Dog Diseases That Cause Hair Loss

There are many diseases that can cause a dog to lose hair. Some may be congenital (inherited) and breed specific. Loss of hair can be widespread over a dog's body or patchy spots on certain areas. A visit to a veterinarian will help determine the proper diagnosis and treatment of the condition and should be done as soon as possible after the first signs of hair loss.

  1. Alopecia Areata

    • Considered to be an autoimmune disorder, alopecia areata involves patches of hair loss, especially on the dog's head, neck and body. There is no itching associated with this condition. A veterinarian will most likely take a skin scraping and hair samples to examine for verification.

    Pituitary Dwarfism

    • This is a hereditary disease in which the pituitary gland does not produce the hormones necessary to regulate growth, including hair growth and maintenance. Puppies fail to grow properly or develop an adult coat, and the condition will progress to hair loss over much of the body. A blood test for verification of pituitary dwarfism is done, and hormone replacement therapy prescribed. The hormone therapy can be expensive, however, so its best to discuss this thoroughly with the veterinarian.

    Schnauzer Comedo Syndrome

    • Miniature Schnauzers may acquire a breed-specific type of hair loss.

      This condition is breed specific to miniature schnauzers. Raised, crusty bumps will appear along the dog's spine and cause patchy hair loss, and the skin may become thickened and red. Medicated shampoos such as benzoyl peroxide work well to manage this problem. Antibiotics may be given if a secondary bacterial infection develops.

    Cushing's Disease

    • Cushing's, a complicated condition, is generally a disease of middle-age and older dogs and exhibits hair loss and thinning of the skin among its many symptoms. Cushing's will develop when something goes awry in the way the pituitary gland or adrenal gland works and too much glucocorticoid is produced. A veterinarian will have a complete blood count (CBC), blood chemistry panel and urinalysis done on the dog to verify the presence of this disease.