Pink Bald Spots on a Beagle

Diagnosis Considerations

• Prior to fully understanding the reason your beagle's skin has developed pink bald spots, there are aspects of the dog's physiology and environmental conditions that factor in. The age of your beagle will help trace the issue to possible congenital or hereditary causes. How long has the infirmity existed? Where on your dog did it first begin? Your veterinarian will need to know if you have seen any associated symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea, coughing, sneezing, lethargy or impaired breathing.

  Environmental factors have to be considered. Is your beagle around other dogs or animals with possible contagions? Does he play outdoors often and where does he play? Diet should be scrutinized. Is your dog on a specified flea, tick or parasite control?

Allergies or Environmental

• Allergies or other environmental circumstances can be the cause of bald spots on your dog. Allergies to food, mold, other animals, pollen, parasites, insects or the change in seasons can be the cause of your dog's skin irritations. Diet may be the culprit because some dogs are sensitive to the proteins in certain foods.

  Have your home checked for an abundance of mold. Changing your air conditioning filter can help, as well as pouring a tablespoon of bleach into your A.C.'s moisture condensation drain. Clean mold in bathrooms, kitchens and basements where it is most prolific. For insects and parasites, see to it that your dog is on a veterinarian-approved parasite prevention. Many commercially available products kill fleas, ticks and mites responsible for an itchy skin problem called demodectic mange. Diet changes should be handled through your veterinarian because improvements are more readily recognized through testing. Your veterinarian will also know which foods to try and which to eliminate.

  Treatments for allergies resulting in skin conditions include steroids and topical treatments, such as Benedryl. Electrostatic filters can be found at any home repair store and are effective at eliminating pollen and mold from the air. Shampoos and topical sprays may be recommended by your veterinarian.

Ring Worm

• Keratinophylic fungi exist worldwide and are commonly found in the soil. The group of keratinophylic fungi is large, but only three genera, called dermatophytes, have shown to cause ringworm disease in dogs. Beagles can experience a dermatophyte ringworm infection at any age, but younger dogs are more susceptible. In addition to age, other risk factors include lack of nutrition, an abundant population of animals, lack of adequate veterinary care, and poor canine hygiene.

  Ringworm lesions on your dog's coat will appear as raised, round bald spots that are itchy and inflamed. Lesions can occur on any part of the dog's body, but usually first appear on the head and ears. Treatment for these lesions can range from topical treatments, like anti-fungal creams to systemic therapy with griseofulvin or ketoconazole medicines.

Fungal or Bacterial

• When the pH in your dog's stomach is out of balance the good bacteria can be destroyed. In this case, insidious fungus and pathogenic bacteria take over and the negative results are detrimental to your dog's health.

  Things that will negatively effect your dog's stomach pH can include an abundance of antibiotics, poor nutrition, stress, thyroid problems, environmental change, vaccinations and medications including flea and heart worm medicines.

  A bacterial or fungal infection in a beagle can manifest itself as a skin irritation. Symptoms include skin irritation, inflamed bald spots from scratching and licking, and raised bald spots on the skin under arms and in skin folds. Infections can also effect your dog's immune system to the point where the hair falls out and pink bald spots appear.