Ask a VetIf You've Got a Dog at Home It's Time to Toss the Stash

Dogster

My RTT's have become very fuzzy

Natasha,- Russian Toy- Terrier

Hey give me that- now!

Barked: Wed May 6, '09 11:35pm PST


	Since mom had to have me, Tasha, spade (emergency pyametra) I have become very fuzzy, cute but fuzzy. So then she got Boris fixed since there was no reason any more not to and he became very fuzzy. Does any one else have a fuzzy RTT? We used to be very smooth and shiny long coats before. We look kind of funny now... in a very cute kind of way. Plus Boris got fat! He went from 4 lbs to 6 lbs after his operation. He looks like a little watermellon with legs now. hehehe, don't tell him I said that though.

my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals

Goof Fox & Diva- Squirrel

Barked: Tue Jan 31, '12 11:01am PST


	This is a really old thread, but you never got any answers and I'm going to respond anyway! I don't know if the dexesing surgery made your pups "fluffy," but I know in some breeds it can alter coats. Irish Setters are a good example- especially with males, neutering them can change their coat from long/sleek/shiny to kind of cottony/soft/fuzzy. I'm not sure of the mechanism behind it but it surely has something to do with altering the balance of the hormones. As for the weight, neutered males are at higher risk to gain weight. Desexed animals require less food since they have lower metabolisms- so if you haven't already, try feeding less of a high quality food. And don't forget to regularly exercise your pups! If that does not seem to help, I would suspect hypothyroidism. Luckily that too can be managed with daily medication from your vet after they confirm through blood tests that that is the case. Hope that helped if you were still looking for an answer Fuzzy or not your dogs are gorgeous! I just recently learned about RTTs and was checking out the forum to see if I could learn anything else from people who own them

my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals

Natasha,- Russian Toy- Terrier

Hey give me that- now!

Barked: Fri Feb 17, '12 9:49pm PST


	Thank you very much for a response. I did not know that about the coats but figured something changed both their coats since it was right after being spayed/nuetered. FYI: There is a Russian Toy Terrier group on Facebook now.

my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals

Goof Fox & Diva- Squirrel

Barked: Tue Feb 21, '12 11:06pm PST


	Natasha, thanks for letting me know about the facebook group! I'll have to check that out Also, I got curious and did a little research on coat texture change following spay/neuter. Apparently it is a very real thing that happens to long-coated breeds sometimes following the desexing surgery. The change in hormone levels ends up tinkering with the hair growth cycle somehow, though the exact mechanism is not known. In addition to Irish setters, I found mention of golden setters, gordon setters, cocker spaniels, KCC spaniels, border collies, papillons, saymoneds, and huskies being affected. What happens is that the dogs end up growing more undercoat which is softer and finer- making it matt easier. In addition guard hairs tend to grow longer than before the spay or neuter. That makes the dog fluffier and "fuzzy" in appearance. Honestly, I feel like the desexing surgery may have affected both of my dog's coats as well. Kip has fuzzies on the sides of his legs that look like puppy coat, but it just keeps growing longer and longer. Oogie was spayed in January and she is already starting to get way fluffy- granted, she went through 1 heat cycle and blew coat pretty extensively, so she could just be growing all of that blown coat back in. Either way mine are half pomeranian so I don't really mind if they get some extra fluff and fuzz on them. Anyhoo just thought I'd add in the extra info that I found

my posts | my page | msg me | my family's posts | gift me | become pals