Sharon Jones. Until I read maybe it was a symptom of BSD. Im happy to havePeach the Pomeranian and her Pommy Mommy Lauren tobe our guest blogger! Update you later about that , thanks again !Love from Lie Kong and Suay, Really appreciated this down to earth info! Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Being away from his family traumatized the dog and he lost all his hair. I have been rubbing his bare areas with liquid coconut oil to keep his skin moisturized. Lauren also shares what her Vets advice was and more facts about Alopecia in Pomeranians for us as Pommy Mommies to have a better understanding of this unique disease. I put a sweater on him when it is cool and a light weight sweater on him when the weather is warm so he doesnt sun burn. Well I can honestly say his gorgeous thick coat is back and better than ever. Thanks for all the info! Be sure to communicate as much as you can to an experienced veterinarian if you start noticing symptoms of this disease. My handsome boy was just giving me the idea that the weather was hot and he was normal shedding . We started melatonin for about two months. After all this time suddenly there is all this new hair growthand its really thick! My older pom is 11, he has just recently been dx with Alopecia X, we have been on Melatonin for about a month and a half now and his hair is still falling out. I gave them to her, one a day and after 2 months, didnt notice anything! I started to give him coconut oil thinking that might help. After two weeks I noticed hair growth on both side of the stomach than the neck and upper back his tail and back legs is taking longer. The ratio is 20mg per pound. There are many health and behavioral benefits to spaying or neutering your Pomeranian in addition to helping manage the symptoms of Black Skin Disease. One clear way of attempting to avoid Black Skin Disease in your Pomeranian is to make sure that their hair is as healthy as can be. We were out walking and a lady stopped to talk to us. An alternative option to the previous therapies is through the use of growth hormones since this can alter the deficiency of your Pomeranians sex hormones. Im gonna give your tips a try. After a few weeks, I was stunned to see the growth of some really lush hairstarting on his backall the way to his tail. Anyway, thanks, good to know Im doing the right thing. Vet said to increase his raw food portions. Our rescue Pom, Cooper had the beginning of Alopecia X when we adopted him 6 years ago. The main issue with the loss of hair on a Pomeranian is that they lose both their guard coat and base coat. Any advise is appreciated! I almost fainted. Now 10 later he is much better kidneys and liver are almost to normal , but Kong has patella problems and will need surgery in the future so no more stairs ! Gentle brushing with a tiny slicker brush removed most of the crusted flakes. Jerry, my 8 yr old pom, was recently diagnosed with alopecia X. Can you help me understand whats is possible going on? Unfortunately, theres no guarantee that hair loss wont continue. Two things happened. Melatonin was recommended along with supplements for his food. He has stopped losing hair, has some fuzzy hair on his sides, and most of his black skin is showing pink underneath! I think she shaved him. With that in mind, the overall goal is to restore your Pomeranians coat and, hopefully, prevent hair loss from happening again.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[580,400],'spinningpom_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_12',142,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-spinningpom_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0')}; Most hormone-based hair losses are very similar. Make sure to use a sunscreen recommended by your vet or one that is specially formulated for dogs, and always avoid using human products on pets unless your vet suggests them. The red boy on left is the worst. Do you think this could be BSD, or the beginning of him shedding his puppy coat? You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Since my wife and I do not have children, he plays the role, and he plays it well, lol. I spent hours cutting out the mats and bathing him with medicated shampoo. I found out about a Melotonin treatment, and I wanted to see if any of yall have had good luck with that yet? Sadly, hair re-growth is not always permanent. I have had several poms before and never had this issue before. The sponge definitely did the trick for me, now that Ive been using it every time I bathe him, months later hes got his thick coat back. Understand that these changes dont occur over night. Thank you for your advice! His thyroid was low. Her brother has a full body of hair and both came from the same parents. Look for foods with potatoes, lamb, omega-3, omega-6. I eventually felt the need to bring Peach to the vets office