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My 3-4 year old female Am Staff (received from a shelter 5 months ago) has lost her stamina and her coat has changed significantly in the past (2) weeks with general hair loss below the neckline. The first indications that she was tired occurred approximately (3-4) weeks ago but she will still initiate play and wants to walk- just breathes harder and needs to take breaks which begin early in the activity. In the past (1-2) weeks her black coat lost its sheen and looks dull and gray. Some spots appear to be darker and wet looking but the size and shape of the spots lack consistency throughout her body. Overall, she is shedding a lot Her head, ears, and lower legs are not affected. She is eating/drinking and eliminating as usual.

The Vet scrapped several areas down to the skin to examine and ran blood tests for parasites and thryoid which came back negative. Now they want to sedate her and do biopsies of the skin. We've been fortunate with our other dogs and have never had to go through testing like this. Does anyone know what this could be or if we should be doing something else for her? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

>>My 3-4 year old female Am Staff (received from a shelter 5 months ago) has lost her stamina and her coat has changed significantly in the past (2) weeks with general hair loss below the neckline. The first indications that she was tired occurred approximately (3-4) weeks ago but she will still initiate play and wants to walk- just breathes harder and needs to take breaks which begin early in the activity. In the past (1-2) weeks her black coat lost its sheen and looks dull and gray. Some spots appear to be darker and wet looking but the size and shape of the spots lack consistency throughout her body. Overall, she is shedding a lot Her head, ears, and lower legs are not affected. She is eating/drinking and eliminating as usual.
>>
>>The Vet scrapped several areas down to the skin to examine and ran blood tests for parasites and thryoid which came back negative. Now they want to sedate her and do biopsies of the skin. We've been fortunate with our other dogs and have never had to go through testing like this. Does anyone know what this could be or if we should be doing something else for her? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

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For the skin biopsies, I'd want a veterinary dermatology specialist to do it. You don't want her to have to do through it twice if a regular vet doesn't get the information the specialist would from that sample.
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Kathy Diamond Davis, author, "Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others," 2nd edition, and the free Canine Behavior Series articles at http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=SRC&S=1&SourceID=47

>>My 3-4 year old female Am Staff (received from a shelter 5 months ago) has lost her stamina and her coat has changed significantly in the past (2) weeks with general hair loss below the neckline. The first indications that she was tired occurred approximately (3-4) weeks ago but she will still initiate play and wants to walk- just breathes harder and needs to take breaks which begin early in the activity. In the past (1-2) weeks her black coat lost its sheen and looks dull and gray. Some spots appear to be darker and wet looking but the size and shape of the spots lack consistency throughout her body. Overall, she is shedding a lot Her head, ears, and lower legs are not affected. She is eating/drinking and eliminating as usual.
>>
>>The Vet scrapped several areas down to the skin to examine and ran blood tests for parasites and thryoid which came back negative. Now they want to sedate her and do biopsies of the skin. We've been fortunate with our other dogs and have never had to go through testing like this. Does anyone know what this could be or if we should be doing something else for her? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

Coudn't it be an allergic reaction to something she was bathed with, or a new food allergy? Has anything changed at all? Fungus she could be in contact with?

There has been nothing new, food, soap, snacks etc since we got her. One thing that I did not know at the time of my original post was that she has gained (8) lbs since December; and doesn't look it. She eats once a day, no table scraps, and her treats are very limited (we are using them as a reward for non aggressive behaviors in public only). Her snacks are small pieces of cooked meat (chicken or beef).

We'll try a change in diet however, should we proceed with the skin biopsy, especially since she doesn't itch/lick and it would require another stressfull trip to the Vet (animal aggressive) and sedation? The Vet seems to want to do it ASAP. I think I am most worried about her shortness of breath but they're focused on her skin; are the (2) related? Thanks for offering advice and sharing your insights.

>>There has been nothing new, food, soap, snacks etc since we got her. One thing that I did not know at the time of my original post was that she has gained (8) lbs since December; and doesn't look it. She eats once a day, no table scraps, and her treats are very limited (we are using them as a reward for non aggressive behaviors in public only). Her snacks are small pieces of cooked meat (chicken or beef).
>>
>>We'll try a change in diet however, should we proceed with the skin biopsy, especially since she doesn't itch/lick and it would require another stressfull trip to the Vet (animal aggressive) and sedation? The Vet seems to want to do it ASAP. I think I am most worried about her shortness of breath but they're focused on her skin; are the (2) related? Thanks for offering advice and sharing your insights.

I totally agree with you, but maybe they are related. I'm no vet.... but seen them WAY too much. I'm one of those parent that see a bump and off to the vet we go. My vet accuses me of being more in tune with my pets than anyone he knows!

I wonder if it could be the sedation?
BY THE WAY bless you for rescuing/adopting this AmStaff with animal aggression issues. So many go no where.

You are earning your stars in heaven for that!

I'd definitely keep a vet involved. Try a holistic vet. They've got the same education as other vets, only afterward they learn about "alternative" ways of healing. They're also MUCH better trained in nutrition. I took my dog with lupus to a regular vet and he gave her a prescription. We took her to a holistic vet and he told us tons of stuff we could do for her. It's amazing how much more he knew than the other vet. Another thing about holistic vets is just that by the nature of their practice they see their patients as more than just bodies to be treated. I'm sure if you've got a good holistic vet near you, you could discuss possible house visits.
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Kadee Sedtal
home of old lady Lucy (boxer/lab/garbage disposal), and the lovely new addition, Fancy the Wonder Beagle!

Try an elimination diet. For a week or two, only feed one kind of meat & bones. The first week I had my old girl she got only raw chicken wings (this was after eating Wal-Mart brand crap for 8 years, and she has never had a problem with the bones). Week by week we would add one new thing until we finally reached the conclusion she wasn't allergic to anything. That way if you don't see any problems you'll at least know it's not the diet. Also try giving EFA's. My dogs get organic flaxseed oil and wild salmon oil every day and their coats look excellent.
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Kadee Sedtal
home of old lady Lucy (boxer/lab/garbage disposal), and the lovely new addition, Fancy the Wonder Beagle!