Have you noticed that your pup is missing patches of fur? Maybe you’ve been vacuuming up more dog hair than usual? Fetch’s on-staff veterinarian Dr. Aliya McCullough explains the top four reasons dogs lose their fur and treatment options for each.
If you notice that your dog is experiencing hair loss, your vet will most likely want to run tests to rule out any contagious conditions, like mites or scabies, as the cause. They’ll also want to know the history of the hair loss, so keep track of when it started, and let them know if there are any other symptoms.
Self-trauma
This hair loss occurs when your pet can’t stop scratching or chewing, which causes skin damage and eventual hair loss. Allergies, fleas and other parasites can irritate a pet's skin, and the inevitable scratching may take a toll on their fur. Some pets also have behavioral or psychological issues involving excessive licking or grooming, resulting in hair loss.
Dog hair loss treatment: There are many potential causes of this type of hair loss. Make sure to talk to your vet to identify the trigger and explore various treatment options.
Inflammation and infection
Bacterial infections and inhaled allergies are common inflammatory causes of hair loss in dogs. For example, mites that trigger mange and fungal organisms are contagious and can cause hair loss.
Dog hair loss treatment: Talk to your veterinarian about treating the underlying cause of the inflammation or infection and any potential allergy medications.
Treatment options for inflammation or infections include:
Treatment options for allergies include:
Treatment options for parasites or mites include:
Immune-related
This type of hair loss occurs when a dog’s immune system attacks its hair follicles. Although immune-related hair loss is rare, you should still ask your vet to rule the condition out as, it may be a symptom of a deeper problem.
Dog hair loss treatment: Your veterinarian may recommend immunosuppressive medications or steroids to treat an immune-related cause of hair loss.
Non-itchy, non-inflammatory
Some hair loss is a reaction to external factors, like hair products, and doesn’t affect your dog’s overall health.
Dog hair loss treatment: If your dog’s hair loss is purely cosmetic, look for potential reasons and treat them symptomatically (with your vet’s guidance). For example, discontinue using any products on their hair, apply sunscreen in summer months or wrap them in a jacket during the wintertime.
While these tips can give you insight on what’s going on with your pup, remember that you should always talk to your vet before treating them for hair loss. They’ll be able to pinpoint the trigger and offer healthy remedies.
The Dig, Fetch Pet Insurance's expert-backed editorial, answers all of the questions you forget to ask your vet or are too embarrassed to ask at the dog park. We help make sure you and your best friend have more good days, but we’re there on bad days, too.
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