Methods for hair loss in a dog. A dog's coat is the most important indicator of its health. Is your dog losing hair? Check if she is sick

If a dog begins to develop bald patches or its coat loses its former luster and health, then this is an important cause for concern for any dog \u200b\u200bowner. There are many possible causes for hair loss, baldness and hair thinning in dogs, and it can take time-consuming "detective" work to figure out what is causing these problems in your own dog.

It is estimated that 5 to 10% of dogs go through a period of hair loss or irritation at least once in their life, but the good news is that there is a wealth of information pertaining to hair loss and related other conditions in dogs.

What is alopecia?

Alopecia, or baldness, is the term used to describe hair loss in any animal covered with fur or hair, including humans. The term "alopecia" refers to any condition of lack of normal healthy hair or coat, whatever the cause, and may indicate internal or external problems in the body.

What causes baldness and what can you do about it?

There are many possible causes of hair loss in dogs, and the key to successfully treating hair loss lies in correctly identifying the root cause of the condition. The starting point is to determine if the hair is growing at all, or is it falling out on its own, or perhaps the receding hairline is due to the dog irritating its own skin, such as biting, chewing or scratching.

The most common causes of hair loss in dogs, along with tips on how to identify them and what to do with them, are listed below.

Baldness for no apparent external cause

This section covers hair loss and alopecia that occur without external irritation.

Endocrine disorders

Hormonal imbalances leading to diseases such as hyperthyroidism or Cushing's disease in dogs can lead to alopecia in dogs. Both of these diseases are potentially dangerous and require veterinarian intervention, so if you do not see other possible causes of baldness, then contact your veterinarian for a diagnosis.

Hair loss due to stress

Just like humans, dogs can suffer from stress, so if your dog is anxious or under severe stress for an extended period of time, it may start to lose its coat. A healthy coat will usually start growing again after the stress is removed and the dog returns to normal life.

Hair loss due to pregnancy

A dog carrying offspring begins to lose hair on its belly as it approaches birth. This is a completely normal process and should not be a cause for concern. Some time after giving birth, the dog's coat will grow back to its original appearance.

Hereditary factors

Hair loss is significantly more likely in some breeds than in others, as some dogs with pedigrees are more prone to balding. Dachshunds and some other famous dog breeds are prone to severe hair loss in old age, however, if the dog's skin is not too dry and looks healthy, then this is a completely natural process that does not require real treatment.

Baldness caused by external irritants

Allergic reactions

Just like humans, dogs sometimes experience hypersensitivity to certain substances or plants, which can manifest in many ways, including itching and hair loss. Household products, shampoos, plants, and even other animals can trigger an allergic flare-up in your dog.

Allergic reactions can be controlled with antihistamines prescribed by your veterinarian, but you should also work to address the root cause of the problem. In order to eliminate the cause of an allergy, you must first find it, however, this is much easier said than done!

Diet and nutrition

Many common and popular dog foods and supplements contain colorants, preservatives, and other foods that can affect your dog and cause him allergic reactions. This can manifest as skin irritation, hair loss, and localized alopecia. Try feeding a more natural diet and consider switching to a special diet designed for dogs with special sensitivity and intolerance, in consultation with your veterinarian.

Baldness in dogs usually indicates a specific problem that should not be left to chance. If you have any concerns, talk to your veterinarian - the vast majority of cases of alopecia in dogs can be resolved relatively easily and, as a result, you will have a much happier pet!

Loss of hair in a dog is a cause for concern for its owner and a lot of inconvenience. There may be many reasons for this. Let's consider the most common answers to the question: why does a dog lose hair?

If you notice that your dog is experiencing noticeable hair loss, the first step is to establish the cause. The first thing to rule out is seasonal molting, a natural process that occurs twice a year in spring and autumn.

Molting can be delayed due to inadequate nutrition, too warm and dry indoor air, or due to illness. In older dogs, molting can also be protracted.

The shedding process itself is necessary for the dog for the seasonal change of coat. In spring, a warm and fluffy winter coat with a plentiful undercoat and a longer awn changes to a shorter summer awn with less undercoat and a shorter awn. And in the fall, the process is repeated in reverse order.

In dogs that spend most of the time outdoors, molting is more pronounced and passes faster. Whereas "apartment" dogs can molt all year round. This is because the change of the seasonal temperature regime by the dog living in the apartment is hardly felt. Therefore, there is no need for a quick coat change. But the natural mechanism that requires a change of wool still works, although it is not pronounced.

All the talk that there are breeds of dogs that do not shed is nothing more than fiction. There are no such breeds. There are dogs that shed less or their shedding is not so noticeable. All breeds of dogs can be roughly divided into several groups according to the type of coat: smooth-haired, wire-haired and long-haired. There are also naked dogs.

To speed up the process of changing fur, try to walk more with your pet, brush and comb it more often. Cut if necessary

It is generally believed that smooth-haired dog breeds are easier to care for, as they shed less and get dirty. This is not true. They molt, like everyone else, and they get dirty no less. The only plus is that short hair does not get tangled and it is much easier to comb it with a brush.

Wire-haired breeds also shed, but due to the peculiarities of such a coat, it really does not fall out by itself. The regrown (matured) wool is removed with the help of trimming - pluck out. If this is not done regularly, the coat overripes and begins to fall out on its own, forming tangles in the undercoat growing along with the spine. In the future, untrimmed wool loses its properties. It turns into thin fluff, which is a real torment to care for.

Many people know what molting of long-haired dogs is. But even among them there are breeds whose hair mostly remains not on furniture and clothes, but on the dog. These are all curly-haired breeds. The dead coat simply curls into curls, and if the dog is not regularly combed and cut, it is provided with terrible mats, and you - the difficult process of getting rid of them dog.

To speed up the process of changing fur, try to walk more with your pet, brush and comb it more often. Cut if necessary.

Expert answer:

Hair is a kind of indicator of a dog's health. A shiny, silky coat indicates that everything is normal, but a dull and matted coat indicates obvious health problems. If a fallout is also added to an unattractive look, then it becomes obvious that there is any serious problem.

Get ready for replenishment

Since the sex and age of the dog is not specified, you will have to list all the possible causes of excessive shedding. One of the natural and harmless causes of hair loss is pregnancy. During this period, dogs begin to lose their belly. Like humans, dogs undergo hormonal changes, therefore, during the period of gestation and feeding, even the owners of the most beautiful fur are deprived of this beauty.

Pay attention to your diet

Not everyone feeds their dogs correctly, especially mongrels, since most of them are rather unpretentious. Perhaps your dog's diet is poor in minerals and B vitamins. A deficiency in these elements leads to the destruction of the hair follicles. Even if you buy the best dry food, your pet is not immune from vitamin deficiency, since even premium food sometimes does not provide a full norm of nutrients. Therefore, it is important to review and diversify the diet.

Vitamin and mineral deficiency symptoms

• vitamin B: hair falls out, skin flakes;
• copper: disorders of natural pigmentation;
• vitamin A: the coat dulls, the skin becomes oily.

Make sure that all vitamins are regularly present in your pet's diet, but do not oversaturate, as this is also very dangerous. Be sure to ask a specialist if the dog's fur climbs what vitamins are needed. Most likely, you will be advised of vitamins with garlic and brewer's yeast.

For a dog's coat to shine, pay attention to the quality of the meat the dog eats, as well as the level of fat content. Remember that fatty foods are bad for your pet.

How to feed your dog to make the coat shine?

Many breeders achieve strengthening and shine of the coat by taking fish oil, as well as olive and linseed oil. Enough two teaspoons a day of any of the listed products. Choose one or alternate, but do not combine supplements, otherwise the animal will have too much fat in the diet.

Small culprits for big problems

Broken hairs and reddish spots are usually the first signs of ringworm, which is caused by microspores. This disease is contagious and can be transmitted to humans, therefore, at the first suspicion, you should contact a veterinary clinic. The pet will have to take antibiotics and get vaccinated.

Why does dog hair climb: other reasons

• severe stress;
• postoperative rehabilitation;
• separation from the owner;
• household chemicals;
• synthetic materials.

All kinds of allergies are not so common, but they can also cause allergies. Usually, allergic reactions to natural ingredients are rare, but dry food may not be suitable for individual animals. In addition, antibiotics, hormonal contraceptives and detergents can cause hair loss.

How to deal with hair loss in dogs?

Only a veterinarian, after examining the animal, assessing its behavior and collecting tests, will name the exact cause of hair loss. Treatment of this problem depends on the cause that provoked the disease. Sometimes your dog needs a course of antibiotics, immunostimulating medications, or a vaccine, but treatment may be limited to a change in diet or shampoo.

Remember not to wash your dog with human shampoo, much less use your favorite hair conditioner. The skin of a person and a dog, like the hairline, is significantly different, therefore it is unacceptable to use the same detergents.

In any case, before treatment, first determine the cause of the disease, for this show the pet to the veterinarian.

In long-haired dog breeds, hair loss is more noticeable!

Canine hair loss depends on many reasons and this fact is not always a pathology, and sometimes serves as an alarming symptom of a serious illness. If the loss of hair is associated with seasonality, then such a phenomenon can be explained by a banal molt, especially for long-haired breeds. The same natural reason is considered to be old age. Hair follicles weaken with age, which leads to alopecia.

Baldness is not always a pathology.

Hair falls out on the back

Hair falls out around the eyes

Pathological factors of hair loss

Factors of pathogenic alopecia are distinguished into hormonal and non-hormonal factors. Hormonal factors include:

• excess cortisol;
• imbalance in growth hormone;
• excess estrogen;
• estrogen deficiency;
• hypothyroidism.

