Many breeds have coats that change over time. Puppies will generally be a different color than the adult dog. Medications, sunlight, nutritional status and skin disease can all be factors in changing and dog's coat color.
Genetics
Think of your dog in the same way. Even perfectly healthy dogs might be genetically predisposed to early graying. In fact, even puppies can have graying hair, and it can start to become more silvery with age. A few breeds are more likely to be genetically predisposed to graying.
The coat should be shiny but not greasy, and it should not have a strong odor. Unhealthy coat's appearance: A dog with an unhealthy coat will have dry and brittle hair with lots of loose hair in the coat. The coat itself may also be greasy or have a dusty appearance and include bald spots and an unpleasant oily smell.
Puppies that are born black can definitely change to other colors as they grow older, depending on their coat genetics. Not all puppies will change colors, but certain breeds (or mixes of those breeds) will have genetics that causes their adult coat to appear different than their puppy coat.
When dogs lick their paws excessively, a build-up of porphyrins from the saliva turns the fur around the area pink or rusty red. Over time, the stains can turn a darker brown. While the staining is only unsightly, excessive licking is often a sign of an underlying medical or behavioral issue.
Brown fur staining is primarily caused by an infection with the yeast Malassezia. This is the yeast that is responsible for skin and ear infections in dogs.
Why is my brown dog turning blonde? Yes, dogs can change colour as their coats 'blow'. Blowing means that hair strands get old and start to shed, often lighter in shade, e.g. gingerish on a brown dog, but the new coat would be usually darker and shinier.
If you notice any puppies becoming weaker, losing weight, straying from the litter or expressing discomfort, they may be fading.
The only way to know the true genetic color of these dogs and the potential coat color of the puppies they could produce is to do genetic testing. There are several resources on the Internet that can help you understand color inheritance in your dog, including poodles and other breeds.
What are the clinical signs of fading puppy syndrome? The clinical signs are vague and insidious. It is often too late to save a puppy once clinical signs are apparent. The common findings are a low birth weight or failure to gain weight at the same rate as their siblings, decreased activity and inability to suckle.
A type of coat that consists of two layers, double coated dogs have a dense undercoat of short hairs (woolly in texture) under a top coat of longer hairs called guard hairs. When a dog appears to be fluffier, it means he has a denser undercoat.
Be aware when behavior deviates from normal. A puppy who usually is bright and active when handled might suddenly become quiet and nonreactive if they're feeling sick. If a puppy suddenly becomes more vocal, with increased whining or whimpering, he may be trying to let you know that something is wrong.
Puppies lose their puppy coats between 4-to-6 months of age, although this time frame varies widely from breed to breed and can start at 12 weeks or wait until they're one year old. You might not notice your puppy shedding, especially if she is a shorthaired breed, or the change could be dramatic.
Like humans, dogs tend to go gray as part of their natural aging process. And just like us, as dogs get older, the pigment cells responsible for color (specifically, melanin) stop being produced; this causes the strands to come out at a lighter shade, like gray or white.
While bile often gives vomitus a yellow color, it can also add an orange or green tint to the vomited material. Vomit can also take on the color of dye or food coloring, depending on what was eaten.
The puppies will start 'colouring up' at around 1-2 weeks and look like perfectly normal puppies of their breed by three weeks of age. Patches of solid colour are present at birth.
However, the process occurs slowly and doesn't happen overnight. It often takes nine to 12 weeks, starting from this point, for a puppy's eye color to settle in and “stay.” The permanent eye color change can even happen as late as 16 weeks in age.
Fading puppy syndrome (FPS) is a lethal condition in dogs, affecting up to 30% of litters up to 3 weeks of age, with most deaths occurring within the first seven days post-partum (PP)1–4.
For the best chances of saving a fading pup, contact a veterinarian at the first sign of trouble, like excessive crying or difficulty nursing. Ensuring that the pups nurse, maintaining their body temperature, and offering emergency care are your most effective options.
It is estimated that the mortality rate is around 20-30% of "live-born pedigree puppies" in the first three weeks of life. Signs of the syndrome can include weakness, low body temperature, and 'paddling'.
If the stains are very serious, get out the baking soda, a natural bleaching agent that doesn't damage a dog's coat. Make a paste of baking soda and water, and brush it into the stain. Let dry and then wipe off with a damp cloth.
Not unlike humans, dogs see the detrimental effects of stress—including, a new study revealed, premature graying. Researchers at Northern Illinois University studied about 400 dogs between the ages of 1 and 4-years-old.
Saliva staining develops when an area of fur is constantly licked, chewed or nibbled, causing it to turn red, pink, brown or orange. It usually indicates an underlying problem such as: Allergic skin disease/skin allergies (very common) Parasites.
So, dogs know a person's individual smell and when illness changes that smell, dogs can notice that, too. Even humans can observe the scent of sickness with some health problems. For example, diabetic ketoacidosis can cause fruity or acetone-smelling breath.