|
|
Post by uglibug on Mar 19, 2016 9:23:51 GMT
I was wondering if anyone has any experience of alopecia in goos? We have got up this morning to find that Sleepy has no fur on her butt. She seems otherwise fine, like she hasn't even noticed it's missing, the skin seems healthy and the others are all fine. Could alopecia be genetic? Dopey, RIP, went totally bald for a couple of days. We have a little moisturiser left from Dopey so will try and make sure the skin doesn't dry out but is there anything we should be trying?
|
|
|
|
Post by animalmadchloe on Mar 19, 2016 11:22:17 GMT
Has your degu under gone any stress lately? One of my degus has a round bald patch on his nose bit I think it's because of heavy moulting the skin is healthy so I'm not too worried at the moment
|
|
|
|
Post by animalmadchloe on Mar 19, 2016 11:29:01 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by bouncy on Mar 19, 2016 14:55:12 GMT
I think there is a form of genetic alopecia, and stress or other health issues can cause it.
My must admit, I did a LOL at Sleepy randomly waking up with no fur :/
I kknow there's been quite a few comments on here recently about goos shedding their winter coats. I feel for them, especially as the weather is still quite nippy at the moment.
|
|
|
|
Post by animalmadchloe on Mar 19, 2016 20:23:56 GMT
I think there is a form of genetic alopecia, and stress or other health issues can cause it. My must admit, I did a LOL at Sleepy randomly waking up with no fur :/ I kknow there's been quite a few comments on here recently about goos shedding their winter coats. I feel for them, especially as the weather is still quite nippy at the moment. All of mine are having a massive moult! It's everywhere!! |
|
|
|
Post by bouncy on Mar 19, 2016 21:09:03 GMT
Haha not having had the heating on at all, mine are still all fluffed up and scruffy. Mind, they've deposited pretty much everything else over my kitchen floor, so they might as well add their fur too!
|
|
|
|
Post by uglibug on Mar 19, 2016 22:47:12 GMT
We did have workmen in yesterday so that could have been a source of stress for them. They're not keen on strangers so they could have triggered something. The moult is also well under way in our house, having to clean the baths out every couple of days, lol.
|
|
|
|
Post by newtothis on Mar 19, 2016 23:46:26 GMT
Hi, although I know stress or infection are common causes for fur loss, I wonder whether allergy to the cage substrate or something else in the cage might be the cause? One of my goos lost a lot of fur on his back and neck and I initially thought it was stress related or due to a fungal infection of some form. Making changes to reduce potential stressors and adding creams to bald patches etc had no effect. However - I changed the substrate from sawdust to carefresh and that solved the problem completely - all 3 now have think healthy fur. Just a thought - it might be something completely different for your goo.
|
|
soremi
Foraging Degu
Posts: 109 
|
Post by soremi on Mar 20, 2016 17:45:20 GMT
When I read that topic I start to consider stop trimming my older degu nails. It so stressing to her that I start to worry she will be bald! Does monthly trimming might cause balding or it has to be longterm stress?
|
|
|
|
Post by uglibug on Mar 20, 2016 20:04:52 GMT
I don't think it needs to be long term stress, one of our girls went entirely naked for about a week when we left them overnight once. The vet did scrapings but there was no real reason for it, it just all fell out and took a week or so to grow back.
|
|
|
|
Post by moletteuk on Mar 22, 2016 15:54:57 GMT
I would say to watch her carefully for any other signs of ill health. Molly is missing some fur on her hip area atm and I thought it was fur pulling due to the stress of ill health, but since she has had two or three days of being too weak to reach to chew the fur and it has not regrown at all, I am now thinking it must be alopecia connected to ill health or the stress of ill health. I'm sure you can get alopecia not related to other health issues, so I don't mean to worry you. soremi how are you trimming the nails? would you be able to do it via a distraction method by offering a large treat like a big pumpkin seed or dandelion root and keep hold of it to keep them in one place, or a pile of something small that will make them stay still to eat, and then snip two or three nails while they are stood still and not paying attention to what you are doing? |
|
soremi
Foraging Degu
Posts: 109
|
Post by soremi on Mar 25, 2016 15:23:09 GMT
I would say to watch her carefully for any other signs of ill health. Molly is missing some fur on her hip area atm and I thought it was fur pulling due to the stress of ill health, but since she has had two or three days of being too weak to reach to chew the fur and it has not regrown at all, I am now thinking it must be alopecia connected to ill health or the stress of ill health. I'm sure you can get alopecia not related to other health issues, so I don't mean to worry you. soremi how are you trimming the nails? would you be able to do it via a distraction method by offering a large treat like a big pumpkin seed or dandelion root and keep hold of it to keep them in one place, or a pile of something small that will make them stay still to eat, and then snip two or three nails while they are stood still and not paying attention to what you are doing? No she squeak on me if I touch her when she's eating. Beside, her foot nail are the problem not her hands, that would be easier. Alabama let me make her manicure&pedicure with nail file even if she doesn't need it so much, she just like it. When I try the same with Georgia she maniacally want to eat nail file(yes eat, not bite). |
|
|
|
Post by moletteuk on Mar 25, 2016 18:01:59 GMT
I meant that method for the back feet, but obviously it won't work for you if she doesn't ignore the contact even while eating something good. I presume you are trying rough rocks or tiles at the bottom of ramps and jumping places.
|
|
soremi
Foraging Degu
Posts: 109
|
Post by soremi on Mar 25, 2016 20:16:54 GMT
Yep I try. Since I have a river in my garden I get plenty of rock and I put them more and less everywhere but her nails are still too long and hook shape so I started to trimming them. Poor thing is in shock after that, well for like 5 minutes then she realize she is on our work place(best light to trimm) and happily run on keyboard which is her favourite thing. Still I would prefer to not gave her alopecia/heart attack while trimming.
|
|
|
|
Post by animalmadchloe on Mar 28, 2016 8:24:54 GMT
Dennis's bald has completely grown out now
|
|
|
|
Post by deguconvert on Mar 31, 2016 16:33:27 GMT
Alopecia is known to occur in degus, and as such I would assume it is a genetic predisposition. It is not alarming, and can recur. I would just be sure to keep the temperature of the room they are in pretty constant so that no chills occur.
|
|
