To Clip or Not to Clip: A Summertime Conversation
As the summer heats up, so does the
conversation among groomers that about the pros and cons of clipping down
double-coated dogs.
Summer is the season for clip downs,
or is it? There are many groomers that hold the position that pet
owners are asking for shave downs, and we have the tools and skills to do the
job. We should do it. If one groomer refuses, another will accept
the client and take home the money. Many groomers agree with pet owners that
removing a thick coat is the humane response. On the other hand, a growing
number of groomers are reluctant to shave some coats and will attempt to
educate the client and redirect them to a less radical solution to the heat
problem.
Function of the canine coat. Together the skin
and coat of all mammals form the largest sensory organ. Hair is an appendage of
the skin; it is not a separate system. The main purpose of dog hair is to
regulate body temperature; it holds in body heat in the winter and dissipates
heat from the sun in the summer. 1,2 The coat also
provides protection from environmental elements and the sun.3 The canine
coat features a compound hair follicle where there are several or many
secondary (undercoat) hairs and a single primary (topcoat) hair. The
longer the hair, the more it can dissipate the heat away from the
skin. Light colored hair reflects heat, while dark colored hair
absorbs and holds heat. Black, short-haired dogs are the most
uncomfortable in the heat and long, light-haired animals will be the most
comfortable.2 Profuse or thick undercoat, however, will trap heat next to the
skin, regardless of color.
It is a common mistake by humans to
assume that dogs experience their coats the same as we would experience their
coats. Humans have eccrine sweat glands over most of the body
that serve thermoregulation. Dogs do not. Dogs pant, humans
sweat. When dogs pant on a hot day, it does not mean that they need
to have their entire hair coat removed. Here’s how one science
writer puts it: “In the case of man, the removal of clothing during hot
weather increases the ability to lose heat by evaporation of moisture. The dog
does not have this ability and therefore his insulation is a protection to him
during hot weather. If the animal loses his insulation during very hot weather,
by having his coat clipped for instance, he runs the risk of not being able to
maintain his body temperature. His skin temperature loss probably is not only
inefficient but, since he does not perspire, he will probably increase the
temperature of his skin and his body temperature as well.”4
Coat Growth and Growth Types Mammalian hair
grows in a three-phase process: anagen, or growth phase,
catagen, a transition phase, and telogen, the resting phase. Two
distinct types of canine coat can be identified by their main growth
patterns: Anagen Predominant coats have a majority of hairs in
the growing stage at any time. The growth stage is prolonged. Hair
growth and shedding occurs in a mosaic pattern, sprinkled throughout the body.
These are coats of indeterminate length that can be trimmed with little concern
for re-growth. Examples of this type of coat are Poodles and Shih
Tzu. Most of the “low shedding” breeds have anagen predominant
coats. Telogen Predominant coats will have a majority of
hairs in the resting phase at any time. This type of coat is found
on Nordic breeds (aka Spitz breeds), such as Huskies, Malamutes, Chows, and
Pomeranians. The telogen phase for these dogs may be prolonged, even
for years. Hair growth, as well as catagen transition and telogen
phase is patterned and occurs in waves, often in relation to changes of light
and temperature in the environment. Characteristic of these coats is
that the secondary hairs are on a much faster cycle than the guard
hairs. When coats of this type are shaved down, they sometimes
present problems re-growing a new coat.
Before
After
Post Clipping Alopecia – Hair Cycle
Arrest. Post Clipping Alopecia simply means lack of hair growth after
clipping. It is a medical category coined by veterinarians to identify
cases where dogs were shaved for surgeries and had significant delay in growing
hair at various sites. Post-grooming problems with hair growth are
included in this category. Although most medical references will
maintain that the hair will grow back within 12-24 months, some veteran
groomers have witnessed extended or permanent failure of the coat to regrow, or
situations where the coat itself is permanently altered, becomes wooly, thick,
fuzzy, is lacking in guard hairs, or loses color.
Dr. Linda Frank, a
leading researcher in the study of canine hair and alopecia, considers
post-clipping alopecia to be a condition of hair cycle
arrest. Simply put, the hairs enter the telogen phase and eventually
fall out, but new growth is not initiated. A similar condition
exists among a group of disorders called Alopecia X, which include what
Malamute breeders call Coat Funk and Pomeranian breeders call Black Skin
Disease. Alopecia X disorder(s) are spontaneous, not related to
clipping. 9
The incidence of
post-clipping alopecia from grooming is unknown. Many cases go unreported and
undiagnosed. About Alopecia X, the Pomeranian Charitable Trust notes
that, “The reports of cases that recoat using a particular method
(and not having responded to other methods) tend to confirm the concept that we
are looking at multiple causes which can produce similar results. The number
of confirmed ‘Clipper Alopecia’ cases appears with greater frequency than
thought previously. Commonly these cases recoat spontaneously after two
years.”
