If you find your dog starts shedding or losing hair, you should read and understand what causes dog hair loss before consulting a vet. In fact, a dog’s thick coat indicates that your pooch has everything they need. In other words, your dog is getting a well balanced diet, excellent environment, and lifestyle. Sometimes it’s difficult and very challenging to know exactly why your dog battle with hair loss. Don’t stress, it’s a very common issue with all dogs.
Hair loss is also known as Alopecia. It causes dogs to have partial or complete loss of hair. Unfortunately, it can affect your pooch’s skin, endocrine system, and immune system.
Symptoms and Signs
- Your dog’s hair sometimes feels dry
- Shedding more than normal
- Circular or irregular shaped bald patches
- Crusting and inflammation
In fact, dog hair loss can occur in a specific area like hair loss around the eyes, under the collar, or below the neck. Also, it can be generalized across your pooch’s whole body.
Causes of dog hair loss
Genetics
There are many hairless dog breeds such as the Chinese Crested and the American Hairless Terrier. But, what you may not know there are specific breeds have the tendency of baldness or patchy hair loss in common areas as the chest, back legs, between the eyes, and behind the ears. These dog’s breeds include the Doberman, Whippet, Chihuahua, and Dachshund.
Bedsores
Pressure sores or as called bedsores usually appear on the bony parts of dogs that often in contact with hard services, like dog’s elbows. As a result, you’ll find the skin of these areas are rough and callused. In some cases, it can cause crack and bleeding.
Hypothyroidism
It happens when a dog’s thyroid is unable to produce enough thyroxine hormone to meet the pooch’s body needs. studies show that Hypothyroidism is very common in medium to large dogs who are between 4 and 10 years old. If your dog battles with hypothyroidism, you will find then have a lack of energy, need frequent naps and have a loss of interest in exercise and playing.
Cushing Disease
It is a condition in which the adrenal glands produce a lot of cortisol hormone. Cushing disease is mostly seen in Poodles, the American Spitz, and Dachshunds.
Addison Disease
This condition occurs in female dogs, in which, the adrenal glands produce less cortisol hormone. Addison disease works as the opposite of Cushing Disease. The symptoms that may reveal your dog suffer from Addison disease, aside from hair loss, are depression, vomiting, diarrhea and increased urination.
Drug reactions
As a matter of fact, some medications can trigger hair loss as a side effect. Chemotherapy drugs are the most common medications can cause dog hair loss. In addition, injectable drugs and vaccines usually cause hair loss. You may find bald spot at the injection site as a result of inflammatory response to the medication.
Stress
Stress can cause hair loss in dogs. Actually, anxious pooches that suffer from psychological or behavioral disorders shed hair more frequently.
7 Dog Hair Loss Home Remedies
After you have an idea of what things can cause hair loss, it’s time to take a look at some things you can do at home to stop hair loos in your doggie.
- Humidifier. if your dog battle with frequent shedding, you will find their skin and hair are dry. you should use a humidifier, it will help to soothe your pooch’s skin and prevent dryness and itchy skin. You can place the humidifier near your doggie’s bed.
- Apple Cider Vinegar. Actually, it is one of the most effective remedies for many issues your dog may suffer from. A lot of people have been using it for many years. Apple Cider Vinegar has an acidic nature that gets rid of fungal and bacterial infections your dog may have. You can apply some of it on your fur friend’s body to refresh their skin.
- Brush your dog’s hair. It’s a very simple thing to do and a very healthy tip if you do it on a regular basis. By brushing your dog’s hair you can distribute the natural skin oil all over their hair. These natural oils keep the skin moisturized and protected, so your dog’s hair will look healthier and shinier.
- Lemon Juice. Some people use lemon juice as a substitute to apple cider vinegar. They are both acidic liquids that help to fight bacteria and fungal.
- Olive Oil. It’s a very effective method to use if you want to soften the skin. You can find dry patches on your dog’s skin, apply a little olive oil to moisture these rough skin. Massage a small amount of oil and wait for results.
- Eliminate allergens. In fact, allergies can be a cause of dog hair loss. Unfortunately, they can cause many problems like, inflammation which may lead to skin dryness and hair loss. so, you should feed your dog healthy food and free from common allergens. if you find your dog has a food intolerance or food allergy, you should consult a vet.
- Omega -3. They are powerful probiotics your dog should have. You should ask your vet to recommend food or supplements that contain Omega.
Diagnosis
The most important thing for proper diagnosis is the pattern of Alopecia.
- If your dog has multiple areas of hair loss, you will notice mild scaling and reddening of their skin. Generally, a bacterial infection accompanied with this type of hair loss.
- Another condition your dog may battle with is symmetrical hair loss. There are many causes for it including low thyroid levels, too much estrogen in the body, and lower level of testosterone related hair loss.
- The most familiar and common condition is patchy to generalized hair loss. This type usually results from ringworm and bacterial infections. There are several symptoms reveal it like redness of the skin and inflammation.
As you can see dog hair loss isn’t something you can neglect. In fact, there are many reasons and causes make your dog’s hair thin or fall out. So, it’s very important if you notice any hair falling out to contact your vet as soon as possible.
If your pooch suffered before from hair falling out, please share your experience with us and how you succeed to manage it. I will be more than happy to add your method to my list.
