A Labrador who was bred for his unusual ‘silver’ colour but now has significant hair loss due to ‘doggy alopecia’ is searching for a loving home.
ixteen-month-old Milo came into York Animal Home – run by the RSPCA York, Harrogate & District Branch – when his owner could no longer take care of him.
When he arrived it was clear to the staff that he had ‘doggy alopecia’ and they decided to investigate why.
Animal Centre Manager Ruth McCabe said: “Milo was bred specifically for his ‘silver’ colouring, which is quite rare, but has caused the genetic condition follicular dysplasia. This is essentially doggy alopecia and is caused by an abnormality in the hair follicle, meaning he experiences fur loss and skin irritation.
“Unfortunately he is allergic to house dust and bee stings so he needs medication to help manage this and we’d like any adopters who take him home to continue with this.
“Despite the problems with his skin and his coat, Milo is a fun-loving lad who loves everyone he meets. He is a happy boy who lives life to the full and will make a wonderful addition to the right family. We just hope someone can see past his appearance and his skin problems, and learn to love the boy he is on the inside.”
RSPCA Senior Scientific Officer Dr Andrea Short – who has a PhD in dog genetics – said: “We love all dogs, no matter their size, age, breed, or colour. But it’s impossible to ignore the fact that we’re breeding dogs with inherent health problems caused by our obsession with looks and appearance, at the expense of health and welfare.
“Countless health problems in some of our most beloved breeds can be attributed to genetic issues, and often these are problems that have been man-made as we seek to create dogs with more extreme features, unusual colours, or rare markings. Breeding for the silver colour in Labradors, for example, often means the recessive traits or coat colour dilution can crop up and cause a life-long genetic health problem, such as follicular dysplasia.
“It’s so important that the public is aware of the reality of these unusual colourings and avoid fuelling these dangerous trends. While we would always urge people to adopt rescue dogs, those who are buying should choose dogs who have been bred with health, welfare and temperament as priorities.”
Bouncy, fun and friendly
Milo is very friendly and loves to meet people and other dogs but he can be bouncy and excitable. He’s missed out on basic training as a youngster so he’d benefit from owners who are willing to work on this with him, and he’s a clever dog who is eager to learn so is sure to pick it up quickly.
Sadly he hasn’t had much experience of being left on his own so his adopter will need to spend time with him at home while he settles in before slowly and positively teaching him that it’s not scary being left at home.
Ruth added: “Milo is an extremely active dog so he’ll love going on long walks and exciting adventures with his new family. He’s only young so he’s got such a wonderful zest for life and he’s always looking for new things to investigate and new games to play.
“It’s so wonderful to spend time with Milo and we all absolutely adore him at the animal home, but we’re desperate to get him into a wonderful home where he can settle and make himself at home.
“To know Milo is to love Milo so we hope there’s someone out there who can see this gorgeous boy fitting into their family life.”
Milo is sociable with other dogs so could live with a doggy friend if introductions went well. He can live with older children.
