Ways to Prevent Dogs From Balding

Hair loss, commonly known as alopecia, in canines is rather common though it can be worrisome. If your dog hasn't experienced self-trauma or has not been diagnosed with an infectious disease, the purpose of this article is to aid in clarifying some common conditions that may cause canine hair loss, and will hopefully assist you and your vet in determining a correct diagnosis and effective treatment regimen.

  1. Age-related Baldness

    • As a general rule, baldness is not normally a major concern or problem with dogs. However, there are instances when animal hair loss should be taken very seriously, since it could be an indication of a disease or condition that may be threatening your canine's health. Puppies for example, are often born with thick coats and as they mature, they begin to lose hair on the inside of their back legs and alongside the neck. Bald spots often appear first on the flanks as the dog ages. This should not be a cause for concern, unless your canine is a puppy.

    Autoimmune Disease

    • Though patterned baldness is considered an autoimmune disease, this type of hair loss is not at all serious for your dog's overall health. It is however important to understand that there are other autoimmune diseases that can affect the longevity or wellness of your dog. Even though an autoimmune disease may not be deadly, it may affect how your dog feels and acts. He can also be susceptible to other autoimmune diseases such as an increased sensitivity to allergies or reproductive problems. Pancreatitis may cause hot spots due to antibodies attacking nerve fibers in the central nervous system.

    Veterinary Checkup

    • It is possible that your dog may have thyroid deficiency. Perhaps it's an allergic reaction to medication or food, or a parasitic infestation of fleas or ticks may be the culprit in causing your dog's frustrating hair loss, due to excessive scratching. In making the determination a visual examination is normally enough to out parasites. If you vet suspects thyroid deficiency, he or she may perform blood work to rule it out or more serious conditions that could threaten the health of your animal. Depending on what the test indicates, your vet may or may not decide to order more tests.

    Treatment

    • If and when your vet makes the determination that there is no known cause for your dog's pattern baldness, you may want to try a non-prescription ointment, and apply it to any bald spots. You should also determine to keep your dog well groomed on a regular basis, with pet shampoos and conditioners readily available in the discount store. Though there is no cure for patterned baldness, what hair your dog does have should be taken care of to possibly eliminate additional hair loss. There is no evidence from studies done that a dog's coat can recover after patterned baldness occurs.