In some cases of
poor re-growth or hair loss, the dog has an underlying health problem such as hypothyroidism
that has not yet been detected. The shave down just brings the
condition to light. It is important that dogs with post-clipping
alopecia be referred to a veterinarian to be tested for endocrine
disorders. These diseases are treatable and have effects on the
overall health of the animal. Alopecia X and post clipping
alopecia have no established treatments.
Does the clipping itself cause the
arrest of the hair growth cycle? Inquiring minds want to
know! The cause of poor re-growth or hair loss after
clipping has not been determined. Dr. Frank says, “The plush-coated
breeds may have Alopecia X or simply have been shaved during the normal telogen
phase of the hair cycle.”5 McKeever
Veterinary Dermatology Clinic says, “The exact mechanism is unknown, but one
theory is that decreased perfusion of hair follicles, secondary to
vasoconstriction due to cooling of the skin by removal of the hair, may lead to
premature termination of the growing phase. Alternatively, it may simply
reflect a very long resting period before the next hair growth cycle. 7 It
is not possible to determine if the dog that suffers from hair loss after a
shave down has a pre-existing Alopecia X that may have manifested regardless of
the grooming. Because these poor hair growth conditions are
considered cosmetic and have no far reaching health concerns, they have low
priority for study. The uncertainty about the cause of post-clipping
alopecia has much to do with the fact that scientists have not yet been able to
identify the precise trigger that sends a hair from telogen phase into anagen
phase and the creation of a new hair shaft. Once they identify what
triggers the growth message, they will be closer to knowing what is missing in
hair cycle arrest. Meanwhile, it’s important to remember that while we can’t
say that clipping causes hair cycle arrest, we also can’t say that it
doesn’t.
Why do some coats grow back and
others don’t? We simply don’t
know. The fact that close clipping does not always result in hair
cycle arrest would suggest that there are multiple factors in play that create
the alopecia. The clipping must line up with some other factors. Unfortunately,
previous clipping with successful regrowth is not a reliable
predictor of what might happen the next time a dog is clipped down. Older
dogs seem at greater risk, possibly because the amount of telogen hairs
increases in senior dogs. Very young dogs with coats that are not fully
developed also seem at greater risk. Overall health is certainly a factor
to consider. Outdoor dogs are more subject to sunburn, which can
further complicate coat growth. None of these factors, however, can
be relied upon to predict whether a particular dog is going to re-grow a shaved
coat. It’s a roulette game. Use your clippers and take
your chances!
Many
rescue organizations dealing with Nordic breeds are making strong
recommendations that their breed not be clipped down except in a situation of
medical necessity. This position against shave downs is not a fad or a trend;
it is a position that has evolved through decades of experience and the
realization of the possible consequences of the decision to remove a whole
coat. A dog’s coat may attract a mate in the wild, but in the City,
it attracts a pet owner. Loss of the animal’s appearance can make a
rescue unadoptable. It can be devastating to a pet owner, especially
when other people make assumptions about the animal being ill or poorly cared
for. Poor re-growth is not only a cosmetic matter. Without
sufficient hair coat, a dog may be more at risk of skin cancer. An
alarming statistic published by VPI Insurance is that dogs are thirty five
times more likely than humans to have skin cancer. Engaging the
veterinarian in the decision to clip off a Nordic coat makes the procedure and
extension of veterinary care, and the vet bears the burden if the coat does not
re-grow.
Alternative Approaches. A thorough carding
of the coat or deshedding will usually render a Nordic coat “breathable” and
comfortable for the dog. Deshedding is best done on clean,
conditioned, coat. To attempt to brush out a matted Malamute before
the bath is groomer torture. A bathing system is a must-have for
working products through thick double coats. SaveUrFur has designed a system to
power shed in the tub with their special products. Likewise, a recirculating
bathing system will power shampoo through the double coat and use
the conditioner to slide hair off the dog. By using water pressure to break
through the packed coat and slide undercoat into the tub, you can save up to
half your time of blow drying with hair flying.
Using
silicone-based products can help remove vast amounts of packed
undercoat. Silicone ingredients dry to a glass-like surface on the
hair shaft and help the loose hair slide out. You can spray a
silicone detangler on a damp coat and dry it in. If you have a
recirculating bathing system, you can add one or two ounces of silicone
detangler to your conditioning phase and rinse it through. There
also deshedding products available from several manufacturers. Good
products, good water pressure and a powerful dryer will enable the groomer to
work out nearly any double coat.
Clipping
the underbelly and underchest can help a thick-coated dog cool off without
damaging the coat. The rear end and forechest can be trimmed with a
snap-on comb to further lighten the look and feel of the coat without risking
coat damage, coat alteration or poor re-growth. Air can move through the coat,
the dog can cool off by laying on a cool surface, and you have achieved a
trimmed up “summarized” appearance. Win-Win!
Article Credit:
