Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Many pet parents are concerned that a pet’s hair (fur) will fall out during chemotherapy treatment for cancer.

You might be reassured to learn that the majority of pets do not lose their fur.

According to Pets Magazine author Claudia Chia, dog hair and dog fur are different. Dog hair is longer in length, and while both hair and fur go through distinct growth cycles, the phases of hair growth differ. So how the coat grows often determines how it will be impacted by chemotherapy,

Breeds that are prone to hair loss include Poodle, Maltese, Havanese and Puli, since these dogs have hair not fur.

But don’t despair if your pet is one of these breeds, because when chemo ends, that hair will grow in.

Surprise, your pet’s coat might be a different shade from the color prior to treatment. This shade change will not have an impact on your pet.

Loss of whiskers or guard hairs is common during chemotherapy. Again, no overall negative health repercussion arises from this.

Always keep top of mind that your pet lives in the moment and doesn’t worry the way people worry about appearance.

Pet parents can help themselves and their pets by continuing to enjoy one another’s company as a positive, rewarding time…The AKC does a great job explaining the hair/fur growth cycle. Click here for full article.

Source AKC.