Every dog owner knows that these pets tend to shed seasonally.
This is a natural process that allows you to insulate in the cold season, and also provides better heat transfer in hot weather. But if a dog’s hair falls out, regardless of the season, the owners begin to panic, and for good reason.
The cause of total loss may be due to hormonal imbalance or diseases.
Alopecia can develop not only as a result of internal disorders, but due to ectoparasites, fungal and helminthic infections.
Careful diagnosis and detection of the cause of the pathological condition allows you to take timely measures and prescribe adequate treatment, preventing the development of serious complications.
Why is she peeling off?
Dog breeders know the simple truth that their pets shed twice a year. This is an absolutely normal phenomenon, there is no reason for special concern. There are a small number of breeds that lack this process.
To speed up this period, the animals' diet is supplemented with vitamin A. Combing the hair will help stimulate its growth.
It is important to know! You should monitor your dog's behavior.
The presence of hairless areas is accompanied by loss of appetite and restlessness. If she scratches areas of baldness, then it is necessary to begin her examination. Natural causes of shedding include old age. By this time, the hair follicles are weakened and the risk of pathological hair loss increases.
Detection of this symptom at other periods of time is a reason to identify problems in the dog’s health . You should not immediately try the methods used by a person for hair loss. They are ineffective for animals. Without consulting a specialist, you can miss a hidden disease.
The causes of hair loss are divided into hormonal and non-hormonal .
Hormonal reasons
The presence of hormonal disorders is accompanied by symmetrical hair loss.
Hormonal imbalances:
- excess or lack of estrogen;
- deficiency of thyroid hormones (bald spots appear on the back, the animal gains weight, and is lethargic);
- exceeding the permissible amount of the hormone cortisol (frequent recurrence of infectious diseases, sudden weight gain, thirst, increased urination are observed);
- disorders in the formation of growth hormone.
Attention! You can identify hormonal disorders after contacting a specialist and examining your four-legged friend.
Other violations
Let's look at the most common causes of hair loss on a dog's back.
Deficiency of vitamins , especially group B, which affect metabolism. Symptoms of a central nervous system disorder are observed: seizures, unsteady gait, loss of orientation, and sometimes aggression. The animal's diet must be prepared taking into account the presence of all necessary vitamins and microelements in the products. You can add ready-made drugs to food.
Dogs often have an allergic reaction to food, shampoo, and household chemicals used for cleaning dishes and cleaning homes. Frequent allergens are pollen, dust, fleas and parasites.
In such cases, additional symptoms appear: itching, scratching, redness of the eyes and baldness around them. The fur on the back falls out in clumps. A rash appears on the skin in the place where it came out.
Loud noise and active games contribute to stressful situations. This is especially true for dwarf breeds. Anxiety and stress lead to changes in the hairline. Separation from the owner becomes a factor of frustration.
Keeping an animal in a polluted atmosphere creates conditions for infection to occur.
Decreased immunity as a result of a previous illness affects the appearance of the pet.
Having areas of the skin with high humidity leads to the spread of yeast infections . This is facilitated by the existence of wrinkled skin. It is more common in breeds such as bulldogs or sharpeis. Yeast dermatitis is characterized by skin redness, rashes, and dandruff with a brown tint.
An example of a fungal skin disease is ringworm. The fur peels off on round areas of the skin covered with a crust. These places are surrounded by red rings.
The presence of mites causes the disease scabies with its characteristic itching and scratching of the skin. The result is baldness. Scabies poses a threat not only to the animal, but to all family members. It is necessary to carry out mandatory tests to determine the type of parasite and prescribe the correct treatment.
Hereditary defects sometimes cause hair loss. In breeds such as: husky, Doberman, poodle, boxer, chihuahua, miniature pinscher, English bulldog, baldness associated with this cause is most common.
A malfunction of the digestive system leads to a disease - furunculosis . It causes inflammation of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands. Treatment is a review of nutrition and the use of external creams.
Infection with worms is accompanied by weakened immunity and hair loss.
