s pets (and humans) age, things change. In our businesses, we see it all the time—the older dog smells a little bit more, their hair thins, and they get skin growths and even cancerous growths. Why does this happen? Is it just old age? The answer is, yes, a lot of it can be blamed on old age, but as we say in medicine, “Old age is not a disease. It is a condition.”

As aging occurs, all body parts start breaking down and losing their normal functions. The skin is one of the prominent areas in which we see it. We can’t see the liver, kidneys or thyroid gland, but we can see the primary and secondary effects of their deterioration in the skin.

With the keratinization cycle (aging and working outward of the cells of the epidermis), the skin works as an excretory system to detoxify the body. We typically think of the liver detoxing the body and excreting wastes through the digestive tract, and the kidneys detoxifying the body and excreting toxins through the urine, but the skin also functions in this capacity. It will take toxins from the inside and work them to the surface of the skin. This is why so many old dogs have skin issues.

Once these toxins reach the surface, they change the environment and the pH of the skin, causing a whole cascade of issues. The most common consequence we see is symmetrical hair loss. Most often, we associate this with thyroid disease, which changes the metabolism in the body. Still, we also can see it with Cushing’s disease (over-secretion of cortisones from the adrenal gland), Addison’s disease (under-secretion of two types of cortisones from the adrenal gland), diabetes (high blood sugars), and liver and kidney issues. Mostly, we see hair loss, but with Cushing’s disease and occasionally diabetes, we will see secondary infections to coincide with the hair loss.

When evaluating these diseases versus hair loss due to infection, it is essential to know the differences. The primary difference is that metabolic diseases are a whole-body issue and are symmetrical, meaning the hair loss tends to be equal and similar on both sides of the body. Hair loss due to infection tends to be sporadic around the body, different sizes of areas and patchy.

Why is this important? As a groomer with correct training, skin infections can be dealt with very effectively. However, if this is a metabolic disease, any effort by the groomer will not be successful without addressing the underlying problem.

My general rule of thumb is any dog over seven years of age with a skin issue must go to a veterinarian for blood work to see what is going on internally. It is never wrong to check blood work at any age because I have even seen young dogs with some of the metabolic diseases mentioned, but that is more the exception than the normal.

Many groomers will start addressing the skin issue without first checking the blood on these older dogs, and what commonly happens is that they get decent to good results until they stop the process. If you bathe these dogs frequently, you can change the skin’s environment. By diluting the toxins on the skin by bathing frequently, you are creating a pseudo-normal environment. However, when you stop, the toxins build back up, and everything falls apart again.

As a groomer, you must recognize and encourage your clients to seek veterinary care when you see or feel that changes are occurring. Please don’t diagnose or think that by looking at a pet you know exactly what is happening. That is why blood work becomes crucial, as all of these diseases can look the same.

Dogs with these diseases can also have a common history of drinking more water and urinating more frequently, which is commonly referred to as PU/PD (polyuria/ polydipsia). This is another way the body is trying to detoxify itself.

The groomer plays a vital role in recognizing the potential problem, getting the animal help, and bringing the hair and skin back to health. These pets will benefit from products that stimulate hair growth, creating a good environment by adding hydration, trace minerals, vitamins and products that will strengthen the existing hairs—in other words, using products designed to accomplish those things.

Shampoo by itself is not the answer to this because shampoos will strip the precious oils necessary to rebuild the skin barrier. Seeking out the right conditioners or sprays that are correctly pH balanced to aid in this becomes very important.

I consider groomers to be vital in recognizing these old-age-related issues in our pets early. Most owners are not as quick to notice changes because they are with the pets daily and often are not as knowledgeable as a groomer to pick up on these early, subtle changes. In addition, with seeing a pet every two to eight weeks, you will usually notice the changes more quickly than the veterinarian, so don’t hesitate to bring this to the client’s attention and encourage them to seek help.

The saying, “If you see something, say something,” is very appropriate here. You may save the life of one of your favorite “friends” in the later stages of their life by being proactive!

Dr. Cliff Faver graduated with a BS in Biology/BA in Chemistry before getting a Veterinary degree in 1987. He is the past owner of Animal Health Services in Cave Creek, Arizona and now the US distributor for Iv San Bernard products, teaches the ISB Pet Aesthetician Certification program, and speaks internationally on hair and skin. His passion is to merge groomers and veterinarians to aid in helping and healing pets. He is also a member of AVMA, AAHA, AZVMA, Board member with Burbank Kennel Club, and has served on Novartis Lead Committee, Hill’s International Global Veterinary Board, and a Veterinary Management Group.