Dog Hair Loss
Only a healthy pet is a happy companion. Assuring your pet's daily well-being requires regular care and close attention to
any hint of ill health. The American Veterinary Medical Association therefore suggests that you consult your veterinarian
if your pet shows any of the following signs:
Abnormal discharges from the nose, eyes, or other body openings
Loss of appetite, marked weight losses or gains, or excessive water consumption
Difficult, abnormal, or uncontrolled waste elimination
Abnormal behavior, sudden viciousness, or lethargy
Abnormal lumps, limping, or difficulty getting up or lying down
Excessive head shaking, scratching, and licking or biting any part of the body
Dandruff, loss of hair, open sores, and a ragged or dull coat. Foul breath or excessive tarter deposits on teeth.
Candida Albicans
Candida symptoms are often diagnosed as "ALLERGIES" and commonly seen as rashes and skin outbreaks in the paws,
face/muzzle, ears, under arms, underbelly or genital areas. Other symptoms include recurring ear infections, eye
infections, and bladder or urinary tract infections.
In yet other ways, the yeast toxins can cause fatigue, lethargy, immobility, joint pain and discomfort. The animals
start experience severe itching, which leads to endless biting, chewing and hair loss. Symptoms may include skin
problems like; blackening of the skin, dry flaky skin or greasy type grit on the skin. As the condition worsens over
time a bad yeasty smell or odor may accompany this.
Cancer
Skin - Skin tumors are very common in older dogs, but much less common in cats. Most skin tumors in cats are malignant,
but in dogs they are often benign. All skin tumors should be examined by your veterinarian.
Insects
Dogs suffering from demodectic mange usually do not scratch. This mange is most common in young short-haired animals
and is marked in the early stages by small areas of hairlessness, accompanied by a red, irritated appearance. In sarcoptic
mange, a severe itching is usually observed, with consequent skin irritation and loss of hair. This type of mange is
contagious to people as well as to other dogs and therefore should be checked as soon as possible.
Ear mites are very irritating. They often cause the animal to scratch to the point where it tears out all of the hair and
creates bleeding sores around the ears. Scratching can result in reinfestation with mites from the paw or tail. Consult
your veterinarian about methods for treating infested animals.
Ringworm
Ringworm is a fungus – not a worm. It is transmitted by contact or through some object – such as grooming clippers and
combs. It is not itchy. It is often circular or oval in shape. The hair in the area is broken off – due to the fungus
weakening the hair shafts. It is often located on a limb, ear or the face. It often glows in the dark under an ultraviolet
light source (Woods lamp). It may spontaneously disappear (especially in cats) yet the animal remains a carrier of the
fungus. It is treated with fluconozole, itraconazole, griziofulvin and topical iodine preparations.