hair loss

Hi All,

I have a 6 year old staffordshire bull terrior, for the last 5 mths my dog has been losing her fir she nibbles herself and scratches, i've treated her for fleas and the house for fleas but cant find any. The hair under her tummy is nearly all gone and down the back of her legs, behind her ears.

Do you think it could be mites? or mange, her skin is not sore and i have not changed her food, my husband has left and i am ill he took his dog with him when he went do you think it could be stress? i know that sounds odd but she was close to his dog and picks up how i am sometimes she is very sensitive.

any advise would be great?

sam

[SAM999898]

I have a Husky Wolf mix and she was losing her hair I found out it was alergies (allergies) and I give her  zinc and alergy (allergy) meds I ve also had to put her on a all natural diet its hard to say what shes alergic (allergic) to but I keep surching its been 4yrs now alergy (allergy) season is the worst.I was told by many vets that zinc help relieve the stress of being constanly ichy.

Good luck

[Ghilly]

It's possible that the stress of having her dog buddy (or even your husband) move out is the cause, especially if the dog is particularly in tune with you and can sense your stress as well.  

Is the fur loss bilaterally equal?  In other words, if she is missing fur down the back of her right leg, is she also missing fur in the same place down the back of her left?  Does the hair loss on the belly extend to the same place on both sides of the belly?  Is the hair loss behind the right ear the same as the hair loss behind the left ear?  Or is the hair loss random, with a patch missing here and there in the areas you described?

If the hair loss is bilaterally equal from one side of the body to the other, then you need to consider a couple of things.  It could be mange.  It could also be hormonally triggered.  It's even possible that it could be caused by Cushing's Disease, which is a tiny tumor on the pituitary gland.  Are there any other symptoms that go along with it?  Has her intake of water increased?  Is she gaining weight?  What is her appetite like?

It could also be caused by allergies.  What is the remaining hair like?  Is it normal looking, or does it look dry and rough and generally not healthy?

Ghilly

[uk2]

her thanks for replying her hair loss is bilataral same down the back outside legs as it is on the tummy and behind her ears.

she eats well except the few days after she sees my ex when he picks the kids up and sees her buddy dog she pines again.

she is happy as long as she is near me sleeps on my bed, she does not get walked due to my illness and it being too dark for my eldest who is ten to do it after school but that changes in the spring and summer months.

she hardley ever drinks and has put on some weight but thats due to lack of energy, she has had this going on for about 5 mths since my husband and his dog left. If it was mange how long does that take to spread? all her fur apart from behind the ears on the top of her body is fine ans silky and her skin where the fur has come away is normal clour and not red or dry or flaky so i dont know what to do, maybe i should take her to a vets.

sam

[Ghilly]

Sam, from what you have written, it sounds like you're dealing with some type of hormonal problem, like hypothyroidism or possibly Cushing's Disease.  Bilateral hair loss that doesn't involve any reaction of the skin (redness, itching, pruritus, etc.) is not indicative at all of an allergic reaction to anything.  I also don't think it's due to stress, since stress-induced alopecia tends to be very patchy and would also involve the whole haircoat, not leaving the remaining hairs silky and normal-looking as you have described.  My guess is that it's going to be hypothyroidism and not hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's Disease) since a much-increased thirst for water is another of the symptoms of CD, and you have said that her water intake is actually minimal.

I would make an appointment with the vet to have her thyroid tested.  That's the simplest first step you can take here.  The treatment is easy, Soloxine usually takes care of the problem nicely.  Your vet can explain everything to you when you take her in.  Hopefully that's all it turns out to be.  Please let us know what transpires.  Good luck!

Ghilly