat color. Most affected
are the coat colorings of "fawn or blue".
Dogs usually acquiring this form of alopecia are Doberman
pinchers (often called "Doberman Blue"). Other
dogs affected are the Yorkshire and silky terrier, poodle,
chow and Chihuahua to name a few. These dogs have the
coat colorings of grey-blue and fawn.
The term Alopecia refers to baldness
or hairlessness. Symptoms include patchiness of haircoat
that can spread to a large area and most often permanent
loss of hair. Abnormal hair follicles and clumping of
pigment in the hair shafts are what is thought to be
responsible for this inherited condition. Although dogs
are born with all of their haircoat, they do not show
any of these signs up until about 6 months old and sometimes
up to 3 years old. There is no cure for alopecia, however,
this condition does not affect your dog's health otherwise.
Follliculitis is a common problem associated
with this affliction but can be treated with antibiotics.
It appears as tiny bumps on the dry scaly skin. The
use of moisturizers can help reduce the dryness and
flakiness.
Since your dog has been deprived of a
normal haircoat, remember to protect him/her from weather
conditions. Keeping your dog clothed in cold weather
and shielded from the sun completely or dressed in a
lightweight cotton tee will protect him/her from the
sun's rays.
If you suspect your dog to have
alopecia, please see your veterinarian. Laboratory testing
is the only way to prove positive for this condition.
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