to find out what was going on with my sweet girl. Also he licks his paws a lot. It is definitely helping our baby. Also, its possible that giving them a daily spray of a coat and skin formula after their daily brush is helpful. In place of the hair, black patches of skin begin to appear. He was on that for a while and continued to loose his coat. I have been giving him Lipiderm fish oil pills. I know its hard sometimes to not give them any! I attempted a sensitive skin regime for Peach and usually a change like this can reverse whatever damage had been done, but not with PeachAlopecia in Pomeranians. Some believe that there is some inherited defect in the normal hair growth cycle as well as an inherited unstable hormone metabolism, similar to what we just discussed. He has bad cataracts, horrible teeth and missing his hair from shoulders to tail, as many of you have described. If anyone is interested here is Frodos story , http://www.tigertailfoods.com/health-matters-nov-10.php. So I am trying to help him as much as I can. SO i started giving her one egg a day again! Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. I trimmed her hair in the summer and it just didnt grow back properly and her skin darkened. What is a all brown foods diet? His liver was functioning bad ! I also include sweet potatoes and fresh peas in his meal. He has had the disease about 3 yrs now and has lost all his hair. Ask your local pet store to show you skin and coat foods available. Due to the difficulty in identifying the root cause, diagnosis of the disease often begins with attempting to rule out other conditions first. Yet, she didnt show any strange behavior or discomfort. However, its also important to know the causes of this problem so we can better understand how to approach preventing and treating it. Its also very possible that Black Skin Disease isnt just one disease at all but instead a mix of several, resulting in proper diagnosis and treatment far more difficult. I dont know if this was due to the massaging or the shampoo. These types of causes are, again, rooted in the genetic ancestry of our Pomeranians due to the type of breeding done to produce what we know today as the Pomeranian. I am still learning how to help him to revert this situation. I kept massaging it into his skin the whole timemostly so he wouldnt try to escape from the sink. We took him everywhere with us, that dogs are allowed, and at times it became a bit of a hassle being stopped every 2 steps, because EVERYONE freaked out at how beautiful his fur is, and hardly anyone knew Poms could even be Blue Merle, but we still enjoyed the fact everyone loved him immediately due to his personality and very handsome looks. (Long story short)Starting in May We went on a 10 day holiday,Kong went to a host.. A couple days later,after we all got back home Kong started to throw up sometimes ( not the whole meal )was sleeping most of the time,after a few more days he refused food that was when I took him to the vet . He only has hair on the top of his head and on his legs. Nothing was found so he concluded it was alopecia X. The only hair that fell out was his under coatvery odd. He wanted to take a blood sample and skin culture to make sure though. Good fats promote hair growth and healthy skin. their ancestral relationship with Arctic working dogs, the type of breeding done to produce what we know today as the Pomeranian, keeping your Pomeranians hair and skin healthy, high-quality shampoo and leave-in conditioners, feeding your Pomeranian with healthy food from trusted brands, certain human food should be avoided in general, reduce the amount of stress in your Pomeranians environment. With that in mind, there are a few theories out there regarding the causes of Alopecia X and thus Black Skin Disease. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The technical term for it is Alopecia X due to the causes of the condition being relatively unknown. The problem with growth hormones is that theyre genetically engineered products, which means theyre not easy to purchase even as a prescription. This means that since its genetic, its very hard to combat it. I am using Hawaiian spirulina, but I think any brand you can get at your health food store would be OK. Blue-green algae or wheat grass might also work. No, I dont use dish washing liquid, just regular dog shampoo or even human shampoo and conditioner. Yes, he had an awesome coat of fur before. It kept growing and holy cowit grew out to be the most fabulous coatbetter than she had before!! The cause of alopecia X in dogs is often some sort of hormonal imbalance. Thanks for sharing Lindsey, at least I know Im on the right track. Is there really skin and blood to determine this? Will also tell you if the dog is deficient in vitamins & minerals, and any environmental allergens that you can possibly avoid or eliminatemy little Pom boy has this problem, and I want to do EVERYTHING I can to reverse it!! Skin is dry and top coat along back has gone he was a gorgeous show pom, and his incredible coat looks like puppy uglies. While its purely a cosmetic condition, its incredibly unpleasant to see our Pomeranians go through something like this. My 12-year-old Brutus has had BSD for years. ), we love him all the same. I cant afford all the testing etc but his black spots and hair loss just as you describe. Tell us all about it in the comments below. Need to let you know this started after we took him to the groomer and told them to give him a summer cut. Hey, by any chance did your sponge have dish washing detergent on it?? Alopecia (AKA Black Skin Disease) in Pomeranians is a very hot topicamongPomeranian owners. It has now grown long again with all the tips of her hair reddish. If you end up resorting to the use of growth hormones, youll need to find a veterinarian who not only can provide these hormones but can properly administer them for your Pomeranian. The early onset symptoms can occur up to one year old, but its been seen in Pomeranians up to ten years old. I personally suggest K9 Select Melatonin for Dogs (link to read reviews on Amazon). Remember these things take time,patienceis key, and always check with your vet beforestarting any new diet or routines. If your little dog is losing his/her fur, try feeding some spirulina. Again, thank you for bringing this to our attention. Now I will say that it is sporatic in spots but I have hope. Now all of that is gone! Funny enough, removing stressful situations from people also produces added benefits that were previously unknown, so its fully possible that this sort of change could change your Pomeranians life for the better in more ways than one. I beginning to panic, my sister who loves reality television jokingly said wouldnt it be funny if you dog was bald like the one on Real Housewives. Then it clicked. How did your vet help your dog deal with the hair loss? The smell cannot be ignored. Gradual and symmetrical loss of outer coat, usually ranging from shoulders to hind legs. Eventually the tests came back positive and I was heart broken, mostly because I didnt understand. He is a good nature dog and has been to the vet regularly. Hes also on coconut oil, tumeric and of course a raw diet. But there are ways in which we can go about treating our Pomeranians so that they can hopefully live a happy life full of joy and puffiness. As is the case for the other Pomeranian health problems, the main causes of Black Skin Disease have been determined to be rooted in their genetic history. You should speak to your veterinarian on the dosage size because it isnt an FDA approved supplement and it has the effect of producing drowsiness and sedation. She said she use to have a Pom and he lost all of his hair due to trauma. Thanks to all for this great article and replies! I am using Stella & Chewy. Once there Dr. Porter examined Peach and told me he could see she had Alopecia X also known as Black Skin Disease, due to her darkening skin and fur loss. I too would love to know which allergy test kit you used. A few areas have now returned to pink skin. The new hair is long and silkynot the cottony undercoat kind. I have been giving him levothyroxin , melatonin and now coconut oil. monitoring_string = "c1299fe10ba49eb54f197dd4f735fcdc". I am definitely going to try these things with my 11 yr old white pom. Similar to Methyltestosterone therapy, your veterinarian will have to perform regular blood tests to keep track of your Pomeranians hormone levels. Its also a very good reason why Pomeranian parents like ourselves should be very cautious when presenting a fashion statement with our Pomeranians hair.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'spinningpom_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',127,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-spinningpom_com-medrectangle-4-0')}; If your Pomeranian isnt able to grow their hair back, its a huge loss for them and can even change their attitude. His skin is very clear. Oh, and at the start, I had to do the shampoo routine every two or three days to get his skin condition under control. Upon closer inspection I realized this was black skin. I sat up that night doing as much research as possible to see if there was something causing her to go bald, and there wasAlopecia in Pomeranians, Before I go on and create any panic or anxiety in any Pommy Mommys reading this let me explain that there are several reasons a dog could be losing their hair. He was a beautiful dog when we got him. It gradually progressed until his hair was mostly either completely gone on the back of his legs and toward his tail, or scraggly up to about his front shoulders. Try to get the blue sponge with one side having a rough