Why is my Pet’s Hair Color Changing?
I know you ‘ve been asked this question before, but here goes: I have a year and a half old Shih Tzu boy and I’m feeding him HALO. His hair is mostly black and white with a bit of grey, but his black parts are turning tan. Started on his rear end and now working up his back. Any suggestions?
Andrea
Chapel Hill, NC
My suggestion is to embrace the change. I don’t think there is anything you can do to stop it.
The ravages of time affect everyone who is lucky enough to age. Skin and hair are especially susceptible to changes relating to maturing.
No person’s skin is the same at 49 as it is at 19. The same holds true for cats and dogs. And, as most middle aged and older men can attest, hair is a luxury. As an individual goes through life, hair changes. It may grow thinner. It may become coarser. It may change color.
It is especially common for darkly pigmented hair to become lighter. Pigment takes a great deal of energy for the body to make. Bodies are prone to directing resources towards other needs. A trip down the drug store hair care aisle will show how prevalent this issue is in people. It occurs in dogs and cats as well.
If your dog’s skin is itchy, red, irritated, malodorous or sensitive then you should take him to the vet. But if his hair is simply changing color, you should treat it as a mark of distinction.
Photo: Mhuffin’s hair is perfect. For now.
You have questions. 
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I have an 8 mo. old solid Dark Chocolate female Havanese whose name is Truffle. Her hair (where the sun gets it) has become shades lighter, but the hair near the skin has stayed a beautiful chocolate. If I had her groomed to 1/2″ – she would still be dark chocolate – so I think it’s the sun that lightens it.
My “geriatric” Aussie mix has changed color all her life, from a fluffy black-eyed white puffball to a black, white and tan speckled undercoat with parti-colored long guard hair and a pink stripe down her nose. After TPLO surgery, her hair didn’t grow back to 2 years! And when it did, the black spot that was shaved clean came back white! Now her coat is thinning on her flanks and tail but is still lush and thick everywhere else. Who knows? She is otherwise very healthy and happy.
My Snuggle got darker and darker as she got older. He back was nearly solid black. She had a lot of brown when she was younger. I took her to my mother’s one day and she thought I had brought home a different cat.
My Liza was a beautiful blue/gray color when she came to live with me, but as she got older, she turned more of a brown color. It is strange to look at their photos as they aged and she the color changes.
Gabriel looks a lot like Snuggle and he too is getting more black. The others that are with me now seem to be keeping their original color so far.