Thin or no hair

[shadream]

Help please.

I am a new yorkie owner, I have had poodles and they are great but different than yorkies(Yorkies great too just different)
This may sound like a stupid question and if it is I apologize in advance.

My liittle 6 mo old boy is scratching his neck. mostly in morning upon rising.
He is on frontline and heartgard, and is very healthy. Is it normal for yorkies to have very thin to no hair under their chins(actually between chin and chest.)

I do have a vet apt. scheduled but will feel foolish is this is normal for them.

Please help.

[Telea]

I am not an expert, but I would say that no hair in that area is not normal. He is possibly keeping it scatched out there. Maybe he has an allergy to the food he is eating or some type of fungus on his skin there. My 2 sometimes will scratch around their neck area because of their collars. But never enough that the hair isn't growing there. It is probably best to let your vet check him out. Maybe he can determine what is causing him to scratch there. Good luck.

Telea, Zoe' and baby Mia

[shadream]

Thanks for replying. I will keep vet apt. but what baffles me is that the skin is white with no indication of irritation . Bafflling.... thank you again

[wss1]

Originally Posted by shadream

Thanks for replying. I will keep vet apt. but what baffles me is that the skin is white with no indication of irritation . Bafflling.... thank you again

Hmmm...do keep us posted.

[KellyV]

Is there no hair, is it sparse or is it just really thin?

Pixie's head looked bald when she was about 6-7 months. She wasn't bald though.... her hair color was changing and it was SO white she looked like she didn't have any hair at all! (It's now turned to a beautiful gold/blonde color). Her chest is still quite white and if she stands a certain way it looks like she doesn't have any hair there.... But she has a thin coat to begin with. I've seen some Yorkies with TONS of hair, Pixie just isn't one of them! I suppose it's like people... I have a ton of hair while the guy standing next to me might be balding!

I'd take him to the vet. Better safe than sorry. They can be sure it isn't a reaction to something or parasites.

[lksdolls]

Originally Posted by shadream

Help please.

I am a new yorkie owner, I have had poodles and they are great but different than yorkies(Yorkies great too just different)
This may sound like a stupid question and if it is I apologize in advance.

My liittle 6 mo old boy is scratching his neck. mostly in morning upon rising.
He is on frontline and heartgard, and is very healthy. Is it normal for yorkies to have very thin to no hair under their chins(actually between chin and chest.)

I do have a vet apt. scheduled but will feel foolish is this is normal for them.

Please help.

Our Sissy was bald compared to the rest of the pups in the litter. She had so little hair and when it did start to show up, it was very thin. Under the chin/chest areas on a yorkie with thin hair is not uncommon. Even our dogs with considerably more hair, it's thinner there. I don't think you need to be concerned about the hair or lack there of. I believe some dogs scratch just to scratch. Just like sometimes you may scratch your head, not because it itches, just something tickles it.

[shadream]

Sometimes depending on how he is standing it looks like a bald spot on his chest, then when I pick him up and move his hair it is actually extremely thiin in that area, the rest of his coat is very thick, cottony but thick. I am probably just being a worried mom, and he really is very healthy, we do have an apt. for Monday afternoon and I will update then. I did buy him some nice oatmeal bath and conditioner and have started putting a bit of olive oil on his food, course too early to notice much change. I will say he doesn't enjoy staying in his bath all lathered up...poor thing.

I sure appreciate your responses, and would like to ask another question
Charlie's coat expecially on the back half of him is extremely cottony, I have heard if you cut the coat it will get curly, I just don't see how this could be, have any of you cut the coat and let it grow out again, did it curl?

Thanks

[shadream]

Took Charlie to vet today and the vet said his chin and neck and
and chest are affected by a contact allergy. To what?
Anyway he is on benedryl 3 X's a day 1/3 teaspoon, he is 5 lbs.

From many post I have read it seems that allergies in these little guys is quite common.

Vet said if not looking better in a week should start allergy shots, hmmm not too happy bout that.

