About 10 years ago, I noticed that some long-haired Dachshunds had silky, flowing hair, while others had bushy hair.
I had two small, fluffy female dachshunds.
A few years later, a friend who is a dog groomer told me that this fluffy coat was called “spay hair.”
What is a Spray Coat?
A neutered Dachshund is one in which a very fine, fuzzy, matte undercoat grows over the shiny outer coat.
This can also happen to other breeds, such as Golden Retrievers and Irish Setters, and is associated with the removal of sex hormones (called neutral hair in males).
This is not a medical or technical term, but a slang term used by groomers and is becoming more common among dog owners as knowledge about dog diseases increases.
There is little scientific documentation of this phenomenon, but it has been clearly observed in some dachshunds that have been spayed or neutered.
It is not known exactly how this type of hair develops, but it may involve excessive growth of the undercoat, a reduction in guard hairs (longer, coarser, silkier hairs), reduced shedding of the undercoat, reduced growth of long guard hairs, or a combination of these (sauce).
I finally found it Very small study A study examining changes in fur after spaying.
The paper stated that “…spaying can result in qualitative changes in a dog’s coat” and observed that three of 15 female dogs showed coat changes following hormone removal, but did not identify what exactly caused this coat change.
And while it’s not specific to Dachshunds, if you search online for “fur after spaying” or “changes in dog’s fur after neutering” you’ll find numerous forums where dog owners discuss this phenomenon.
Is neutering a problem?
Spaying or neutering is usually not an issue. Medically speaking, it is not a major problem.
However, some people buy a long-haired Dachshund after seeing beautiful pictures of dogs with beautiful long, flowing hair, only to be disappointed when their Dachshund looks like a Swiffer.
Also, because their fur is fuzzy after spaying, your Dachshund may be more likely to pick up debris when outdoors and grooming may require more time and effort.
In particular, the problem is KibanaThese are sharp grass seeds that, once embedded, tend to travel in one direction, causing abscesses and wounds that may sometimes require surgery to remove them.
Dachshunds have a thick, bushy coat that makes them more likely to pick up grass seeds, making it harder for you to notice them stuck in your dog’s fur.
Also, neutered dogs’ coats are generally thicker and denser than those of non-hormoned, long-haired dogs, which can lead to them overheating in the summer.
What causes neutering in Dachshunds?
As mentioned above, the reason is due to the removal of a hormone that somehow changes the way your long-haired dachshund’s hair normally grows.
Neutering is a slang term for the coat changes that occur in long-haired dogs after hormones are removed through spaying.
However, it is important to note that there are both minor and major medical reasons why your long-haired Dachshund’s coat or texture may change.
Common health issues in Dachshunds that can cause changes in their coat are Cushing’s disease and thyroid imbalance.
Nutritional deficiencies can also cause changes in the coat.
If you’re concerned about your Dachshund’s coat growth, consult with your veterinarian, especially if it seems like a sudden change and he hasn’t been spayed or neutered recently.
Does neutering only happen to long-haired Dachshunds?
It is not known whether coat changes occur in short-haired or wire-haired Dachshunds.
But if there is any change, it is hardly noticeable.
Neither the Wirehaired nor the Smoothhair Dachshund have an undercoat like their long-haired counterparts, so the undercoat does not grow too long, outgrowing the long guard hairs and creating a shaggy appearance.
Removal of hormones is essentially a forced menopause and may cause changes to the coat, such as dullness or alopecia (hair loss), but these changes are not referred to as spaying or neutering.
These terms are only used for dog fur that is fluffy and soft looking.
How to remove hair after spaying
Whether you want to remove your Dachshund’s neutered coat simply because you don’t like the way it looks, or because your environment or lifestyle is causing unwanted problems, it is generally possible to keep your long-haired Dachshund’s coat looking normal.
This can be done at home by manually stripping or plucking the soft undercoat with your fingers.
Excess fluffy undercoat can also be removed with a grooming rake or knife (not a sharp kitchen knife).
If desired, you can give any remaining hairs a final trim to tidy them up, but cutting dense, matted, overgrown guard hairs is not recommended as this can mask the problem and encourage the growth of these hairs.
If you are not comfortable clipping your Dachshund’s coat yourself, you can take him to a groomer to have it clipped.
Sometimes the coat is stripped by hand, or sometimes what is called a high speed blowout is done.
If you ask, they may be able to show you how to do it yourself at home to make the job easier, or as maintenance between grooming sessions.
Are there other ways to make your Dachshund fluffy?
While spaying is what gives long-haired Dachshunds their fluffy coat, there are other ways to get a fluffy Dachshund.
You may have seen Dachshunds, which look similar to Doodles or Maltese, with coats that some might describe as long and “silky.”
If your dachshund is fluffy but the coat appears more “flowing” than “fuzzy,” then your dog is probably a Silky Wire Dachshund, a combination of a long coat and a wire coat.
So, although there are other ways that Dachshunds get fluffy, the fur of a neutered Dachshund will look noticeably different than silky, wiry fur.
lastly
Neutering a Dachshund is when a Dachshund’s long, silky coat changes and becomes fluffy after being spayed or neutered.
While this phenomenon is not generally a problem, it can be an issue in certain situations or with certain lifestyles.
For example, if you often hike or camp with your Dachshund, this type of coat may pick up more litter, absorb more dirt and mud, and require more grooming.
Now that you know why spaying and neutering is done and what you can do about it, you can work to restore your long-haired Dachshund’s coat to its original look and feel, if that’s what you want.
However, be aware that medical changes can also cause changes to your Dachshund’s coat, so visit your vet if you’re concerned, especially if your Dachshund hasn’t been spayed or neutered recently.
