Shedding gets rid of excess hair and dander, keeping your dog cooler in hotter months, and improving coat breathability. But there’s a difference between regular shedding and alopecia, a condition that causes hair loss in dogs (and humans and cats, for that matter). Alopecia manifests in bald spots, patches, or thinning hair across the body. For canines, benign factors like allergies or more serious complications like cancer can trigger it.
As mentioned, shedding is healthy and natural in our best friends. While double-coated breeds like Siberian Huskies, Labradors, and Bernese Mountain Dogs are the biggest shedders, all dogs do it to some extent (including hypoallergenic breeds, contrary to popular belief). It helps regulate their body temperature and makes room for new fur growth.
Owners can help their pups shed naturally with routine brushing regardless of their coat type. This prevents matting and helps identify fleas or sores that may be hidden by excess fur.
Both food and environmental allergens can cause our canine companions to lose hair. Anytime your pup comes into contact with something they’re sensitive to, like grass, dust, or even other pets, they can have an allergic reaction. It is essentially the immune system overreacting to a trigger. Dogs most prone to allergies include American Pit Bull Terriers, Dalmatians, French Bulldogs, Scottish Terriers, and Shih Ttzus.
Even with allergy testing and immunotherapy, there is never a 100% cure for allergies.
Dr. Erica Irish
Owners can help alleviate canine allergies by limiting their furry friend’s exposure to irritants and keeping their home environment clean. Dogs who are sensitive to outdoor allergens may benefit from avoiding early morning or late afternoon walks when pollen levels are at their highest. In some cases, your veterinarian may recommend antihistamines.
Dogs naturally have certain bacteria and fungi on their skin. But if they’re sick or having an allergic reaction, these microorganisms can be overproduced and lead to an infection. From there, the microorganisms can break through the diseased skin and spread inside the body. Such is the case for yeast infections, a skin disease commonly found in breeds with skin folds like Basset Hounds and Cocker Spaniels, but all dogs are susceptible.
Dogs can also develop skin infections from contact with infected creatures or objects. Ringworm, for example, is a highly contagious fungus that can spread between animals and even humans.
Treating canine skin infections depends on the specific type of infection, but it is typically straightforward. Your vet will likely suggest an antifungal medicine, antibiotic, topical ointment, or shampoo.
At just one-eighth of an inch, fleas can jump as high as two feet and lay 600 eggs per month. While they prefer to target dogs and cats, they also bite humans.
Flea preventatives are an important step in protecting your dog and your home from infestation. If you suspect your pooch has fleas, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian so they can prescribe medication to treat the itch and kill the fleas quickly. At-home remedies include coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, and a flea comb with soap and water.
Dogs can have two different types of skin mites. Demodex, also called demodectic mange, is a mite that usually lives on the skin of healthy dogs. However, sometimes puppies can have larger numbers of Demodex in their hair follicles, which leads to patchy areas with no hair.
The other type of skin mite that dogs can have is scabies, aka sarcoptic mange. Though rare, these parasites are highly contagious and can spread to people and other pets in the household.
To confirm a mange diagnosis, (Trusted Source) the vet will gently scrape the areas of hair loss with a scalpel blade and use a microscope to determine if skin mites are present. Treatment includes oral medications and benzoyl peroxide shampoos.
Some dogs are predisposed to hair loss because of their genetics. Hereditary conditions like color dilution alopecia (CDA) (Trusted Source) can cause patches of thinning hair and flaky skin. Other genetic disorders include albinism, which occurs when dogs lack the genes needed to produce melanin, and follicular dysplasia, a hair growth abnormality that can affect Gordon Setters and Dachshunds.
Unfortunately, most hereditary alopecia is considered untreatable but can be managed with certain supplements.
Canine hair loss can also be due to Cushing’s disease, a condition brought on by the overproduction of the hormone cortisol. It’s typically caused by a tumor in the dog’s brain or adrenal glands. While the disease typically occurs in middle-aged to senior dogs, it can affect dogs at any lifestage.
