Shedding & Healthy Coats

Unless you have a Hairless Terrier or a Sphynx, it’s the season once again to expect increased shedding.

Dogs typically lose their winter coats in the spring, when it is replaced by a shorter, lighter one for summer. During this time of the year, however, this cycle is reversed and the summer coat is shed to make room for heavy protective fur for winter.

The amount of shedding varies widely from breed to breed. For example, German Shepherds are prolific year-round shedders, while poodles seem to lose little fur at all. While hair cycles are affected by mental state, hormones, and nutrition, changes primarily occur due to fluctuations in temperature and the amount of daylight.

The length of daylight hours is thought to have more impact on the shedding cycle than temperature, which is why all pets shed during particular times of the year, whether they are in Montana or Florida. As the number of light hours decrease, secretions from the sebaceous glands (those responsible for hair production) also decrease, resulting in shedding. This is part of the new growth cycle, where your pet’s coat will thicken, enhancing hair’s insulating properties and preparing him or her for winter.

Pets that are kept primarily indoors experience fluctuations in both temperature (going in and out of the house) and light (including the artificial light in our homes) all year long. Because they are in a constant state of change, these pets tend to shed their hair - sometimes profusely - throughout the year. Most pets will shed excessively during the winter due to the dry heat in the home. The average humidity of a heated home in the winter is similar to that found in some desert regions. Using a humidifier provides great help in combating excessive shedding during the winter months.

An unhealthy coat can have negative impacts on pet parents, too – most commonly in the form of allergies. Contrary to popular belief, hair is not the main cause of allergies in humans. We are primarily allergic to dander (dead skin cells, like dandruff) and proteins (FEL d 1 in cats and CAN d 1 in dogs) in the oil produced by the sebaceous glands. A study by the Cornell Veterinary University found that by simply washing a dog or cat, many of the allergens are eliminated. The frequency of bathing depends upon the severity of the allergies, from every two to three weeks or two to three months. If you are experiencing pet allergies, we also recommend brushing or combing daily – preferably outdoors. This will help to remove the allergens from your pet’s coat.
 
For all of the hair support systems to function properly, they require a variety of nutrients, including fatty acids, minerals and vitamins. The body delivers these nutrients to the primary organs (heart, lungs, liver) first, and the remainder is sent to the sebaceous glands. Additionally, a healthy coat requires protein – and lots of it! In fact, at optimum nutrition levels, almost 95% of the protein that’s ingested is used by the body to support hair production and maintenance. Nutritious foods like Life’s Abundance Dog Food, Life's Abundance Cat Food and Instinctive Choice Canned Cat Food provide the protein content necessary to supply your pet’s body with the protein necessary to help maintain a healthy coat.

Just as it is important to feed a high-quality, nutrient-dense food, it is also advisable to give your companion animals a balanced supplement that provides the additional nutritional support necessary to achieve the utmost in a healthy coat and skin.