Whippet Alopecia Survey

[Judy]

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INFORMATION REGARDING THE CONDITION AND THE STUDY

Whippet Alopecia - Whippets are generally a healthy dog breed. However, a number of Whippets develop hair loss or a thinner than normal hair coat in certain regions of their body, e.g. thighs, belly, in front of the ears, tail. This can vary in severity from mild to obvious hair loss. It may be progressive, stable, or wax and wane. The mild forms may not cause any concern, but more marked hair loss may lead to the owner seeking veterinary advice. Showing affected dogs may be a problem.

Purpose of the survey - Little is known about the extent of the problem, the cause, the heritability, the course, the prognosis or effective treatment of this hair loss. It is the aim of this survey to find out how common hair loss/coat thinning is in the Whippet, which body areas are affected and which factors are associated with it. This will be the first phase of a bigger project investigating this problem. Knowledge of this condition may also help understand hair loss problems affecting other dog breeds.

Investigators – This study is being conducted by Penelope Mark, a Veterinary Student, under the supervision of Dr Anke Hendricks who is a specialist in Veterinary Dermatology at the Royal Veterinary College, London. The survey is carried out strictly for scientific reasons. The investigators, although fond of Sighthounds, are not involved in Whippet breeding, showing or racing in any way.

You can fill this survey in and either email to pmark@RVC.AC.UK or print it and send to the address given.

Whippet_Alopecia_QUESTIONNAIRE_2__2_.doc

 

[dawn]

INFORMATION REGARDING THE CONDITION AND THE STUDYWhippet Alopecia - Whippets are generally a healthy dog breed.

Investigators – This study is being conducted by Penelope Mark,

The investigators, although fond of Sighthounds, are not involved in Whippet breeding, showing or racing in any way.

You can fill this survey in and either email to pmark@RVC.AC.UK or print it and send to the address given.

Whippet_Alopecia_QUESTIONNAIRE_2__2_.doc

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Penelope was handing out survey forms at the recent whippet club show. I hope people will respond (it can be done anonymously(?sp?) )

With several years experience of owning whippets I have only had the odd one (not in my current lines) which had significant hair loss on her thighs - she was born in the early 80's and bought from a well known kennel (no longer active).

Quite a few whippets have a patch of hair loss on the tail but other than that mine are quite hirsute (with a fine coat).

 

[TC]

I have completed the survey as Ollie suffered a strange patch of hairloss on his shoulder last year.

The skin was perfectly fine and the hair simply fell out overnight. I went to the vets the following day and had full blood tests and a skin scrape, but the results came back negative. It was frustrating to not have an answer, but also good to know that everything seemed to working normally :thumbsup:

It was all very strange, but had completely regrown within a month with no reoccurence, so we were none the wiser :wacko:

 

[graciepup]

INFORMATION REGARDING THE CONDITION AND THE STUDYWhippet Alopecia - Whippets are generally a healthy dog breed. However, a number of Whippets develop hair loss or a thinner than normal hair coat in certain regions of their body, e.g. thighs, belly, in front of the ears, tail. This can vary in severity from mild to obvious hair loss. It may be progressive, stable, or wax and wane. The mild forms may not cause any concern, but more marked hair loss may lead to the owner seeking veterinary advice. Showing affected dogs may be a problem.

Purpose of the survey - Little is known about the extent of the problem, the cause, the heritability, the course, the prognosis or effective treatment of this hair loss. It is the aim of this survey to find out how common hair loss/coat thinning is in the Whippet, which body areas are affected and which factors are associated with it. This will be the first phase of a bigger project investigating this problem. Knowledge of this condition may also help understand hair loss problems affecting other dog breeds.

Investigators – This study is being conducted by Penelope Mark, a Veterinary Student, under the supervision of Dr Anke Hendricks who is a specialist in Veterinary Dermatology at the Royal Veterinary College, London. The survey is carried out strictly for scientific reasons. The investigators, although fond of Sighthounds, are not involved in Whippet breeding, showing or racing in any way.

You can fill this survey in and either email to pmark@RVC.AC.UK or print it and send to the address given.

Whippet_Alopecia_QUESTIONNAIRE_2__2_.doc

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hello my whippet has lost all her hair on her under belly and chest.Also in front of her ears.She is a very light fawn.She loses more in the winter than the summer,very odd.The vet thought she had a thyroid problem but this was not the case.They could not find a reason for the hair loss so we have left her as she is.Which is pink!!! :wacko: I will fill in the survey.

 

[Hilary & Hounds]

Albie's got a bare belly but then so have the greyhounds. Shall complete the survey. :thumbsup:

 

[fallenangel]

I have seen lots alnd lots of greyhounds with this problem I allways put it down to diet manly as non of mine have it now but most did when they first came. Hope they get to the bottom of it for the whippets

 

[Judy]

Penny was handing them out at the WCRA championships on Sunday too. I think she wants them filled out for dogs that haven't had any hair loss too so as not to bias the study.

 

[chelynnah]

Penny was handing them out at the WCRA championships on Sunday too. I think she wants them filled out for dogs that haven't had any hair loss too so as not to bias the study.

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Yup they definitely want to have them for both so they can get some accurate statistics.

Wendy

 

[dessie]

Quite a few whippets have a patch of hair loss on the tail

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I have noticed this on some Whippets, it is where the gland in the tail is.

The only of of mine who ever had this was Frankie when he had not been diagnosed with Cushings and he had hair loss in various places, this being one of them. Once he started treatment the hair on his body grew quite quickly but the patch on his tail remained and my Vet did wonder if it would ever grow over, but it has thankfully.

It would worry me if I had a dog with a bald patch on the tail and I think I would see it as a challenge to get the hair to grow again as something must not be quite right with their system!!!

 

[TC]

Penny was handing them out at the WCRA championships on Sunday too. I think she wants them filled out for dogs that haven't had any hair loss too so as not to bias the study.

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(w00t) I did them for both of mine, as Jake has no hair loss, and thought this would be the right thing to do. Then I felt a bit of a pansy so went on to write an essay on why I had done this, both dogs live in same conditions, same diet etc etc.

Sometimes I despair of how complicated I make things :b

 

[FionaS]

Dolly has a bald belly (starting to grow back now) and has a patch on her right front leg that is a bit thin aswell. The vet checked her and said everything was fine. :unsure: