Hair loss then unbelievable regrowth

Hello all,
I have a 10 year old fawn female boxer that was diagnosed with Cushing's disease about a year-and-a-half ago. She had a side effect from the Cushing's disease called calcinosis cutis where she lost all the hair from her neck down to her tail and it was replaced with scabby, bleeding Barnacle like growths. We finally got her on the right dosage of mitotane and within a few weeks the calcinosis cutis was gone and her hair came back.
As wonderful as that is, I'm now dealing with another problem that is just plain annoying. I don't know whether it is due to the mitotane drug or her body reacting to the calcinosis cutis attack but all the hair on her entire body has grown twice the length of a normal boxers hair and it has come in twice as thick. The problem I'm having now is with unbelievable shedding. I just touch her or pet her head or back and the hair flies off of her body. It doesn't leave bald spots because the hair is shedding and being replaced so fast.
Has anyone experienced this problem and found a treatment for the excessive shedding?

Hello and welcome to you and your boxer.

One of the things that we have found is that the hair regrowth after being on cushing meds can be completely different than it was before. We've had black dogs turn white and white dogs black, and yes, some become hairy compared to before. I don't know why that is, other than that the skin and hair have natural cycles and it sounds like the cycle on your boxer has sped up.
I don't know of a specific treatment for excessive shedding, but maybe one of the others will have some ideas.

Did you speak with your vet about the hair grown and shedding?

What is her ACTH levels at?

Hello and welcome from me, too! As Sharlene says, other members have reported changes in the quality of their dogs’ hair after beginning treatment — for instance, wavier or thicker. And color changes have been reported as well. I’m personally not remembering anything as dramatic as black to white, but some people have definitely said that the tone of their dogs’ hair has shifted. Having had human friends who have lost their hair and then been surprised by the color and the nature of the regrowth after undergoing chemotherapy, I suspect it’s somewhat the same dynamic. So the change in the quality of your dog’s hair may remain a constant throughout the duration of treatment.

As far as the excessive shedding, however, I may be able to deliver some peace of mind since that may only be a temporary issue. Apparently the normal hair growth cycle goes dormant during periods of excessive cortisol production. Once cortisol levels are reduced through treatment, the growth cycle is kick-started and some dogs experience a massive shedding period at that time. However, once all the old hair has been sloughed off, a more normal pattern of shedding/regrowth resumes. I experienced this with my own Cushpup labrador. A short time after beginning treatment, I was horrified when huge clumps of hair started pulling off. He already had so many bald spots from the untreated Cushing’s that I was afraid there would be no hair left! But unlike beforehand, there were new little baby hairs coming in underneath, and after a time the excessive shedding was all over and he had a thick coat back again. Perhaps even thicker than before he became ill. So there is hope for you and your girl!

Once again, we’re really glad you’ve found us, and we’d love to hear more about your Cushing’s journey should you wish to share more specifics. Was your girl’s calcinosis cutis actually confirmed by a biopsy? If so, you’re very lucky to have it clear up so quickly, and that will bring hope to several members here who have struggled with this condition.

Marianne

My vet knows about it but does not have a solution. She hasn't had her levels checked in quite a while. Maybe I should get them rechecked

Thank you so much for your input. I'm going to get her ACTH levels rechecked and will keep you all posted. Thank you so much again

Yes, it definitely would be a good idea to have her cortisol level rechecked. I am just now re-reading your first post and realizing that you’re not just beginning treatment. Sorry about that mistake! So the excessive shedding may be related to her current cortisol level, and it will be good to have that checked for a number of reasons.
Marianne