Colour Dilution Alopecia

[Fevah]

Jaques has CDA.

I've read up on what it is, but I'm more concerned about how to improve his skin/fur.

Does anyone have any experience with this problem?

Can anyone offer solutions in regards to what I can give/feed/bathe him with to help improve this condition?

...yes he's a reject, but he's MY reject...

Thanks.

Edited September 11, 2008 by Fevah

[Rysup]

Is he desexed?

I was reading an article about this in Poms the other day.

Edited September 11, 2008 by Rysup

[Fevah]

No he's not desexed yet. I desex my dogs when they are approximately a year old so I can be confident that they have done all the growing they need to do. He's almost 8 months at the moment.

[Rysup]

We have alopecia X in Keeshonds, and desexing is the only known cure. I am not sure about Colour Dilution though. I am not sure there is much you can do to help or stop it. Maybe see how it goes once he has his op.

[stormie]

I don't think there's much to do in the way of treating the actual CDA, but things you can do to help is use mild shampoos and be gentle while bathing and grooming to reduce the amount of hair loss and breakage. Managing skin infections is important too.

I did just find this though, might be worth asking your vet to look into??

• Synthetic retinoid drugs (etretinate, 1-3 mg/kg q24h or isotretinoin 1-3 mg/kg q24h) have been used with success in some patients. Although responses are rarely complete, some hair growth, reduction in scaling, and reduced frequency of bacterial folliculitis may be noted.

[puggy_puggy]

...yes he's a reject, but he's MY reject...

Most of us own rejects.

It may be a long shot but my boy pugs hair changed texture from being dull and coarse to being shiny and soft and it lenghtened from changing his diet over from dry food to a BARF/RAW diet. His itchy skin also improved vastly.

PM me if you want the feeding routine I use.

Also Omega 3 oils and Evening Primrose Oil are supposed to help with hair and skin issues.

[Fevah]

Thanks for the replies I've got so far, if anyone else has any suggestion feel free to continue the discussion

[InspectorRex]

Fevah- Jacques is so adorable

Send Charles Kuntz a PM( Veterinary Specialist)- he is so wonderful and so helpful and should be able to point you in the right direction for the care of the adorable one.

Edited September 12, 2008 by InspectorRex

[WalandLibby]

Is his skin sore? I thought CDA was usually a cosmetic concern, rather than something that directly affected welfare.

[Fevah]

Thanks IR, will definately do that.

He doesn't appear to be in any pain, however he has less hair than the average dog and his skin is dry and flaky. In that regard I am concerned for his welfare during the upcoming summer months where he would be more prone to sunburn.

I just want to do the best for him, regardless whether its cosmetic or not. I think dry, flaky skin would be irritating, unfortunately he can't actually tell me whether this is the case!!

[sas]

I've read about the condition before and I really hope you can find some answers.

In regards to improving coat condition, I would reccomend a BARF diet and a coat supplement such as: http://shop.rufusandcoco.com.au/p-2-super-skin-coat.aspx

In regards to de-sexing, you mentioned you were waiting until all the growth was completed at around 12 months.....I don't have small dogs but I thought they matured very fast?

[Fevah]

Thanks sas,

Often we are confronted with many different ideas about how to manage our dogs. It is very confusing for the average dog owner. I believe that sometimes your instincts are right, no matter what people say. I have always thought, and mind you I don't have any biological degrees or anything, that the hormones we all have are there for a reason for growth and development and it would be detrimental to remove them at too early an age. In that regard, I myself wait until my dogs are approximately a year old to desex them and thankfully the breeders and rescuers that have allowed me to attain their dogs have been good enough to take my word for it.

Its just a personal choice, much like the dog owners who don't follow up on vaccinations because they believe one course is enough.

Oh and I have been told by Min Pin breeders growing is finished once the front legs have no knobbly bits so to speak but I still don't understand this so I wait a year just to be sure LOL. My males have never really had any major aggression/marking/chasing after bitches issues either, so it makes it easier to wait!

[puggy_puggy]

Oh and I have been told by Min Pin breeders growing is finished once the front legs have no knobbly bits so to speak but I still don't understand this so I wait a year just to be sure

They are probably talking about the growth plates fusing.

[Fevah]

I'm sure they are puggy pug, however to a non-breeder such as myself it still doesn't make sense!

[Cordelia]

In that regard, I myself wait until my dogs are approximately a year old to desex them and thankfully the breeders and rescuers that have allowed me to attain their dogs have been good enough to take my word for it.

Huh? Rescues??

[Fevah]

Cordelia our red merle Koolie Jicin is a rescue. The other 3 have been attained from breeders.