As funny as it sounds, dogs can become victims of fashion . Unusual hairstyles, backcombs, hairpins, bows, styling products are the cause of hair loss.
A lack of zinc in the body causes problems associated with the integrity of the hair.
Briefly about the main thing
- Shedding is normal. Its duration depends on the breed, age and lifestyle of the dog. Most dogs shed twice a year for 3-4 weeks. Some can shed all year round (Dalmatians, Yorkshire terriers, poodles), but in small amounts, so it is practically unnoticeable.
- You need to take care of your dog's fur. To detect pathology in time.
- There may be hormonal and non-hormonal causes of hair loss.
- Hormonal disorders are characterized by symmetrical alopecia, caused by hormonal imbalance.
- Treatment for some of these disorders may be sterilization.
- Other factors may be: allergies, fungal and bacterial infections, parasites, improper feeding, sunburn.
- In no case should you self-medicate, since it is impossible to make a diagnosis at home, and your actions can harm the animal.
- For your dog's health it is necessary: a balanced diet, systematic active walks, combing, you can use dietary supplements and vitamin-mineral preparations.
What to do if it has already crawled out: eliminating the consequences
The first steps to take to treat a pet that has lost fur is to consult with a veterinarian . After examining it, assessing its condition, and conducting the necessary examination, the specialist will be able to offer the right solution.
When drug treatment is necessary:
- Since the appearance of excess cortisol hormone in the blood may be associated with neoplasms in the adrenal glands or pituitary gland, surgical intervention has to be resorted to. For conservative surgery, the following are prescribed: mitotane, ketaconazole, peritol, nizoral, cyprheptadine.
- If there is a lack of thyroid hormones, medications are used for treatment: levothyroxine, phenytoin, glucocorticoids, salicylates. It is recommended to exclude fatty foods from the diet.
- Excess estrogen is formed when a dog is treated with hormones. The medications are stopped. If an infection is detected, antibiotics are prescribed; if a tumor is present, surgical removal is possible.
If it is determined that the animal’s body does not have enough vitamin B, then the prepared food is enriched with brewer’s yeast, food additives, and the amount of dairy products is increased. Experts advise including liver, beef, and lamb in your diet.
Drug allergies are eliminated by stopping medications. Flea and tick treatment eliminates allergic conditions from insect bites. In case of food intolerance, a dangerous product is excluded from food, which is determined experimentally. Cleaning of household premises.
Information: in cases of scabies and lichen, it is necessary to isolate the dog from other inhabitants of the house, treat the surface of its body with disinfectants, special sprays, and shampoos. Drug treatment should be used after consultation with a specialist.
What vitamins can help against hair loss in dogs?
Animals need periodic feeding just like people. To restore hair and skin, you need complexes including amino acids, zinc, B vitamins, as well as D, F, H.
For complete nutrition, products containing the above components are added to the feed. These are liver, flaxseed oil, whey, lamb, brewer's yeast.
If your pet refuses the necessary products, use pharmacy vitamin complexes and supplements:
- Polydex - designed to restore hair in dogs.
- Vit Active S-Sh is a drug that helps prevent allergic reactions. Contains antioxidants, softens coats.
- Hokamix Skin & Shine - intended for rubbing into itchy and flaky areas of the skin. The oil is easily absorbed, relieving unpleasant symptoms and making the coat shiny.
- Excel 8 in 1 - includes those foods that the dog will not eat. Yeast and garlic included in the composition have a positive effect on the skin.
- Laveta Super Malti (Beafar) is a special multivitamin complex.
- Kanvit Biotin - prescribed for a lack of biotin. Contained in salmon liver and meat, nuts, soybeans, wheat, cauliflower, green peas and other products. You can combine the drug with natural products.
Canina is a popular brand that offers dog owners the best selection of vitamin complexes for different ages and breeds. The preventive line examines each problem from the inside and helps the animal restore the balance of the missing elements based on their physiological characteristics. Before purchasing the drug, it is recommended to consult a veterinarian.