Thanks for support

[autism mommy]

I dont have a yorlie but I do have a yorkiepoo ouooy and she has very thin hair on chesy and belly. you can see her skin easy.

[buddysalley]

My 4-month old Yorkie is having the same problem. I have REALLY been researching this and I think that he is severely allergic to flea bites. Only one or two fleas will really bother him I have him on Frontline too. My friend said that Advantage worked way better on fleas but Frontline kills ticks. Since he NEVER goes anywhere where there are ticks I am changing also eggs are good for their coat so I gave been giving him a plain scrambled egg everyday. If it does not get better now I am going to look into cortezone shots for his allergies. I also heard that a tiny amount of baby benedryl like one tsp will work I an trying this just before the shots. Anyway, keep us posted becuase I am having the same problem and would love to know what is going on with other people's babies.

[SnowWa]

It's true - my puppy looked almost "bald" also because the hair on the top of his head had almost "white roots." And it turned more of a golden tan, and he has plenty of hair.

If you read the section at the beginning of the forum about "Yorkie Coats/hair etc" --- it does say that a lot of puppies have very thin hair that become thicker and very nice as they get older.

You probably have nothing to worry about. Perhaps you needn't make a special vet trip for this - but can bring it up at your next appointment for shots, etc.

Good luck!

Carol Jean

[shadream]

When I took him to vet he said the skin did look irritated.
I have him on the benedryl and he is very sluggish, I heard this could happen for the first few days, wish he was rrunning around causing trouble like usual.
I don't believe it is a flea problem as all my dogs are on frontline and I have 3 other dogs and it seems they would be itching and having trouble too, which they arent.

I will keep you posted. The vet said if no improvement will start cortisone shots in week or so, I really hope this isn't the case, I do wonder though how long these little ones can stay on benedryl, anyone out there have their little ones on benedryl long term? How are they faring on it?

[Lacy's Mom]

I don't think Benadryl long term is unhealthy, but it may stop working. If your vet said it was a contact allergy that means something he is actually touching, not like a food allergy or allergy to flea bites, medicine, etc.

Watch him close, it could be something your washing your bedding or his bedding in, a plant or grass outdoors, carpet shampoo, mopping solution, etc., it could even be the frontline.

The reason people say it gets curlier when cut is because it doesn't have the weight long hair has that keeps it pulled down. Cutting isn't going to change anything. The best product for tangles and a cottony coat is Cowboy Magic Concentrated Detangler and Shine. Check www.cowboymagic.com for a store near you. I paid $23.00 for 12 oz., but a little goes a long long way.

[lksdolls]

Originally Posted by shadream

When I took him to vet he said the skin did look irritated.
I have him on the benedryl and he is very sluggish, I heard this could happen for the first few days, wish he was rrunning around causing trouble like usual.
I don't believe it is a flea problem as all my dogs are on frontline and I have 3 other dogs and it seems they would be itching and having trouble too, which they arent.

I will keep you posted. The vet said if no improvement will start cortisone shots in week or so, I really hope this isn't the case, I do wonder though how long these little ones can stay on benedryl, anyone out there have their little ones on benedryl long term? How are they faring on it?

It is quite possible that it is the Frontline. I've heard of some that had problems with it on the smaller dogs. I would suggest switching to Advantage and see if solves the problem. If you have a collar on him, it may even be the collar.

[shadream]

I do appreciate it.
He doesn't wear a collar except when we go for a walk.
I will try the advantage and see if it makes a difference.
I did call the breeder and she said the mother has allergies as well hmmm
why then did she breed her?
I did wash the bedding in ivory and used downy fabric softner instead of dryer sheet.
The benedryl was not working after a week so the vet put him on predinisone short term to clear him up. hopefully this will work, I know predinisone has awful side affects and can affect the liver long term so this will not be an option.
He has been on it for a few days now and does not seem to be scratching, and his mouth looks a little better.

His eyes water terribly with these allergies.
The breeders advice was to keep him in as much as possible, tough tho, cuz he loves it outside.

You have no idea how much I do appreciate the advice you have provided.
This site is a God send.

God bless you