3 Common Causes Of Hair Loss In Dogs

Hair loss in dogs can be especially concerning and troublesome for pet owners. Alopecia, as it is medically known, can be caused by several diseases and conditions. Luckily, hair loss in dogs does not necessarily mean a serious condition.

Common Causes Of Alopecia In Dogs

What could be causing your dog’s hair loss? Here are five common causes you should consider discussing with your veterinarian.

1. Allergies

Often hair loss in dogs is caused by allergies. Just like people, dogs can have allergies to all types of foods and environmental triggers.

Some common environmental contributors include:

– Pollen

– Mold

– Fleas

– Dust Mites

– Other Parasites

Some common food allergy sources include:

– Beef

– Dairy

– Wheat

– Chicken

– Corn

– Soy

When it comes to allergies, there are other signs to look out for in dogs. If your dog is scratching and biting their itches, and shows signs of irritated red areas on their skin, allergies could be the cause. It can take as little as one parasite to induce an allergic reaction and a reaction can last for days.  Allergies in dogs can be treated topically or internally with medication, with dietary changes or with immunotherapy.  You may wish to bring your dog to the vet to determine the exact cause of the allergy to help guide you better in the future.

2. Infection or Infestation

Infections due to parasites, including fleas, ticks, and mites, or due to fungi such as ringworm, can be another source of hair loss in dogs. If you notice parasites on your dog’s skin, as well as inflammation, scratching and red areas your dog may be suffering with an infection.

Hair loss due to infection has a kind of pattern. Look for hair loss around the ears, stomach, chest and eyes. Hair loss due to a bacterial or fungal infection depends on what is infecting the dog. For instance, ringworm causes circular or irregular hair loss. Severe infections require antifungal shampoos or other topical treatments or drugs. However, small infections may clear up on their own.

3. Cushing’s Disease

Cushing’s disease or its medical term hyperadrenocorticism” data-scayt-lang=”en_US”>hyperadrenocorticism, is caused by an overproduction of a hormone known as cortisol. Your veterinarian will need to evaluate and diagnose your dog. They will be able to determine the best course of action for treatment. Cushing’s syndrome may be treated with surgery or medication.

Besides hair loss, Cushing’s syndrome has other telltale symptoms to look out for.

Cushing’s disease symptoms include:

– Dog is 6 years or older

– Increased frequency of eating, drinking, urinating, panting

– Potbellied or bloated like appearance

– Less energy

– Insomnia

– Obesity

Seeing a Vet About Dog Hair Loss

If you’re concerned about hair loss in your dog, you may be unsure if your dog needs to see a vet. If alopecia in your dog is accompanied with:

– Itching

– Weird odor

– Infected skin

– Behavioral changes

– Skin lesions that seem to spread across pets

Your safest bet is to bring them to your veterinarian’s office and have them evaluated. Come visit us at Veterinary Sports Rehab & Integrative to learn more and get your dog checked!

CONTACT US

Vet Sports Rehab and Dr. Adams
2338 S Yukon CT , Lakewood CO 80227


Appointments Monday through Friday
Monday: 8:30 am - 6:00pm
Tuesday: 8:30 am - 6:00pm
Wednesday: 8:30 am - 6:00pm
Thursday: 8:30 am - 6:00pm
Friday: 9:00 am - 12:00pm

Services provided include western and eastern examinations, lab work, ultrasounds, animal chiropractic, acupuncture, laser, medications, herbs, supplements , PRP and stem cell treatments. At this time x-rays and major surgeries are not available but will be in the future. If you have questions or your pet needs to be seen before the first available appointment please contact Dr. Adams at adamsdvm@protonmail.com and someone will get back to you during business hours. If you leave message during the week within 24 hours, during the weekend or holidays you will be contacted on the next business day.

Call Us Text Us
Skip to content