Dogs’ hair is used to help them regulate body temperature and to protect the skin. Yes, the hair also makes dogs special and look amazing. Sadly, sometimes a dog can end up losing its hair. Why is my dog losing hair? There are 6 common reasons for that. Here we will explain each one and help you understand why this happens and what you should do about it. Yes, you need to help your dog as soon as you can.
Main Reasons Why Is My Dog Is Losing Hair
Due To Parasites
Many dogs will end up losing their hair in certain areas due to parasites. These include fleas, lice, and mites. Flea allergy dermatitis, better known as FAD, is extremely common these days. It usually happens when a dog is allergic to fleas. Why is my dog losing hair if he is not allergic to fleas? He will bite, scratch, and rub the area which will remove the hair.
If you have a dog who is allergic to fleas, you can see patches of hair that are missing, infected sores, hot spots, flea droppings, and inflamed skin. These can occur at any given moment and they can affect any body part.
In the case of mites, flaky skin, itchiness, and hair loss are also common. Your dog can end up with mites due to poor sanitation, unclean grooming tools, or when playing in the park with infected dogs.
Allergies
Allergies are another, extremely common reason why dogs lose their hair at some point. This happens when the skin is under irritation. A pet will end up with itchy skin, he will scratch and bite the area or areas. As a result, the fur will end up with damage or spots without any hair on it. Usually, the skin will be red below the hair.
Your dog can be allergic to ingredients in the food, environmental allergens and so much more. It is important to add that you need to determine the cause of the allergy so you can help your dog.
Infections And Skin Conditions
All sorts of skin conditions and infections can cause hair loss. Once again we can see that hair loss here is a symptom and not the main cause. These dogs will have itchy or painful skin so they will lick and scratch the area. They will bite as well. As a result, the spot will lose that hair. Keep in mind that your dog is in massive discomfort and he is in pain!
In a case when a dog has a fungal or bacterial infection, there is an additional allergy element present. Don’t forget that dogs can also lick and scratch the area of a bite or injury which will cause hair loss again.
Pressure Sores
This is far from a common reason but it can happen. Usually, we can see it in dogs who have been abused or sick. This happens when a dog spends a lot of time in one spot, lying in the same position. As such we can see pressure sores occurring on the sides, elbows, and hips. Yes, the same issue can affect humans. Once again, we can see this present in people who are sick and spend a lot of time in bed.
Treating pressure sores can be extremely hard and problematic. The best thing you can do is to try and prevent this from ever happening. Make sure your dog is mobile and has plenty of physical activity.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland is damaged. It can be under inflammation or it can shrink. One way or another, it will not work properly. Dogs who suffer from this condition will have all kinds of symptoms. These include:
- Dull coat
- Loss of fur
- Massive shedding
- Gaining weight
- Can’t tolerate low temperatures well
- Thicker skin in certain spots
- Symmetrical hairless spots
You also need to know that there will be no red spots on the skin and hair loss can occur almost anywhere on the body, you can’t diagnose this condition by yourself. You will have to take your dog to a vet and he must perform a blood test. He will basically try to determine the level of thyroid gland hormones in the blood. Although this issue can affect most dogs, medium and large dogs, mid-ages are at a higher risk. Dogs with Hypothyroidism need proper treatment.
Post Grooming Alopecia
Here we have one interesting reason that is not bad as it may sound. It is post-grooming alopecia. This occurs in dogs who have long and dense coats. If you groom and shave the coat due to some reason (for example surgery) the hair will grow back in patches. You can see that it is not even and that there is a clear difference compared to other hair.
Eventually, the issue will resolve by itself. There is no need to worry about this and there is no need to take him to a vet. In other words, his body needs time to adjust the hair length and the texture to the rest of the coat.
What You Should Do?
The best thing you should do is to take your dog to the vet if you notice that he loses hair. A vet will perform a series of tests and determine the cause. Most of these conditions look bad but they are not that dangerous hence a dog will get a tenement and he will be fine. Waiting for the dog to recover without treatment is not a wise idea.
The Final Word
Always remember that there is a reason why your dog is losing hair. Why is my dog losing hair? It is probably due to one of these reasons and with the help of a vet, you can solve the problem, eliminate the cause and help your pet have the best hair. Dog’s coat is extremely important and as such you always need to make sure it is in perfect condition.