When your dog is experiencing minimal or extensive hair loss, it's best to have him checked for alopecia. This disorder is also known as hair loss and is common in dogs. Left untreated it can cause total hair loss and infection so early diagnosis and treatment is necessary.
Hair loss, or alopecia, can cause severe damage to your pet's lymphatic and immune system so it's best to detect it early. This disorder affects all breeds and size as well as gender so watch for it in all pets. Early detection can prevent extreme hair loss and alopecia can start slowly.
It is a very noticeable condition and usually starts with symmetrical or varied hair loss. If you dog's loosing patches of hair and chewing or scratching it's best to seek treatment. Be sure that you watch out for infected patches in the skin as well.
One of the most common causes of hair loss or alopecia is mange. We have all heard of mange which is caused by the mite Demodex. Regular bathing of your dog and thorough checking can help control this nasty disorder.
If there are multiple missing patches of hair, it could be associated with an inflammation of the hair follicle. A loss over a larger area may be a sign something more specific and further testing might be required. There is not much that can be done in order to prevent alopecia.
Treatment for this condition can vary depending on the severity. Topical ointments and medicated shampoos are the usual and you must be diligent to get this problem under control. However, depending on the severity, it might be important to look at your dog's hormone levels.
Dogs are also prone to ringworms, which cause patchy hair loss and reddening of the skin with chaffing. If you suspect that your dog has ringworms, get him to the vet for treatment. Additionally, ringworms are extremely contagious so wash your hands after touching your dog's affected area.
Dog's can experience hair loss or alopecia for a number of reasons. The type of loss and can vary from symmetrical to patchy. Many pet stores will have information in the pet dog supplies area if you need more information.
Examination is the best you can do to catch alopecia early and start treatment. Don't let this hair loss issue get out of control by not acting quickly with proper treatment. Your dog will thank you for it in the long run and you will thank yourself.
