Dear Dr. John,
My little canine is a long-haired, middle-aged mutt, half poodle and half spaniel. As I used to be strolling her with my buddy’s canine, we bumped into my buddy’s vet who seen one thing on my canine’s leg that beforehand I had simply discovered to reside with. She had an space of hair loss across the outdoors of her proper knee in addition to some discoloration of the sunshine hairs. I informed the vet that my vet had stated that the hair coloration change was resulting from my canine’s saliva from licking and chewing on the space. Is this true? I ask as a result of the remark was made that there could also be one thing else happening and that maybe the knee ought to be examined. What do you suppose was meant by that and may I be involved that my canine has one other drawback? Thanks! S.F.
Dear S.F.,
Light hair discoloration, often to a rust reddish brown coloration, is attributable to saliva and one thing in it referred to as porphyrins. The similar holds true for tears and light-weight canine usually have darker tear stains close to the within corners of their eyes. Your veterinarian was right in noting that the staining of the hair is attributable to the licking and chewing there. Dogs will lick or chew at an space on the legs for numerous causes. Most generally, this is because of underlying allergy symptoms or a shaped behavior.
However, your buddy’s veterinarian was astute to note the change and the suggestion of the opportunity of an underlying drawback is value exploring. The incontrovertible fact that the difficulty is localized to the surface of the suitable stifle or knee joint may recommend a discomfort within the space, inflicting your canine to lick and chew there. Small canine may be susceptible to luxating patellas and there’s at all times the opportunity of one other underlying orthopedic problem as properly. I feel what was meant is that it is likely to be worthwhile to test and see if there’s a particular purpose that your canine targets this space.
Hopefully, there isn’t a different problem. You may take into account making use of one thing aversive tasting to the world to get the canine to cease licking the world and the hair may develop out and return to regular coloration.
Dr. John de Jong owns and operates the Boston Mobile Veterinary Clinic.He may be reached at 781-899-9994.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”
