The Possible Case of Alopecia (Hair Loss) in Pregnant Household Pets.

Just like humans, so many changes happen to pets as well during and after pregnancy, one of those experiences is the shedding of hair, so do you have a situation where your dog or cat after delivery begins to lose hair, you may have to panic because it is almost normal and here are things you need to know about the situation. Asides from the shedding of hair in a breastfeeding puppy, you can also notice other symptoms like; decreased appetite, and residual viganal discharge which would go away with time.

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However, pregnancy is not the only reason why pets shed their coats, other reasons could contribute to it, so let's check that out before we get into the fact of pregnancy and the role it plays.

Dogs and cats have three types of hair majorly, they have primary hairs which is the long and coarse type of hair, they have secondary hair which is soft and fluffy and then we have tactile hairs which include whiskers. Shedding is natural and a helpful procedure required for your dog or cat to lose damaged or dead hairs, most often the secondary hairs, but the amount of hair loss depends significantly on some of these factors;

• The breed of the pet: We know that dogs and cats come in different breeds and of course, their length of hair varies based on the breed. The hair type of your pet will play a major significant role during the process of shedding. Long-haired breeds would shed more than short-haired breeds, understanding the nature of the hair your pet has, will help you manage it significantly.

• Pregnancy: The pregnancy and lactation phase can also make pets shed a lot of hair, as it depletes animals of the calcium and minerals required to build a healthy coat, this could result in shedding excessively or shedding out of season.
  Dogs and cats usually, would shed their fur after they give birth or while they are nursing, so when your pet gets pregnant, placing her on a special diet and supplement would help a lot in strengthening her coat.

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• Temperature and Sunlight: These factors have a significant impact on the hair of your animal, when your pet stays outdoors, he would usually shed maybe just once or two times a year and that is often at the end of the winter, but for indoor pets, they would continuously shed all through the year as they live in controlled conditions.

• Being sick: The presence of an underlying medical condition is another reason why your pet may begin to shed hair how you will differentiate normal shedding from an illness or infection based one is that, normal shedding will still maintain a normal look while on the other hand, if there is an underlying illness, the skin would appear red or irritated and this may be assigned to see a vet as quick as possible. Common causes for excessive or problematic shedding are; Allergies, stress, poor nutrition, dirty or irritated skin, hormonal deficiencies, parasites, or fleas.

If your pet does not show any sign of irritation or skin redness then there could be nothing to worry about as the loss of hair during pregnancy or during the phase of taking care of her pups, the situation is known as blowing the coat or telogen effluvium. Growing hair in pets happens in cycles, there is a phase for growth or anagen, there is also a phase when the hair stops to grow which we call catagen, and then the resting phase called the telogen. During the process of hair growth, different areas of the coat may not be the same.
We have to bear in mind that, there is the stress associated with giving birth and nursing, and hair may enter into a resting stage, so they may all shed at the same time. Hormonal changes may also affect hair loss.

Dogs may lose hair in clumps which leaves some areas of the body completely hairless, with this the skin still looks normal, this hair loss usually happens symmetrically on the back side, the sides, and flanks, sometimes it could happen up to three months after the dog gives birth. When hair is falling out, it could get matted and provide a breeding ground for microorganisms and other bacteria that could lead to skin infections.

A healthy coat signifies a healthy pet, in a situation where your pet is shedding due to an underlying medical condition, it is significant to first of all, get treatment from a veterinary doctor, these tips will help provide strong health;

• Ensure that your pet is given quality food that is high in protein, and fatty acids like premium diet, and omega 3.

• Ensure that parasites and fleas are kept far away from your pet through consistent deworming and flea treatments.

• Make sure that you clean up your pet consistently.

• Brush your pet to take out dead hair and stimulate new hair growth.

References.

https://www.msdvetmanual.com/dog-owners/skin-disorders-of-dogs/hair-loss-alopecia-in-dogs

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4908443/

https://www.pethealthnetwork.com/dog-health/dog-diseases-conditions-a-z/monitoring-new-mother-after-puppy-birth

https://wagwalking.com/condition/telogen-defluxion

https://www.cuteness.com/article/dog-losing-hair-after-breeding

https://dogcare.dailypuppy.com/treatments-postwhelping-hair-loss-dogs-6266.html

https://www.vetwest.com.au/pet-library/shedding-in-cats-and-dogs