A Poll: Animals shedding winter coats in Oct.

A friend of mine called me today and told me that her animals are shedding their winter coats now...before winter even sets in.

She had talked to the vet and learned that this is a widespread problem around here. The vet said he didn't know why this is happening and is concerned. He had talked with other vets who said they are seeing the same thing.

It's not just dogs and cats that are shedding, but horses and goats too.

I decided to check my animals to see if we were having the same problem. ALL the outside animals are shedding handfuls of fur. The only animal that didn't seem to be affected is my inside cat, and I suspect that it could be because she is not subjected to the same weather extremes as the outside animals.

What I am wondering is, how widespread is this? Is it just this state, or the country, or is it multinational?

To start this off...

I live in NE Okla. and yes it is happening here.

Anyone else seeing it?

I have noticed this too. I only have one outside cat and he don't even have a winter coat yet. Neither dose his little girlfriend. I think we will have a very mild winter this year. It has been raining for like five days in a roll here. It reminds me of living in georgia with the monsoon. This odd weather for the area I live in. We should of had our first snow by now. I can recall back in 84 or 85 a winter much like this and that was the year we had very bad ice storms. My brother and I was talking about it just the other day and we both agree that this year will be lots of ice storms.

Thank-you for your reply Sistinas.

If I might ask, what general area are you in?

Anyone else seeing this?

I am having the problem also, I live in GA, my three dogs are shedding since the start of Oct, when usually they do not do that until March and is not their winter coat.

Their skin is also very red and irritated, I find it very unusual and all three are house dogs and they are Lashas, so is a lot of hair.

Thanks for the reply marg.

Hmmm, Ga. Well then we know it extends at least halfway across the country, and depending on Sistinas' location it could be even farther.

We knew the weather was a bit off, but how off is it when the animals are losing their winter coats at a time when they should be putting them on?

If this continues and then the weather turns nasty the animals are going to be at risk of freezing...at least the outside animals.

Of course, this could be a sign that winter will be mild. Only time will tell.

Three Lhasa's???

Man, that's a lot of fur to shed.

Tell me about it, I end up having to give them hair cuts now, when usually that is the first thing I do after the winter.

The hair was so matted that it started to fall in pieces of hair balls. Creepy.

I started to use fungal spray just in case it was some kind of skin problem, but it just looks like shedding to me.

I have'nt noticed this, I have on in-door cat, but he never shed
much even when he was indoor-outdoor.

There are alot of dogs and cats in my neighborhood, and I see
alot of them alm ost everyday, and I have noticed that alot of
them don't seem to be growing or shedding coats.


I live in North-West Washinton State, by the way.

Thanks iori_komei.

Sounds like things are pretty much normal where you are.

One question though, if you don't mind, as cold as your state gets in the winter shouldn't the outside animals be gaining a winter coat by now?

O.k., two questions...has your weather been what you consider close to normal this year? If it has been, then maybe whatever is happening doesn't extend all the way to your area.

You'd think so, but it has'nt gotten really cold so far, in fact the
coldest I've seen it up until now was 49 degress, and that was
late at night.

Well it's been becoming warmer each winter each year, but apart
from that, weather's been normal, but than again we tend to have
the same weather year round.

I think the weather has been growing steadily warmer in many areas in the last so many years. Summer here was terrible. It could be that winters will become warmer too, but the animal's instincts and biological make-up hasn't adapted yet. That could be why the unusual shedding. I've also noticed that birds who should have already gone south, haven't and some creatures who should be in hibernation by now are not.

It's like they're confused.