Baldness can occur due to hormonal disruption.

Hyperadrenocorticism

Hyperadrenocorticism, or in other words, excess of the hormone cortisol in the blood occurs as a result of neoplasms in the pituitary gland or adrenal glands ... In most cases, neoplasms are of a benign nature, but they still cause significant harm to the body.

Due to changes in the work of the adrenal glands, an excess of the hormone cortisol is formed in the blood.

Estrogen

Estrogen is a hormone that is produced primarily in females.

The hormone estrogen is found in most females.

The hormone is also present in the body of males, however, in small quantities. The cause of hyperestrogenism can be: artificial intake of a hormone, ovarian cyst, ovarian tumors, neoplasms in the testes.

Hypoestrogenism

Hypoestrogenism develops due to too early sterilization of the female.

Early neutering of the dog leads to hypoestrogenism.

The absence of the ovaries significantly reduces the production of estrogen, and in some cases, its formation stops altogether, which leads to hair loss.

Hypothyroidism

Hypothyroidism in dogs develops due to a congenital or acquired cause, which is associated with a violation of the production of thyroid hormone. These can be thyroid tumors, iodine deficiency, infectious diseases.

Hypothyroidism can be caused by heredity.

Other reasons

The dog has ringworm.

And also the reasons can be non-hormonal factors. These factors include:

• allergy;
• yeast infection;
• hereditary alopecia;
• the presence of insects;
• violation of the diet;
• decreased immunity.

B vitamins affect the metabolism in the animal's body and the level of hemoglobin in the blood... Lack of this vitamin is due to diseases of the digestive system, pregnancy, lactation, excessive exercise.

Allergic reactions can occur on food, drugs, plants. But also the presence of an allergen can be in hygiene products. The pet reacts to household chemicals, house dust, exhaust gases, flea saliva.

Concomitant symptomatology of the causes

To understand the cause of a dog's hair loss, attention should be paid to the accompanying symptoms, if any. Cushing's syndrome or an excess of cortisol is manifested by increased thirst, increased urination. In non-neutered females, estrus ceases. Weakness is observed, the abdomen sags, and muscle mass decreases. It is diagnosed by laboratory examination of urine and blood, dexamethasone test, ultrasound examination of the adrenal glands.

Cushing's syndrome is characterized by increased thirst.

Hyperestrogenism is expressed by significant weakness, up to lethargy, anemic gums ... The presence of blood in the feces, urine, vomit, blood comes through the skin. Fever sets in, males have feminization. In females, estrus is prolonged, the vulva, nipples increase, hunting decreases or hunting increases, genital bleeding.

Hypothyroidism is not characterized by clear symptoms. The main symptoms are expressed by the following manifestations:

• hypothermia;
• weakness;
• lethargy;
• apathy;
• weight gain;
• sensitivity to cold;
• decreased endurance;
• muscle weakness;
• facial muscle paralysis;
• not closing the eyelids;
• loss of taste;
• uveitis;
• violation of the excretory system: salivation, lacrimation;
• inflammation and ulceration of the cornea;
• weakening of pulse and heart rate;
• decrease in blood clotting.

Complicated symptoms include constipation and. Constant belching, hiccups.

Group B vitamin deficiency is characterized by symptoms of a disorder of the central nervous system. Dramatic weight loss, wobbly gait,. Loss of orientation occurs at times in more severe cases. Aggression, fear, unreasonable running often begins.

Concomitant symptoms of an allergic reaction are expressed by swelling of the face, lacrimation. Nasal and ear discharge, itchy skin, redness, unpleasant odor from the skin and hair. A rash of various shapes is possible.

Yeast dermatitis

In the case of yeast dermatitis, there is an unpleasant skin odor, itching, oily hair. Skin redness, presence. Localization of the lesion, as a rule, ears, gaps between the fingers, chin, neck, abdomen, anus. There may be a generalized lesion and rash on a large part of the body.

With yeast dermatitis, itching occurs.

Scabies

Symptoms also differ depending on the type of scabies. Itchy scabies is characterized by severe persistent itching, the formation of hard crusts on the skin, sudden weight loss, and fever and swollen lymph nodes. has no accompanying symptoms other than baldness.

The dog has demodicosis.

Ringworm is characterized by severe anxiety, red rash, significant itching. The hair falls out in clumps, extensive bald patches appear, the skin is peeling, covered with crusts. As a result of scratching, pustules and wounds, ulcers appear.

Dog treatment

The drug Levothyroxine is used to treat hypothyroidism.

