Hair loss in dogs is a common occurrence, and dermatologic (skin) conditions are some of the most common reasons dogs are brought to the veterinary clinic every year.
In addition to hair loss, you may notice other symptoms in your dog such as rashes, itching, thickening of the skin, or changes in pigmentation. To get to the bottom of the problem and help your dog’s hair grow back, it’s important to see your veterinarian who can diagnose and treat the problem.
Unfortunately, while there are many home remedies for dog hair loss discussed on the internet, these methods rarely treat hair loss because they don’t address the underlying cause.
Read on to learn more about what you can do to treat and prevent hair loss in your dog.
Causes of Dog Hair Loss
Hair loss – also known as “alopecia” – is not a disease in and of itself. Alopecia is a symptom caused by numerous diseases or health issues. Before we can treat hair loss, we need to know what is causing it.
Here are some common causes for your dog to lose hair:
- Allergic reactions
- Atopy
- Parasitism
- Dermatophytosis
- Skin infections
- Hypothyroidism
- Cushing’s disease
- Sebaceous adenitis
- Telogen effluvium
- Flank Alopecia
- Alopecia X
- Zinc-responsive dermatosis
- Color dilution alopecia
- Follicular dysplasia
- Cutaneous vasculitis
These are just a few common and uncommon conditions that can cause hair loss in dogs.
As you can see, there are many different causes of hair loss in dogs. If your dog is experiencing hair loss, the first step is a visit to your veterinarian for an appropriate diagnosis of the problem.