Photo
Check out photos of examples of hair loss on the back:
How does seborrheic dermatitis manifest in adolescents?
Foci of inflammation appear primarily on the face: on the nose, forehead, around the eyes, as well as on the chest and between the shoulder blades, on the scalp. In all these areas there are a large number of sebaceous glands, and it is because of disturbances in their work that seborrhea develops. The causative agent of seborrheic dermatitis is considered to be a fungus from the Malassezia family, which feeds on fatty acids that are part of the secretions from the sebaceous glands. It is part of the natural human microflora. When the body works normally, the amount of fungus does not threaten health. But when the balance is disrupted, the functioning of the sebaceous glands changes, and the fungus begins to actively develop and cause harm.
Types of seborrhea in adolescents:
- oily: with increased sebum secretion, acne appears, skin and hair become greasy;
- dry: sebum production decreases, pores narrow, which also causes acne, comedones, and dandruff to appear on the head.
In some cases, seborrheic dermatitis is mixed.
Symptoms of seborrheic dermatitis:
- skin irritation accompanied by itching, swelling, redness;
- peeling, which can be very intense;
- acne in large quantities;
- painful sensations on the skin, especially when touched.
In the absence of proper care and treatment, skin scales constantly flake off, and the skin underneath becomes red and wet. If you scratch the inflamed areas, it causes pain, leads to scratches and microtraumas, through which secondary infection occurs.
On the scalp, flaking leads to dandruff.
Prevention and prevention of recurrence
To prevent the hair from falling out again, you need to keep it clean. This is a must. Basic rules of care:
- the place of detention must comply with established sanitary standards;
- treat the dog’s fur with compounds that protect against the appearance of parasites;
- Swimming should be carried out no more than once a month in warm, not hot water.
Attention! Do not use human shampoos or hair conditioners. They often cause allergies, which causes the dog to lose hair.
What to do besides this?
Other preventive measures:
- timely vaccination;
- regular examinations of the entire body of the animal;
- constant monitoring of feeding regimen and food quality;
- limiting walks in areas where there is a risk of fleas and ticks;
- excluding the dog from walking near the roadway to protect it from absorbing exhaust gases;
- Keep household chemicals and paints and varnishes in inaccessible places.
The conclusion from all of the above: constant implementation of preventive measures is the key to a dog’s health . However, if the first signs of the disease are noticed, then do not be nervous. Existing treatment methods will help restore beautiful, healthy hair to the animal.
Treatment
At home, you will not be able to diagnose your dog, much less prescribe treatment. If you notice alarming symptoms in your pet, contact your veterinarian. Remember, hair loss cannot be treated, as it is only a sign that your pet is sick, and the real problem is inside the body. Each case is individual, some problems can be solved by sterilization, others by a balanced diet. But to identify the cause, a number of studies are needed.
Drug therapy
If cosmetics do not bring the desired effect, which happens quite rarely, then you need to contact a dermatologist who, after an examination, may prescribe drug therapy, for example, ointments containing glucocorticosteroids. There are also preparations for oral administration. They are released strictly as prescribed and prescribed by a doctor. These are serious drugs that have many side effects when used for a long time. For a teenager whose body is undergoing restructuring, this can have unpleasant consequences, so such methods should be resorted to only in extreme cases. You cannot use such products for more than a month.
Folk remedies
To alleviate the patient’s condition, you can use improvised means, for example, shampoos or ointments containing natural tar. They do not treat seborrheic dermatitis, but suppress excessive proliferation of the stratum corneum of the epidermis.
Tea tree oil has an antifungal and soothing effect. It is applied pointwise to inflamed seborrheic areas of the skin.
Any folk remedies do not treat seborrhea. Herbal infusions, decoctions, and lotions may cause short-term minor improvement in some adolescents, but for most they have no effect. They need to be used constantly, for a long time. And many natural remedies cause allergies, so the skin condition only worsens. They can be used as auxiliary, but not as the basis of treatment. If you rely on traditional medicine and natural remedies, you can waste time, so the recovery will be longer than when you immediately start using special remedies.
