Pomeranians and other northern dogs with thick undercoats are prone to developing a hair cycle disorder called Alopecia X. Hair loss can be caused by many different conditions. This condition can only be diagnosed after more common hormonal disorders have been ruled out.
Knowing breed-specific diseases helps veterinary dermatologists make a quick and efficient diagnosis.
This type of baldness is commonly referred to as " endocrine alopecia as it is common in some types of hormonal imbalances (particularly hypothyroidism).
If your dog is shedding hair and you notice dark patches appearing in that spot, you should be concerned about what caused it. It is important to find out if this is a sign of something serious and if it causes discomfort to your dog. Symptoms may be a sign of alopecia X.
The condition we call Alopecia X, however, is not related to the hormonal imbalance that usually causes endocrine alopecia. Its causes remain unknown until now, hence the name alopecia X. There are many treatments that work in some cases and not in others. And many of these treatments seem to be in complete opposition to each other. Perhaps alopecia X is not one disease, but several, but at the moment there are no known ways to distinguish between them.
What is alopecia X?
Alopecia X is also known by the names:
- black skin disease
- Growth hormone responsive alopecia
- Castration alopecia
- pseudo-cushing syndrome
- biopsy sensitive alopecia
- Follicular dysplasia
- Adrenal sex hormone alopecia
The following are what are currently believed to be facts about this confusing state.
The good news is that alopecia X is only an external (cosmetic) condition. The dog does not show any flaws, except that it may look funny. For this reason, drug treatment is most often not recommended. Medicines can affect the whole body, but the disease itself does not. In addition, such treatment is fraught with consequences and can be expensive, depending on which therapy is chosen.
Photo manifestations of Alopecia X in dogs
There are no signs of systemic disease associated with alopecia X. If your dog does not eat or drink (or eats and drinks excessively), is depressed, misbehaves, or has elevated liver or kidney values, then it is important to look for another cause of hair loss. . Since these same symptoms can be recognized in a number of other diseases of the endocrine system, including Cushing's disease and hypothyroidism. It is best to have your complete blood and chemical analysis, including appropriate endocrine testing, to rule out these alternatives.
Treatment of alopecia X
Treatment for alopecia X is often trial and error because the underlying cause of this disorder is unknown. There are ways to help stimulate hair growth because it is an external (cosmetic) manifestation and the health of the affected dog is not impaired. The above treatment is also a perfectly reasonable option. However, there are several options for loving owners who want to eliminate these symptoms.
The first strategy is to focus solely on the hair follicle itself. Your veterinary dermatologist can correct mucosa, relieve blockage, and stimulate hair follicle growth while normalizing skin maturation with oral retinoid therapy (associated with vitamin A). This should be combined with a melatonin supplement to normalize the appearance of the skin at the same time. Alternatively, a topical glycol shampoo can also be used to help exfoliate the skin and stimulate hair growth.
Why a dog's hair falls out, and bald patches form on the skin, find out from our article.
The dog is bald. What should the owner do
Most dog owners know that a pet has a seasonal molt several times a year. However, if the pet’s hair falls out intensively, and bald patches, scratches and sores form on the skin, it’s time to think about the health of the dog. After all, it can be a symptom of a dangerous disease. Let's talk about the main causes of dog hair loss and how to treat it.
Why is the dog going bald? Possible causes of pet hair loss
The dog begins to go bald for several reasons. In order to successfully treat baldness, it is necessary to determine what is causing it.
Wrong pet diet
Most often, baldness in a dog indicates that the animal is not properly fed. Your pet's diet lacks vitamins, minerals, or other nutrients. Also, the cause of baldness is feeding the dog with cheap industrial feeds that contain large amounts of flavor enhancers, dyes and preservatives.
If your pet's baldness is associated with poor nutrition, you need to balance the diet and add vitamin supplements to it.
Dog goes bald due to allergies
A pet may be allergic to the components of even high-quality expensive food. In addition to bald patches, the dog has severe itching. She combs the body, thereby causing hair loss.
In dogs, allergies are usually of a food nature, sometimes developing to drugs, dust, plant pollen, and chemicals. In addition to itching and hair loss, you will notice redness of the skin, rashes that usually occur on the abdomen, back, armpits, between the fingers.
Dog baldness is also provoked by microscopic scabies mites that affect the pet's skin. The animal suffers from severe itching, hair falls out, peeling, crusts and abscesses form on the skin.
Hair loss is caused by various types of dermatitis, eczema, fungal skin lesions.
Ringworm is a fungal skin disease. This disease is dangerous not only for animals, but also for humans. In most cases, young dogs and pets with weak immunity get sick. Helps the development of the disease unbalanced diet and poor living conditions of the animal. When infected, round-shaped bald spots form on the dog's skin, which are usually located on the head, limbs, and tail of the pet. In the center of the bald area, the skin is red and flaky.
Baldness of the dog with improper care
With frequent bathing, the use of products that are not intended for washing the pet, the quality of the coat deteriorates, and the dog begins to lose hair. Wash the animal as it gets dirty with special shampoos that can be purchased at any pet store. It is advisable to do this no more than four or five times a year.
Another reason why a dog may go bald is the use of clothes in the warm season. Under a suit or overalls, the dog's skin overheats, sweats, which provokes hair loss. Dress the dog only in adverse weather, and at home and on the street, when it is warm, the pet should be without clothes.
Dog goes bald for no apparent reason
The dog sometimes goes bald for no apparent reason. This may be due to hormonal failure, stress or hereditary predisposition.
- Hormonal disorders
Cause hair loss in dogs Cushing's syndrome, lack or excess of estrogens, lack of thyroid hormone.
- Stress
If the pet is constantly worried or stressed for a long time, then he may begin to lose hair. After eliminating the source of stress, after some time, the pet's hair grows again.
- hereditary predisposition
Some dog breeds are prone to hair loss. These include Chihuahua, Poodle, Miniature Pinscher, Pomeranian. With baldness due to hereditary factors, the hair falls out on the trunk and thighs, but remains on the head and paws. At the same time, the dog looks healthy on the outside, does not experience itching, no peeling and redness on the skin.
Diagnosis and treatment of hair loss in a pet
The condition of the dog's coat is an important sign of good health, so if your pet is bald, contact your veterinarian at the clinic.
According to the symptoms associated with hair loss in a dog, the doctor will be able to guess the cause of baldness. For example, with seasonal molting and a lack of vitamins, the pet's hair falls out gradually. And the dog looks healthy, nothing worries her.
In addition to examining the animal, the veterinarian will conduct the following studies to determine the exact cause of baldness:
- Blood and urine test
- Thyroid examination
- Determination of the level of hormones in the blood
- Skin scraping
Only a veterinarian can correctly diagnose and prescribe treatment. Subject to the doctor's recommendations, the pet's coat will recover in a few months. Self-treatment of a dog for baldness usually leads to disastrous consequences.
Prevention of hair loss in dogs
Preventing baldness in a dog is quite simple. It is necessary to properly care for and maintain a pet. Observe the following rules:
Protect your pet from infection with the IN-AP complex
IN-AP complex is a complex drug that has a wide spectrum of action: against fleas, ticks, lice, withers, round and tapeworms. Including destroys the larvae of dirofilaria - deadly heartworms.
The drug does not have toxic, skin-irritating and allergenic effects. When used in accordance with the instructions, there are no side effects.
The silky and thick coat of the dog indicates that she has strong and strong health. Regular hair loss indicates the presence of serious diseases in the pet's body or a lack of vitamins. Therefore, the owner of the pet must understand why the dog is going bald.
Causes of hair loss in dogs
Partial or complete hair loss in a dog several times a year is a natural shedding process, so such symptoms should not bother the owner much. Molting does not affect the general well-being of a four-legged friend, and the owner only needs to comb out and monitor the hygiene of the dog's skin.
But if before the process of seasonal molting is still far away, and the pet has widespread or focal alopecia, then the owner must find out the main reasons for the development of such processes.
Hormonal disorders in the body
The dog's coat can be shed if some kind of hormonal failure occurs inside the body:
Other possible causes
During the normal functioning of the hormonal background, the causes of hair loss in a dog can be as follows:
It is important to know that one of the main causes of hair shedding is considered to be excessive passion for clothes for dogs. In the warm season, the pet's skin under different sweaters, raincoats and capes heats up excessively, which will inevitably provoke the process of baldness.
In an effort to make a pet more attractive, some owners regularly dress him up in different costumes. The main purpose of clothing for dogs is to protect against the adverse effects of external factors and weather. In good weather and at home, the dog should be completely naked so that the skin can be saturated with oxygen.
Diagnosis and treatment methods
If the process of hair loss in a dog is considered seasonal, then no special measures for its treatment are needed at all. One rule is to comply with all requirements for hair care. In the process of active molting, the dog should be combed out several times a day, using a special brush for this.
the only way to treat a dog for baldness, since in each individual case the technique will directly depend on the causes of hair loss. Baldness in some places or everywhere requires a mandatory examination by the attending specialist, only he will be able to understand the cause of the disease. After that, diagnostics and collection of all tests are carried out, scrapings are taken from the pet's skin.
After receiving the results of the diagnosis, the veterinarian prescribes treatment therapy:
Vitamins for dogs
Regardless of the cause of baldness immediately introduce special vitamin supplements into the diet to stimulate the normal growth of the dog's coat. In order to qualitatively maintain the health of the hairline, it is worth delivering substances such as:
- Zin chelate.
- Vitamins D, F, H.
- Vitamins from group B.
- various amino acids.
Good source of vitamins There will be certain products that also need to be included in the pet's daily diet:
- Flaxseed oil - includes vitamin F.
- Liver and fodder molasses (molasses) - contains a large amount of vitamin H.
- Lamb, whey, liver and brewer's yeast are rich in vitamin B.
Anti-shedding products that restore the skin:
The main condition in order to prevent alopecia is to timely identify and eliminate the skin problem in the dog. At the same time, the pet should be constantly carefully examined during the processes of skin and coat care, with the development of any alarming signs, you should immediately seek help from a veterinarian.
In most cases baldness in dogs bald spots in the woolen cover. If this is not eliminated in time, then the animal will soon lose a significant amount of hair, if not all.
The pet's coat should be carefully monitored and cared for throughout the season. Dead hairs must be carefully combed out every week. If this is not done, then inflammation will occur and itching will begin. At the same time, the dog will begin to comb the itchy areas strongly, as a result, the hair will fall out most actively.
One of the conditions for maintaining a good and beautiful coat for your pet is proper feeding.
Attention, only TODAY!
The silky and thick coat of a dog indicates its excellent health. Complete or partial hair loss in a dog indicates the presence of problems in its body. This symptom may indicate a serious illness. That is why the owner should definitely find out why the dog's hair falls out.
Active shedding of the dog's coat 2 times a year is a natural process of molting the animal, so this phenomenon should not bother the owner. Seasonal shedding does not negatively affect the dog's well-being, and the owner only needs to comb the pet and keep its skin clean.
Hair loss in a dog can indicate a malfunction in the dog's body.
But if the seasonal molting is still far away, and the dog has widespread or focal alopecia, the owner should find out the reasons for this phenomenon. Hair loss can be caused by several reasons.
Hormonal disorders in the body
The dog's coat can fall out if some kind of hormonal failure has occurred in the body:
Non-hormonal causes
With a normal hormonal background, the causes of hair loss in a dog may be the following:
- Avitaminosis. The lack of vitamin B especially affects the condition of the coat. Zinc deficiency in the body provokes the formation of hardness of the skin and baldness.
- . The dog may be allergic to food, cosmetics, chemicals, drugs. Hair loss is accompanied by reddening of the skin, itching.
- Stress. The nervous system of many breeds is designed in such a way that excessive excitement affects their health and causes reactions in the form of changes in appearance and malfunction of internal organs. After a fight, a visit to the doctor, a move, or other exciting situations, the dog may begin an off-season molt.
- Yeast infections. For this reason, dogs with wrinkled skin are prone to hair loss: sharpei, etc. Hair loss begins in places of high humidity - in the folds of the skin.
Hair loss can be the result of yeast infections.
Often the cause of alopecia is flea dermatitis. - . Most often seen in dachshunds. Baldness begins in the armpits, ears and skin folds. Bald areas become black and smell unpleasant.
- Crushed calluses. Hair loss on the hind legs, mainly in the area of the elbow joints, occurs due to the fact that the dog often lies on a hard surface. Most often observed in dogs of large breeds.
- Wrong hair care- Excessive zeal when combing a dog or bathing it too often can lead to weakening of the hair follicles and baldness.
- Using the wrong cosmetics. The dog needs to be washed with special shampoos. If you use cheap human shampoos, soaps or dish detergent to save money, hair loss will begin.