surface sort of like a light sandpaper, dont get the green one that looks like a brillo pad on one side. I really hope my story here can help whoever is dealing with their dogs alopecia. I dont know whether to attribute it to the shampoo and conditioner or the melatonin, but I do know that the hair came back right after I started with the medicated shampoo/conditioner. I gave her 3mg everyday for 4 months and nothing. I adopted my baby with some hair loss and was told he was recovering from mange. Thank you so much! I wasnt that satisfied with the results and took him off but maybe I should have stuck with it. He was put on a low dose thyroid medication and melatonin(3 mg., any brand, given with evening meal). Pomeranians are at risk of various skin allergies that can easily be treated and often are not threatening to their skin or coat in the long term. Help, I have a 4 month old (male) Pomeranian puppy. He had SUCH a GORGEOUS, thick, luxurious coat it was so heartbreaking watching it all fall out. We started melatonin about three weeks ago and just recently I noticed she has about 20 small scabs all over her body. Local vet said it was something that just happened to Poms. My Pom does the same thing. The vet gave me medicated shampoo and cream rinse Virbac for Sebolux shampoo and Virbac Epi-Sooth cream rinse. Blood test showed his blood had parasites due tick bite ! Ive lived a life surrounded by all kinds of pets and my favorite pet pals have always been my Poms. However, certain human food should be avoided in general. This worked for my dog and I really hope it can be duplicated on others so we can finally put an end to listening to what vets have to say feeding our dogs melatonin and god knows what else when it doesnt even work. He was just diagnosed with Alopecia X, which has been really hard on me. Cooper was diagnosed with Alopecia X,last year, by his Vet. Its very important that we pay attention to these symptoms. Crossing my fingers that he gets even just a little fuzz back. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. I said goodness what had happened to him. His hair is so thin , bald & black spotted skin on his hind legs & rear. Take that away and you take away some of their character. When these hormones are imbalanced, then there is possibly an oncoming condition will happen in a Pomeranian or another dog. I worked up to 4 tablets twice a day, usually giving them to him while I was preparing his other food with the supplements. Additionally, vets often advise that dogs suffering from this condition wear sunscreen on the affected areas of their skin. At first I had to crush them, but then he started eating them whole. We were to feed him raw turkey necks for bones and teeth. Where his skin was once blochy and black was now pink and normal with hair coming in. Some of the other suggestions for possible causes include: The condition affects a number of dog breeds more than others. When Pomeranians have Black Skin Disease, it can be very traumatizing and difficult to cope with, so considering the proper course of treatment is important. Over time, your vet may suggest that your Pomeranian stop the treatment. It has helped quite a bit on his back! As we discussed, Black Skin Disease is a form of baldness and skin color changing. Now they have testing kits you can order yourself & collect the samples at home & send back incan save a little money. My pomeranian was a rescue dog about a year old four years ago. My story is almost the same with my little man Kaleb (4 yr old pom), only backward, we started by going to the hollistic clinic and getting bu gan tang. Was anybody elses dogs itchy?? In my childhood, my mother actually got Alopecia Areata, and it broke my heart seeing her coping with it. Here is a short explanation of I have created with the help of my vet to better explain and help deal with Alopecia X. Something I wanted to share with you fine folks that has helped a little, is look into adding Coconut Oil to your dogs diet. Coping with and possibly reversing hair loss. Keep in mind that your Pomeranian doesnt need to go on a diet. I was aware spirulina and wheat grass could help a woman stop hair loss, so I started giving him a couple of tablets in his food. i am afraid I would rather have a naked Pom then give her medication trying to bring it back. Under the scab it looks like mini cuts about 3mm in length. Please help Ive been fortunate enough that none of my Pomeranians have had any of these symptoms and I pray never to see them. Hormonal imbalance may be causing your pets fur to fall out. Dont immediately jump to conclusions that your dog has Alopecia X or Black Skin disease. Everyone fell in love with him when we got him. I was going to include a picture here of my Pom but I see that is not an option. My precious 2.5 years old Pom, QT is already loosing his hair over the past year, just recently the third vet told me that he is diagnosed with alopecia X. Heres hoping little Spartacus wont be bald from the shoulders down forever . But after reading all of the comments here, I actually have some hope that my Boo Boo Bare as I named him, will possibly get to be a Boo Boo Bear! I just dont have the financial means to have all of the testing done by a vet right now. Oh, and the hair where he wore either a collar of harness also rubbed off. Another form of hormone therapy that could be effective is Methyltestosterone therapy. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Keep with it, it does take some time, but I hope by posting here I can help someone else! Since a week ago the black colouring has increased and I am becoming worried. Hi Lisa! But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. I really hope this works for you and everyone else out there reading this. One is not as bad but coat is ratty. These are detrimental outcomes that are difficult to reverse and have numerous other side effects, including being susceptible to other skin related issues, being easily cold, and being exposed to the worlds elements. The hair is soft and the dark skin has even reverted back to its original color! If you see signs that your dog might be suffering from hair loss, then you must consult your veterinarian for a proper diagnosis and course of treatment. and how many times a day? I also have a pom who started experiencing hair loss a couple years ago. I feed him Blue Mountain food. Thanks again! We got renal diet food Kong was in stage two but needed no infuse if he just kept drinking water it would be fine ! When I realized what was going on, I took her to a Dermatologist vet. My Pom, who only had hair on her head, legs and very little on her tail is almost back to her original state of full body hair. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Knowing the cause of any issue is important so that we can better understand the source of the problem. A couple of weeks ago, an old pitiful little blind Pom was apparently dumped near our house. could you tell me which brand of melatonin gave his pomi? Its a gradual slow change which may not be noticed at first. How can I post their photos? Try easing your brushing routines with a softer brush or the amount of time you brush them. Wheat grass can restore hair color in women after it turns white or grey. My Pom was bald on both sides of his stomach, tail back legs, neck, and upper back. (I do cat rescue and have two rescue poodles, so possibly he was dropped near me on purpose.) My Lindys fur was almost completely gone all over her sides and chest and hind legs, her skin was black and her fur felt sticky, and also her skin was flaky. Your veterinarian will most likely only resort to this if the melatonin therapy had no effect because periodic blood work on your Pomeranian is required. Some of the dog breeds that most commonly suffer from alopecia X include: If you notice that your dogs hair is falling out and you suspect that they might be suffering from alopecia X, your veterinarian will want to carry out a full physical examination and also order blood tests. (Picture Credit: JodiJacobson/Getty Images). Thank you so much for writing this story. Again, this is a very new clinical territory that needs further exploration by todays doctors and scientists. Plays, very alert. I have him on Science Diet, plus a skin supplement with omega 3 & 6. But he is happy, pain free and healthy. My poor little 5 month old cream pom just got diagnosed with BSD and I am desperate for anything and I will try the sponge with his next bath! I just found your website and think its great I have a Pom and actually wrote an article for my work about his BSD. I took her to the vet, they did a skin scrape test and was negative. I am so sad. Very soft silky hair. I definatly recommend trying it! I believe the issue of Black Skin Disease is quite clear now and we should know when to spot the signs if it becomes an issue. But now I look at him and cannot believe all the hair now has when he was almost bald, he still wears NFL shirts more for looks now then covering up his hair loss. Now, this is not always resulting in Black Skin Disease, but apparently there are notable connections between the cause and effect.if(typeof ez_ad_units != 'undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'spinningpom_com-box-4','ezslot_4',128,'0','0'])};if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-spinningpom_com-box-4-0')}; Its also been suggested that factors such as obesity and allergies are contributors to Black Skin Disease. Since one of the main theories behind the cause of Black Skin Disease in Pomeranians is a hormone imbalance, veterinarians commonly suggest to spay or neuter your Pomeranian to remove the issue of a hormone imbalance all together.