Though it isn’t preventable, it can be treated with trilostane, a drug that suppresses cortisol production. In some cases, your dog may need to undergo surgery to remove a tumor.
You may want to see if a metabolic disease, like hypothyroidism, (Trusted Source) is causing your dog’s hair loss. This slows down a dog’s metabolism, which can affect every other organ in the body.
While it’s not curable, pet parents can manage hypothyroidism with thyroid replacement hormones throughout the remainder of a dog’s lifetime.
You read that right. Dogs can get sunburnt just like us. If your pooch is having too much fun in the sun, burns can occur on the bridge of the nose, ear tips, around the lips, and on the abdomen and inner legs where there is less fur. And yes, severe enough sunburn can lead to hair loss.
To prevent sunburn (and possible skin cancer), find shaded areas on your trip to the beach, park, or campground, and apply a dog-appropriate sunscreen such as Epi-Pet K-9 Care Sunscreen.
In large breeds and less active dogs, pressure sores are calluses that occur when a dog’s elbows or other bony parts routinely experience trauma or pressure from hard surfaces, like lying on a hardwood floor or porch. This thickens the dog’s skin and causes their hair to shed.
Providing cushioned bedding and encouraging activities like hikes or playtime can help prevent pressure sores in your best friend. Pressure sores are treated with antibiotics and ointments.
Owners will also want to be vigilant to make sure that their dog’s hair loss isn’t linked to an autoimmune disease (Trusted Source) such as. This could include lupus or pemphigus, both of which can result in the appearance of hairless patches throughout a dog’s body. Diagnostic testing will need to be performed by a veterinarian, which can include blood tests, skin scrapes, or X-rays.
Long-term therapy will likely be necessary to treat an autoimmune disease, which can include immunosuppressants, antibiotics, and medicated baths.
No one likes to think of their dog possibly having cancer, but unfortunately, hair loss can be a symptom of it. While the most obvious conclusion would be skin cancer, this isn’t always the case.
Other cancers, like thyroid cancer or cutaneous lymphoma, can also cause hair loss in dogs. As your dog loses hair, watch for other symptoms that may indicate something more serious and consult your vet accordingly.
Cancer treatment for dogs can be similar to human treatment options, including chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery for tumor removal.
Because dogs shed naturally, it can be difficult to gauge whether or not your dog’s hair loss is abnormal. This is why it’s important to keep an eye on other symptoms your dog may be exhibiting in conjunction with the hair loss; additional, worrisome symptoms may be indicative of something more serious.
Here are some factors that merit a trip to the vet:
One of the best features of dogs is their soft, pillow-esque fur. So it can be upsetting to owners when their favorite furball is losing more hair than they should. Just chat with your vet about any concerns regarding hair loss, and keep an eye out for new symptoms so things don’t get worse.
Dogs lose hair for various reasons, including allergies, skin infections, genetics, and Cushing’s disease, among other factors. To determine why your dog is experiencing alopecia, you’ll have to look towards other symptoms like itching, blistering, or lethargy and consult your vet to get to the bottom of it.
Not all canine alopecia is paired with itching. For example, hypothyroidism is a metabolic disease in dogs that leads to weight gain and lethargy, but usually not itchiness.
While shedding is natural and healthy in dogs, it should be even throughout the body. Bald spots or patches usually indicate some other condition, like a skin infection or chemical exposure.
How you treat canine alopecia depends on the reason for their hair loss. If your dog is losing hair because of a skin infection, your vet may prescribe a topical ointment or antibiotics. If they’re losing hair because of a tumor, they may need surgery. Other treatments include certain shampoos or limiting exposure to irritants.
Dogs should be brought to the vet if other symptoms like excessive itching, lesions, or foul odor accompany their hair loss. In some cases, they may show extreme symptoms like vomiting or diarrhea, which could warrant emergency care.