• Hyperadrenocorticism eliminated by the use of conservative and surgical therapy. If an adrenal tumor is a provoking factor, they resort to prompt removal of the neoplasm. Medication - drugs: mitotane, L-deprenyl, ketaconazole, nizoral, cyprheptadine, peritol.
• When hyperestrogenism if the animal has taken the hormone, stop taking the drug immediately. Antibiotics are given if an infection is present. Blood transfusion is recommended if there is anemic syndrome. Surgical removal of the tumor, if present. In some cases, the pet is spayed. Drugs that enhance blood formation. But you can also use medications that can induce ovulation.
• Hypothyroidism is treated with drugs that compensate for the lack of thyroid hormones. Fatty foods are removed from the diet, body weight is controlled. The following drugs are recommended: levothyroxine, drugs that can suppress the binding of plasma proteins - glucocorticoids, salicylates, phenytoin.
• Vitamin B deficiency replenish with foods containing this vitamin. It is allowed to add brewer's yeast, red meat - lamb, beef. You can also feed the dog's liver, give dairy products, food additives.
• Ways to eliminate allergies depend on the provoking factor ... If it is insect bites or saliva, fleas and ticks are treated. If it is a food allergy, a possible dangerous product is identified by first placing the dog on a daily diet, and empirically they find out which product should be removed from the diet. Drug allergies are eliminated by stopping the medication. And they also clean the apartment, restrict access to plants, household chemicals.
• Scabies and versicolor requires local treatment of the body surface, isolation of the dog from the external environment and other inhabitants of the house. Be sure to place your pet in a warm room. It is advisable to bathe in a bath with disinfectants, special shampoos. You can use a spray. In advanced cases, drug treatment is indicated, but drugs should be chosen by the attending veterinarian, depending on the degree of damage.

Prevention

A prerequisite for preventive measures is cleanliness. It is unacceptable to keep your pet in mud and unsanitary conditions. It is necessary to systematically bathe the puppy using special shampoos that prevent the appearance of insects.

To prevent the disease, a special shampoo should be used.

Timely, examine the entire body of the animal, ears, paws. Monitor food quality and feeding regime. Avoid accidental food, avoid dangerous places, restrict access to household chemicals and paints and varnishes. Limit walks near places where there is a risk of infection with ticks, fleas. Do not walk the animal near the carriageway to avoid inhalation of exhaust gases.

Dog grooming video

Very often, many owners of dogs, both long-haired and short-haired breeds, ask the same question: "Why does the dog lose hair?" There is no definite answer to this question. Most often, a slight loss of hair in animals is associated with a natural process - molting. Some dog breeds lose a significant amount of hair during it, others less. There are animals in which the "planned" change of wool occurs in spring and autumn.

If the dog is losing hair for a long period of time, irritation appears on the skin, you need to sound the alarm. Such symptoms can signal the initial stage of a disease.

The main causes of hair loss

Improper nutrition

Some dog owners switch their pets exclusively to dry food. This is a big mistake, since no matter how high-quality the feed is, there are not enough minerals and vitamins in it, which are responsible for the preservation of the coat.

Allergy

If your pet itches quite often and the dog's hair falls out, then most likely this is due to food allergies. The reason can only be in dry food, since such symptoms do not occur when eating natural food.

Hormonal imbalance

If you overuse birth control pills, your dog may experience hormonal imbalance. The result can be very sad - baldness and disruption of other functions of the animal's body.

Decreased immunity

After any illness, the immunity of the animal decreases, which can also cause hair loss.

Incorrect selection of hair care products

Very often, pet owners do not adhere to basic rules regarding bathing dogs, and wash them with regular shampoos. It is not right. Such products will not make the animal's hair shiny and beautiful, but, on the contrary, will lead to its loss. There are other reasons for a dog's hair loss, such as various diseases.

Diseases affecting hair loss

Infectious diseases

This includes ringworm caused by a fungus. With this disease, the dog's hair falls out in places. This is a contagious disease, moreover, it is easily transmitted to humans.

Eczema

Obese and elderly animals are ill with it. As a result, the dog's hair falls out in clumps. There is no consensus about the appearance of this disease, but it is known that it is not contagious.

Furunculosis

It is a disease of large dog breeds where hair follicles become inflamed. Treatment should first of all be aimed at establishing the true cause of animal hair loss. In some cases, a laboratory study of the hair follicles is simply necessary, which the veterinarian takes with a scraping.

To avoid prolonged or extraordinary molting, care must be taken that the animal's diet is balanced and saturated with a sufficient amount of minerals and vitamins. Be careful: enough does not mean too much, it is important to prevent vitamin deficiency, which also leads to Do not forget to also treat the wool with insecticidal preparations from time to time.

In some cases, when dogs have undergone surgery or a serious illness, immunostimulants are prescribed.

The dog's coat serves not for beauty, but for protection from external influences of the environment, and it is also a kind of indicator that "speaks" about the health of your pet. Therefore, create favorable conditions for keeping the animal so that your faithful friend has good health and a shiny coat.