Flaking Skin and Hair Loss in Dogs

Your dog's hair and skin can give important signs about her health. If she experiences flaking skin and hair loss, it is a warning that she is experiencing a health problem.

  1. Cushing's Disease

    • Cushing's disease is an endocrine disease in which a dog's adrenal glands produce too much steroid/cortisone hormones.

    Symptoms

    • Symptoms of Cushing's disease include flaking skin that can be darkly pigmented. Your dog could eat and drink more than usual. Dogs often have extreme hair loss and can be completely bald except for hair on the head.

    Causes

    • Cushing's disease is often caused by a tumor growing either on a dog's pituitary gland or on one of his adrenal glands.

    Treatments

    • Treatments for Cushing's disease in dogs that will stop flaking skin and hair loss include chemotherapy that targets the tumors and surgery to remove them.

    Considerations

    • Hair loss and flaking skin might not seem like serious symptoms, but Cushing's disease effects more than your dog's appearance. It is important to seek treatment right away.