Baby, it’s cold outside — In this week’s issue here’s what we are sniffing out

• Coats and Clothes

• New news about drugs

Does your old dog need clothes?

By now, we have all seen the racks and racks of dog clothes at our local or chain pet supply stores. There are sweaters, flannels, fleeces, pajamas, hoodies, dapper corduroy vests, tutus, raincoats, and parkas. They’re cute if you’re into that kind of thing. But do dogs actually need them or is this uptick in dog fashion actually about vanity and trends? Since my area of expertise is old dogs, I will answer the question from that angle.

Before we get too far into this, let’s talk quickly about dogs’ natural coats to give you the basics, because it’s relevant to your senior dog’s temperature comfort as he ages…. There are single, double, AND triple-coated breeds/mixes. Also, there are predetermined and undetermined coat lengths, as well as fur vs hair. Whew, that’s a lot! I’m willing to bet that you didn’t know there are so many coat types and definitions.

• Single-coated dogs can be undetermined length coats (yorkies, poodles, Maltese). This coat is hair, and it doesn’t shed - it requires haircuts because the hair never stops growing (which is the definition of an undetermined-length coat). There are also single-coated dogs with short fur of predetermined-length (because it sheds instead of growing long). Examples here are greyhounds of all sizes, and doberman pinschers.

• Double-coated dogs have fur with an undercoat that sheds in clumps. This coat type is either predetermined length, such as Pomeranians, long-haired chihuahuas, golden and labrador retrievers, or undetermined lengths, such as old English sheepdogs and bearded collies. When properly maintained, an undercoat helps regulate body temperature; it keeps a dog warmer in colder weather and cooler in warmer weather. That’s the reason it’s not ideal to shave down a predetermined-length double-coated dog. Doing so changes the quality of the coat. It may not grow back the same texture and have the same insulative qualities. In order for the temperature regulation qualities to be most effective, the dog needs to be brushed regularly to remove excess undercoat and keep it from blocking airflow to the skin.

• Triple coat types are sometimes called primitive coats. This coat is a predetermined-length fur that sheds in clumps just like a double-coated dog. But a triple coat has, you guessed it: three types of coat; guard hairs which are more weather resistant, and then two layers of undercoat… normal soft undercoat as well as a second shorter, fuzzier layer nestled close to skin to further insulate. Examples are huskies and chows. It’s definitely not recommended to shave down triple-coated dogs.

• Doodles are in a category of their own: Let’s talk about them for a moment… if your doodle or poodle mix sheds, he has an undercoat. Not all doodle mixes have undercoat, but those who do have inherited that coat type from a shedding parent in the cross. This is a breed that must have haircuts (a poodle has a single coat of undetermined length which means it will grow forever, while a golden retriever has a predetermined length double coat that stops growing at some point). This is one of the reasons doodles are so time-consuming and expensive to groom! They must essentially be groomed as two different types of coat at once - undercoat removal and shedding control for the double (or triple) coated fur component, along with cutting down the long poodle hair that grows indefinitely if not maintained. That double coat will still help with thermoregulation as long as the dog is being brushed and groomed regularly, just like any double-coated dog.

Ok, now back to our regularly scheduled programming…

In general, as dogs age, their bodies lose the ability to regulate temperature as effectively. This means they can get chilly at warmer temperatures, and warm at cooler temperatures. In the case of our 15-year-old dog Esther, 75 degrees on a sunny day was way too warm for her to take a walk. Anything below 45 made her shiver. In her case, she needed winter clothes, and a cooling collar in the summer, not to mention a change in our schedule to walk her at times when she could be comfortable outside.

Single-coated senior dogs, both long-growing (Shih Tzus, wheaten terriers, etc) and short shedding (German short-haired pointers, smooth-coated chihuahuas, boxers, etc) tend to get chillier as they age, in colder temperatures, or after a fresh haircut.

Medical conditions can complicate internal temperature regulation as well… Heart, endocrine, and neurologic diseases can cause heat or cold intolerance. Certain medications can have the same effect! Also, if your dog suddenly seems to be unusually cold or warm, it’s worth talking to your veterinarian about that.

Certain breeds, especially extremely smoosh-faced or brachycephalic breeds like pugs, bulldogs, and shih tzus don’t tolerate heat as well. This increases with age.

Overweight or obese dogs of any age are less tolerant to warmer temperatures, while thinner dogs are less tolerant to cold.

Double and triple-coated dogs tend to be able to regulate body temperature better UNLESS something else is going on to complicate that, such as medical issues that cause coat loss, or compromised undercoat from being shaved, or not being properly brushed.

How do you know if your old dog can benefit from a sweater or fleece on a chilly day?

If your geriatric dog fits one of the categories above, a fleece or sweater may really help him. Aside from that, a few signs are pretty obvious: shivering or burrowing under blankets or bedding. Some signs are less obvious: the hair on my old dog’s lower back stands up when she’s cold. I’ve never seen that before, but that’s her thing. Our long-haired chihuahua Radar (he had heart problems) would sometimes refuse to go outside in his final winter with us. If we put a little fleece on him, he was more willing to step outside on cold days. He was double-coated so didn’t need the sweater inside.

In many cases, a geriatric dog will be chilly right after a haircut. Even if the hair isn’t cut super short, the change in length of the hair can allow more breeze on the skin on a chilly day (anyone who’s had their long hair cut short has experienced this!). Your dog may appreciate a sweater or pajamas for a few weeks after a groom, or a blanket over him at night. As the hair grows, he will often feel more comfortable.

If your dog wears a sweater all day, keep an eye on friction areas such as underarms. Occasionally redness or rashes may develop, especially with scratchier yarns/fabrics. Also, despite the photo below, you should always consider comfort above looks. This sweater was so adorable on Groot, but she didn’t like it. I had to layer a t-shirt under it to keep her comfortable for longer than half an hour. In the end, we just didn’t put it on her often even though it was one of her best-fitting sweaters.

If your dog allows it, brush the coat that is under the coat more often than usual. Or concede that your dog’s hair may need to be trimmed shorter to take out tangles caused by constant sweater-wearing.

If your dog starts panting, it’s time to take the sweater off. A dog who starts rolling around when in clothes (especially if he doesn’t normally do that) can be telling you that he wants the clothes off, whether that’s because he’s warm or dislikes his outfit. Groot would become oddly active, running around the house, coming to us and then running off if we didn’t pay attention to her, when she wanted her sweater off. Rarely did she pant. She was more likely to wiggle her way out of her sweater on her own than pant.

Not all dogs need sweaters. When I visited Newfoundland Boomer on Denver’s snow day this week, his people were having a hard time keeping him from going to lay down outside in the full-on snow, since I needed him to be dry for our brushing session.

To wrap (see what I did there?) things up, it’s important to know a little about your elderly dog’s coat type first, and then consider his health issues, his age, and observe his comfort in different types of weather and temperatures. If your senior dogs are like ours, they’ll soon have a small wardrobe according to different needs!

🐶 Sniffing Out Senior Dog News 📰

📖 Study Identifies Average Age When Dogs Are Considered “Old” by Vets

🤑 Dog Aging Project Receives $7 Million NIH Grant

💊 Typhoid Mary dogs may spread drug-resistant Salmonella without getting sick

Senior Dog Humor 🤣 

How did we do with this week’s newsletter?

• High Paws

• Pooped in the House