![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() – Science Daily The Influence of Genetics On Going Grey Scientists traced the loss of hair color to the gradual dying off of adult stem cells that form a reservoir that spawns a continuous supply of new pigment-manufacturing cells, called melanocytes, that give hair its youthful hues. Over time we create less melanin, the black or brown pigment that occurs in the hair, skin & eyes of humans & animals. Though the specific gene that causes premature greying has yet to be found, experts say that cellular stress is what causes grey hairs. Because the progressive greying gene is dominant it’s also seen in some mixed breeds, especially in the UK where Bearded Collie & terrier crosses are common. Some breeds, such as Poodles and Bearded Collies, have the greying gene that causes their entire coat to turn silver. This type of progressive greying is attributed to chromosome 25, though the gene itself has not been found. It’s caused by a progressive greying gene that causes their coats to turn grey or silver. There’s another type of greying that certain breeds go through called progressive greying. It’s the greying that’s associated with the aging process, the same one that happens to humans. The premature greying I’m talking about with Laika is sometimes called geriatric greying, and it usually starts around the muzzle. Greying in dogs can occur anywhere, but it tends to be most prominent on their muzzle. On average most dogs start going grey around 5 years old, though some start going grey before the age of 2. Dogs with high levels of psychological stress or anxiety have been found to grey earlier, and the cellular stress that causes grey hairs has a genetic component in dogs. Two major factors come into play when it comes to dogs going grey - stress and genetics. Is your dog doing grey around the muzzle? Just as it is with humans there’s a couple different reasons as to why some dogs go grey early while others don’t grey much at all. So it got me wondering - why do dogs go grey early anyway? It it all genetics? Is it stress related? And why do some dogs go grey much earlier than others? Why Do Dogs Go Grey Early? Looking back all of my dogs went grey eventually, but it never started quite that early. Laika’s already going grey, though she’s only 3 years old. ![]()
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