[Shasta220]

My lab, Cassy, is about 12yrs now. She’s on a 4-5 star food and gets one egg daily, some sardine/anchovy oil, and coconut oil as well. She’s fairly soft, but her back is dull and brown. I’m assuming it’s sun-faded, as she’s been mostly outdoors her whole life, and when offered a cool shady spot in the soft grass, she prefers to lay in the hot asphalt driveway. She’s quite the sunbather.

Are there other possibilities for browning fur? This isn’t anything sudden, it’s been fairly gradual. I’ve seen those shampoos for “blackening” dogs, but would they really work? Is there anything I should start/stop feeding her, or is it probably just results of too much sun?

(I’m not concerned at all, as she’s acting perfectly normal)

[theBCnut]

It can be a few different things. There are certain vitamins and minerals that can affect the quality of the coat, including how much it gets sun damaged. Thyroid can affect whether or not a coat sunburns. Age changes can. Kidney disease can. And there are more.

[Shasta220]

Very interesting. Thank you, Patty.

[A.Sandy]

I’s called “Red Coat” It could be the sun exposure, shampoos, sprays, food and specially licking, their saliva contains porphyrin + sun exposure… yeah its on the saliva and tears

Ana Sandy
Pet nutrition expert/advisor
Pupcatnutrition.com
@pupfacts

[Shasta220]

I don’t think it’s licking/tears that much, because it’s only on her withers/back. She can’t reach her withers or most of her back, she only licks her legs. Her legs are still shiny black though. She is in the sun a whole lot though.

I have seen shampoos for dull/fading/browning dark coats, does anyone know if they really work?

[theBCnut]

They have sun screen in them, so they work if the fading is sun damage. They also have ingredients that help remoisturize a dry coat.

[Shasta220]

Ah, I see. I may have to try that with her, as I’m almost positive it’s sun damage. My other dogs have black backs, and are in the sun just as much, but don’t have any browning. (Aside from Loki’s naturally tan undercoat, of course)

[theBCnut]

In horses, they give them paprika to improve coat quality and ability to resist sun fading.

[Author]

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