IMPORTANT. One of the causes of hair loss is excessive clothing for dogs. In the warm season, the skin under various sweaters, raincoats and capes overheats, which inevitably causes hair loss.
In an effort to decorate a pet, many owners constantly dress them up in various costumes. The purpose of clothing for dogs is to protect them from the adverse effects of the environment. At the same time, in favorable weather and at home, the dog should be without clothes so that the skin is saturated with oxygen and “breathes”.
If your dog's hair loss is seasonal, there is no need to take any action. The only rule is compliance with the requirements for hair care. During shedding, the dog needs to be combed out once or twice a day, using a special brush.
If your dog's hair starts to fall out, you need to take it to the veterinarian and find out the reason. There is no single method of treatment for other types of baldness, since in each case the therapy depends on the causes of hair loss. Baldness in places or completely requires a mandatory visit to the veterinary clinic to determine the causes. For diagnosis, an anamnesis is taken, skin scrapings are performed.
Regardless of the cause of hair loss, it is worth immediately introducing special vitamin complexes into the pet's diet to stimulate hair growth.
Brewer's yeast for dogs is a source of B vitamins, which are essential for maintaining a healthy coat and skin. To maintain the health of the hairline, the body needs the following substances:
- Vitamins D, F, H.
- Zinc chelate.
- B group vitamins.
- Amino acids.
Certain foods can serve as a source of vitamins. Include in your dog's diet:
- Flaxseed oil - contains vitamin F.
- Liver and feed molasses (molasses) are rich in vitamin H.
- Lamb, brewer's yeast, whey, liver - contain B vitamins.
A complex of substances useful for wool is contained in food supplements and vitamin complexes:
Hokamix Skin & Shine Oil relieves itching and adds shine to the coat. - Polydex- one of the varieties of the line - Super Wool plus is designed specifically for the restoration of wool.
- Vit Active S-Sh- give wool density, healthy appearance, softness. Natural antioxidants prevent the destruction of the follicles, prevent the occurrence of allergic reactions.
- Hokamix Skin & Shine- oil with a high content of omega acids. Relieves dry skin, adds shine to the coat, eliminates itching and flaking.
- Excel 8 in 1- brewer's yeast and garlic. Special complex for skin and wool.
- Beafar- a line of vitamins. Laveta Super Multi - a complex for skin and wool.
- Kanvit Biotin- a drug with biotin, which has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and hairline.
- Canina are widely used by dog lovers all over the world.
The line of Kanina vitamins includes complexes for dogs of various ages and breeds, as well as for the regulation of various physiological problems:
- DPETVITAL Biotin-tabs - restores the coloring pigment of wool, improves its quality.
- Fell Gel - for small breeds. Eliminates fragility of wool, dandruff.
- Biotin forte - for long-haired breeds, helps to quickly restore hairline.
- Fell O.K. - a food supplement with a high content of biotin.
- Petvital Derm Caps - capsules to strengthen the immune system, improve metabolic processes in the skin.
ATTENTION. When choosing vitamin complexes, you need to consult a veterinarian. Exceeding the dose, duration of taking the drug can cause hypervitaminosis, which will cause health problems for the pet.
The main condition for preventing alopecia in dogs is the timely elimination of skin problems. The dog should be carefully examined during grooming and in case of any signs of baldness, contact the veterinarian.
Most often, baldness in a dog begins with the formation of bald spots in the hairline. If appropriate measures are not taken in time, the dog will lose all the hairline.
During the shedding period, the dog needs to be combed daily and dead hairs removed, which can lead to skin irritation. The coat of the dog must be especially carefully looked after during the seasonal molt. Dead hair is thoroughly combed daily. If this is not done, inflammation and itching will develop. The dog will begin to actively comb itchy places, and as a result, hair loss will begin.
One of the conditions for the health of wool is compliance with the rules of feeding. Many economy-class dry food, such as, contain low-quality ingredients, dyes and preservatives, the use of which will certainly affect the condition of the pet's coat. Therefore, you need to choose high-quality feed or use natural products.
A beautiful, thick coat in a dog is a sign of the health of the animal and its decoration. Increased hair loss is a call to action for the owner.
We offer you to watch a video in which the veterinarian talks about the causes of alopecia in dogs.
