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There can be many reasons why your dog might have patches of hair loss. These include regular, seasonal shedding, mange, fleas or other kinds of mites, and even hormonal changes. Ticks, like fleas, are external parasites that feed on the blood of their hosts. To properly remove a tick, grasp the tick with tweezers close to the dog’s skin, and gently pull it straight out.
Why Is My Dog Losing Hair in Patches?
Typical symptoms include red ring-like lesions that look roughly like a bullseye, slight crusting, and mild itchiness. If your dog suffers from gnat bites, you’ll usually observe clusters of red spots in furless areas such as the belly and inner hind legs. Gnats, parasites, allergies, and skin infections are common causes of skin issues and red circular lesions in dogs.
Overview of Causes, Symptoms and Treatment Recommendations
For example, a dog losing hair on its back is suspected to have an allergy, while circular patches of hair loss on dogs often indicate mange. It presents as circular patches of hair loss with lesions, inflammation, and crusting. These lesions sometimes clear up on their own, but it’s usually best to seek treatment with antifungal shampoo and medication. Fur loss is a common reason for dogs to be brought in to see our team at VRCC Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Hospital.
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If the cause is inflamed hair follicles and auto-immune skin disorders, anti-inflammatories, vitamins, and/or special shampoos may be prescribed. Many diseases, infections, and conditions can cause alopecia in dogs. The underlying cause can range from mild to serious in severity, so it is important to report hair loss to a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Once the cause is identified, most skin problems respond well to treatment. Alopecia, also known as hair loss, is a very common condition in dogs. Alopecia is different from shedding, which is a normal part of your dog’s hair growth cycle and depends on the dog’s breed. Alopecia refers to either thinning hair or spots of hair loss (bald spots). Where the hair loss occurs can depend on the underlying cause. The physical examination will cover both the dog’s skin and its general health.
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Treatment for hypothyroidism typically involves lifelong thyroid hormone replacement therapy, administered orally, to restore hormonal balance. With appropriate treatment, the dog’s hair loss should gradually improve, and new hair growth will occur over time. Treating flea allergies in dogs involves not only eliminating fleas from the dog and its environment but also managing the allergic response. This may include the use of flea control products, such as topical treatments or oral medications, to kill and prevent fleas. Ticks, mites, fleas, lice, ticks and worms are all parasites that can cause dog hair loss. They all cause discomfort for your dog and if not treated, can cause your dog to lose hair.
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Excessive Scratching: When It’s Not Just a Flea Problem
Hair loss in dogs is accompanied by itchiness, which worsens alopecia. CBD has been shown to have an anti-pruritic effect or reduce itchiness. Alopecia can be further diagnosed by the location on the body where hair is being lost. Inflamed sebaceous glands in the skin of short-coated breeds can cause hair loss and crusty skin. Some breeds are predisposed to genetic causes of alopecia (which we’ll discuss in more detail below). Alopecia in dogs is characterized by complete or partial loss of hair or fur in areas where hair is normally present.
However, if it does not improve, or if you see any signs such as itching, skin redness, or broken skin, call your veterinarian to book a routine check up. We’ll explore the different causes of alopecia in dogs and how you can help your dog if you notice hair loss. There are also a number of supplements that you can add to your dog’s diet that improve coat health. Fish oil, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E can help with dry skin and certain skin infections, and they keep fur shiny and in good shape. However, you should always follow your veterinarian’s instructions.
At-Home Care: A Comprehensive Guide to Nurturing Your Dog’s Skin and Coat
Shedding is a normal part of the hair growth cycle and occurs seasonally (in spring and fall) in outdoor dogs and year-round in indoor dogs. There are many causes of hair loss, which can be congenital (the animal is born with the condition) or acquired. It is caused by a lack of normal development of hair follicles. Or, the dog may be born with a normal coat ,and patchy or widespread hair loss occurs when the dog becomes a young adult. Your veterinarian will use a combination of history, lesion appearance, Wood’s Lamp illumination, and fungal cultures or testing to diagnose your pet with ringworm. They will prescribe appropriate medications and advise you if further medical testing is necessary.
Alopecia, otherwise known as abnormal hair loss or baldness, is the inability to regrow hair regularly or when hair falls out partially or entirely over the dog’s body. It occurs when the body attacks its own hair follicles, resulting in hair falling out. There’s typically a pattern to the baldness and it will either spread out or appear symmetrical.
Yeast infections, typically caused by an overgrowth of the Malassezia species, are common in dogs. When a dog experiences physical trauma or sustains an injury, such as cuts, burns, or deep wounds, it can result in hair loss in the affected area. When a dog is losing hair all over the body, there can be different causes.
It would help if you also made it a point to take your dog to a doctor of veterinary medicine at the first sign of hair loss. Any situation with itching, bad odor, irritated skin will typically require veterinary medicine. Ringworm is infectious and spreads through direct contact, contaminated objects, and people. Dog hair loss is one of the common symptoms of this condition. The infection is normally only a surface infection and only affects a few areas of the dog’s body. Depending on the underlying cause, canine alopecia may be accompanied by infection and irritation, along with possible reddening of the skin and the affected area.
Nutritional supplements, as recommended by the veterinarian, can also support coat health. For localized demodicosis, only one small area or multiple small patches of hair loss may be observed. In generalized demodicosis, which is a more serious condition, extensive hair loss, scabs, sores, and even secondary infections may occur. A thorough physical exam by your veterinarian is the single most important step in diagnosing the cause or causes of alopecia. It is seldom a quick fix when it comes to skin disorders in dogs.
Use appropriate flea and tick control that also protects dogs against mites (ask your veterinarian). Other treatments may include hormones, spay/neuter surgeries, retinoids, or melatonin. The main symptom of alopecia in dogs is simply baldness where there was hair or fur before. If you feel that your dog is exhibiting symptoms that are consistent with any of the above health conditions, schedule an exam with your veterinarian as soon as possible.
You also want to consult the vet if any other people or pets in the house have skin lesions. The allergic rash or hive-site in dogs often goes bald, causing the hair to fall out. It affects puppies, senior dogs, and immunocompromised dogs more intensely.
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