The Shar-Pei and Their Skin

It is said that our breed is and has been known for their skin
problems. True? absolutely not.
In twenty five years skin had not been an issue given the
right diet and right breeding. In most cases the shar-pei
that have problems with their skin, are those that are
intolerant of the diet they are on. Many dog food companies,
breeders, veterinarians and the like, recommend the many
brands of foods that they sell/use,  it has been my personal
observation, that the majority of skin problems, hot spots,
hair loss, etc. barring any other health problems, is caused
and/or contributed too from diet.

Any diets that contain soya, soy by products, lecithin and yes
even brewers yeast contribute to the problem of unhealthy
skin. Not only must you be certain that the diet is healthy
but also that the dog treats you are feeding your dog are as
well.

In order to find out if a dog has an allergy you must start
the process of elimination, and food should be on the first to
do. Change the diet for 3 weeks and see if there is a
change, keeping in mind puppies blow coat, and shar-pei blow
coat under undue stress.
Counter
Some of the soaps I recommend are (in Canada available from Bulk Barn, in
the U.S. you would have to find a bulk store that also carries home made
soaps) 1) Tea Tree Oil Soap (cream coloured soap) good for an overall keeping
the coat clean and healthy. 2) Carbolic (red soap) good for a deodorant or
stinky dog. 3) Coal Tar (black soap) good for eczema and seborrhea and any
parasites. Three great maintenance soaps to have on hand.

A subject that I have researched and not found any conclusive information
other than, veterinarians have linked Mucinosis (clear bubbles on the surface
of the skin) to thyroid and I have also noted them present in dogs that suffer
from fever problems.

A Little On Mucinosis (Grape-like Blisters on the Skin of Some Shar-Pei

Mucin is produced and is responsible for the large padded muzzle in our breed,
and the wrinkling and folding skin. Mucinosis is appearing more and more in the
breed. Mucinosis is the over production of mucin in body with the end result
being deposition of large amounts of mucin just under the skin, causing large
bubbles, blisters or grape like eruptions to be appear on the surface of the
skin. When these break open, either by the dog scratching, or just becoming
to full, a thick, stringy, very sticky clear fluid seeps out. Its cause is still
not fully understood.

These grape like eruptions are not to be confused with raised bumps, or bites,
or hot spots, and generally may appear all over the body. My research on
mucinosis brought me to ~ i) Mucinosis - a state of abnormal deposits of mucin
in the skin, often associated with hypothyroidism which led me up to and
including ~ ii) Myxedema - a condition resulting from hypothyroidism, a
deficiency of thyroxine possibly creating ~ iii) animals that have imbalances in
body processes possibly causing lethargic tired shar-pei, sensitivity to cold,
dry flakey coats, brittle nails, thirst, weakness to infection, irregular heat
cycles just to name a few. Few owners that have been put on thyroid
medication have found relief or any noted improvement. One all natural hint
would be to try to use something that replaces thyroxine-iodine naturally -
that being KELP.


My PERSONAL observations go just a little further. During the early 1980's
up to the early 1990's Mucinosis was almost unheard of, at least from the
breeding stock we had in this neck of the woods. I never had dogs with
mucinosis. Running my breed 24 hour hotline has given me many opportunities to
talk to owners with conditions this condition.

I have never had mucinosis in any of my adult dogs, however I have noted in
several pick puppies, that the condition was prevalent. Upon examining the
history of the parents, either sire or dam or both, it has been my findings
that the dogs or puppies with Mucinosis have had shar-pei within 2 generations
of their pedigrees that have a history of familial shar-pei fever and swollen
hocks, or have died of confirmed amyloidosis.

So my personal conclusion was from 1990 and on, with the increase of
Amyloidosis, Familial Shar-Pei Fever and Swollen Hocks, so increased
Mucinosis, and they all go hand in hand as being genetic.

A Little On Shedding

When I bought my first shar-pei back around 1983, they were known as a
shed less breed.

Now I know that really means shed-less or shed-more. Basically they are
supposed be a shed free breed, however with the introduction of the bear and
brush coat genes, we now see a great mixture of coats. Even though the
standard calls for a specific texture, the breed now has quite the variety.

Coats come in horse coat which is the harsh short prickly coat, brush coat
which is the thicker, plusher 1" or shorter length, and the bear coat, which is
very much like the chow, thick and heavy and very long, and then there are
the coats that fall in between.

All coats appear to be coming with or without undercoats - I have seen all of
these. The shar-pei lines which appear to have the undercoats generally do
seasonally blow these undercoats. I have also experienced shar-pei that do
not blow coat at all, except my females when they have their pups, and
puppies blowing their baby coats at 4-12 months of age. There are also many
reasons for shedding, reasons for concern and just natures way of cleansing
the skin and coat. I have always noted that shar-pei blow coat when ill, under
great stress and on the wrong diet.

My dogs coats were lustrous, clean and without hair loss, generally due to the
diet first and health second, and basically they were stress free. They are
also known as an allergy free breed for people, which I think I would have to
agree with, as I have placed many puppies with families that have allergies
and they have not reacted to this breed in their home. Also when people with
allergies used to come over to my home to spend some time with the dogs to
see if they would have a reaction, no one did have a reaction and to this
date, I have not had to place a shar-pei in another home for allergy reasons.

Shar-pei puppies are known to blow coat (means they loose their puppy coat)
from 6 - 14 months and many people run into misdirection, as to treatment,
as many vets jump at the opportunity to start *shar-pei skin problem
treatment* programs. Relax, let your puppy blow out its baby coat, a new one
will come in full and healthy from 1 - 2 months generally. Scratching can be
normal as dogs use this method to remove dead skin and hair - their toes are
their combs HOWEVER concern should be met when your dog or pup is
scratching or biting their skin raw, or you see raised red welts or dry flakey
skin.

Many people have complained that their shar-pei are shedding like lambs, they
blow huge amounts of fur all the time. Generally I have found that this may
be due to the intolerance of their diet, and stress, either due to ill health on
the body, abuse, hyper activity or other stressful situations that are
occurring on a daily or regular basis. Even something so simple as going to the
vet could cause hair loss during this escapade.

To touch base of the lines with undercoats, these do tend to shed seasonally
and may blow up to twice a year depending on the changing seasons, but
generally I do find and have found, within my own dogs, that there are some
with undercoats that do shed, but the ones without undercoats are pretty
close to being in full coat all year. If you are having more hair loss than would
be considered normal, then you may want to look at your dogs stress level or
diet, presuming that the dog is in good health.

Just like people, animals do lose their hair, however concern or attention
should be paid when there is an excess amount lost frequently, rashing, hives
or open sores.


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of Shar-Pei Canadiana.
Original Web Site opened October 25, 1997.
Web page designed by Vicky McBeth.