Many pet owners often complain when their animal loses hairs all over their homes, but in most cases, animal hair shedding is normal.
Molting or shedding is influenced by several factors. It is due to the food they eat, the animal’s own hormones or sometimes it’s overall health. Certain diseases are known to cause abnormal hair loss. But the most important factor ,when normal shedding is concerned, is the amount of light your pet is exposed to…a phenomenon called the photoperiod.
In Canada for example, most pets subject to shedding, tends to molt (shed) twice a year, namely in spring and autumn, when days change in length (daylight increasing in spring and reducing in the fall).
Animals that live mostly indoors, like most of our pets, tend to lose their hair, sometimes in abundance, due to the artificial photoperiod. We have no control over the length of days or changes in seasons for that matter, but there are still ways to minimize the amount of molting. Serving your pet a quality food, daily brushing and reducing stress can greatly help reduce shedding.
Yes ,stress (even in pets) can play a role in shedding. Unfortunately for us heath professionals, it is very common for stressed out dogs and cats to lose a lot of hair in a short period of time when visiting the vet.