Hair loss in dogs
Introduction
There are many problems associated with breeding a pet at home. When the pet is a dog, the owners often find tufts of hair on the couch and carpets of the house. Almost all dog breeds exhibit hair fall, but the double coated breeds (for example Husky, German Shepherd, Welsh Corgi, Collie, etc.) are more prone to hair fall. There can be various causes of hair fall in dogs, each having its own definite symptom. The symptoms can give a clue about the causes and if that fails, a full diagnosis can provide the results on the basis of which treatment could be given.
Causes of hair fall in dogs and the symptoms associated
1.Ringworm- Fungal infections give birth to ringworm and thereby causes gray scaly skin along with hair loss. Though the ringworm is not itchy, it is contagious enough to spread itself to the dog owner and other family members.
2.Allergies and hot spots- When the dogs chew and scratch their inflammed skin (which occurs because of allergy) there is a formation of bald patches along with the breaking off of the hair. The hot spot is another type of skin infection, which can appear on the skin of the dog within hours. It is very painful and itchy. The scratching by the dogs for relieving the irrritation causes red raw hairless sores.
3. The Acral Lick Dermatitis- This is a chronic skin problem, which is caused by excessive licking in some dogs. The lower leg area is usually affected. More licking tendency develops as a result of secondary infection and itching. The skin thickens and the hair loss occurs at later stages and even ulceration can occur.
4.Parasites (demodex/ fleas)- The demodex and the the fleas are the two most common parasites, which live on the skin of dogs and are very notorious in causing hair fall.
Demodex is a little sized mite, which lives inside the hair follicles; demodex is found in those dogs, which have lower immunity level, for example in old dogs with chronic diseases or young puppies.
Fleas are blood sucking parasites. The place at which they bite becomes itchy, and when the dog nibbles at the itchy surface, the hair gets snapped off, thereby leaving an itchy surface.
5. Hair loss due to hormonal irregularities- The hormonal disorders found in dogs are symmetrical and affect both sides of the body of the dog. The places where hair loss occur do not itch. Weight gain and excessive thirst are also found in such dogs. Hypothyroidism is the most common hormonal deficiency found in dogs and 40% of the dogs having hypothyroidism exhibit hair loss.
6. Pressure sore calluses- This can be found on the body of dogs where bony prominences occur, like on the hips and elbows due to increase in pressure on the skin. No pain and inflammation is associated with these and these are also not itchy. They take the shape of thick hairless areas, which protect the tissues that lie beneath them.
7. Zinc Responsive Dermatosis- The symptoms of this infection are crusting around the eyes and muzzles along with hair loss, which spreads to the hocks and ears. This occurs because of the deficiency of zinc.
8. Color Dilution Alopecia- The abnormality in the hair follicles of the dogs causes this disease. It is mostly found in dogs with blue or fawn coats. The color of these coats get diluted to black or brown coats. It is a hereditary disease.
9. Alopecia X- The disease is named so because its exact cause is not yet known. It is found mostly in keeshonds, chow chows, pomeranians, and the miniature poodles. The long primary hairs of the dogs fall out and what remains is a soft fluffy undercoat. The disease is not painful or itchy to the dog and only affects the outer appearance of the dog.
10. Dog pattern baldness- Here a gradual thinning of hair occurs in the dogs, which later progresses to alopecia. The disease is hereditory and no other symptoms (like itching or soar formation) occur in dogs. The greyhounds, dachshunds, and Boston terriers lose the hair around their temple area, the neck's underside, ears, chest, abdomen, and thighs.
The diagnosis
The veterinarian can develop a list of common various possible diagnoses by noting the external appearance of the dog. The main criteria for diagnosis are:-
1.Presence of fleas
2.Evidence of licking on the legs
3. The time during which the hair loss occurred
4. The body parts affected
Many a times a clinical examination provides for all the answers and is enough to reach the diagnosis; for example, in cases like hot spots and flea energy dermatitis. In most of the other cases, there is a need for further testing. The scrapings of the skin are taken and then further examined under the microscope, in search of demodex. When looking for fungal infection, a wood's lamp test is the first step. For checking the hormonal imbalances, blood check is undertaken. Diagnosis of hypothyroidism is done by measuring the thyroid amount in the blood. Cushing disease is checked by the ACTH stimulation tests. Skin biopsy is many-a-times the only way for knowing the exact reason behind the hair loss. A local anesthetic is used and the result is available in 48 hours.
Frequently asked questions:
1. What are the various medications for treatment of alopecia in dogs?
Antibiotics, thyroid hormone supplements, zinc tablets, anti inflammatory drugs, etc. are used to treat alopecia in dogs. Surgery is also performed in some cases. Insectsides are applied externally to kill the fleas and demodex mites. Omega fatty acids are also given.
2. Do all breed of dogs suffer form hair loss?
Yes , all dogs suffer from hair loss, but the problem is more prominent in dogs of double coated breeds.
3. Are the diagnosis results important ?
The diagnosis results provide the background, based on which the treatment is done for hair loss.
Things to avoid
1. The dogs should not be allowed to visit paces where mites and fleas are found.
2. After diagnosis, full treatment should be provided to the dogs so that problem does not resurfaces in future.
