Hair Loss on Puppies

Puppy hair loss has many causes.

At around 6 months, most puppies start to lose their puppy hair. This is a normal process in a dog's life-cycle. If you notice that your puppy has developed bald spots that are red and itchy, or has become completely bald, there might be another reason for the hair loss. It is important to contact a vet as soon as possible if this is the case. Puppies can lose their hair because of disease, allergies or as a result of stress.

Causes

A variety of reasons, such as stress and anxiety (which is known as neurodermatits), can cause hair loss in puppies. This is when a puppy starts to chew or lick an area of its skin repeatedly causing irritation and eventually hair loss. Mites also cause hair loss, as do yeast infections and ringworm. Allergies to food, household items such as cleaning products, and seasonal allergies to pollen and dust also can cause your puppy to lose its hair.

Diagnosis

If your puppy is chewing or licking an area of its skin repeatedly, it is suffering some sort of anxiety. The chewing or licking causes redness and a break in the skin that eventually leads to hair loss. Ringworm causes dryness and flaking of the skin, and a yeast infection causes moist patches around the areas of hair loss. In this case the hair loss normally takes place in folds of skin, so dogs such as Shar-Peis are particularly at risk. In the cases of allergies and mites, your puppy may repeatedly scratch its coat until fur loss occurs.

Treatments

Seek professional help if you fear your puppy is losing its fur. A veterinarian will prescribe treatments depending on the condition and cause. Anxiety is difficult to cure, but a vet may recommend an exercise program or anti-obsessive behavior drugs. Ringworm can be cured with a range of anti-fungal drugs such as fluconozole and itraconazole, while mites can be cured with a dose of ivermectin. With a yeast infection, your vet likely will recommend a high-protein diet of red meat to remove the infection. Similarly, a puppy with food allergies will be put on a strict high-protein diet.

Shedding

Hair loss may also just be your puppy shedding its fur. This normally happens between 3 and 10 months old, but is dependent on the size, breed and the type of coat your puppy has. Sometimes puppies also lose hair after they have been neutered. Refrain from bathing your puppy too regularly as this can cause thinning hair and dry and flaky skin.

Prevention

You can do a number of things to keep you puppy's coat healthy and strong and prevent hair loss. Brush your puppy daily with a soft bristled brush and always brush in the direction that the hair is growing--brushing the other way is unpleasant for your puppy. Brushing removes dead and loose hair. Feed your puppy properly. Consult your vet if you want further information on what your puppy should be eating. Don't feed him from the table; dogs are not meant to eat human food.

References

• Pet Education: Causes of Hair Loss in Dogs
• The Puppy Dog Place: Puppy Hair Loss
• The Whole Dog: Yeast Infections in Dogs