going grey is this normal

by kelly
(Uk)

Hi,
my rotti had had a litter of 14 pups and now they have all gone she has started to go gray she's not an old dog she's only 4. Can't understand why she has gone so grey

can anyone help i'm starting to get worried

kelly




Hi Kelly
I have to be totally honest here and say that this is not something I've got any real knowledge of. I have older dogs, some of whom are grey, and they didn't all start going grey at the same age.

My personal opinion would be that dogs are like humans, and some will go grey much earlier than others. It may even be a genetic trait. I would also assume that, like humans, stress and hormones can affect hair behavior - such as thickening, loss and color. Going grey after having a litter may be a temporary condition in your dog due to the hormone fluctuations etc. - and 14 puppies would definitely have put a lot of strain on your dogs body.

Also, after a dog has weaned her puppies, she will usually shed very heavily, and when this happens her undercoat may show through very clearly. If her undercoat is grey (sometimes it's grey, other times rust) that may be what you're seeing. Again if this is the cause it is likely a temporary thing.

As long as she seems healthy and happy otherwise I wouldn't worry too much about this just yet. But you may want to mention it to your veterinarian, he could well have a better explanation than me! You could also try using my Ask A Vet page. You can get an expert, professional reply from a qualified vet for around $10 (much cheaper than a vet visit). Of course, this service is only helpful in non-emergency situations.

Best of luck with her. Hope someone can help you out with this one.