Why Is My Dog Losing Hair in Chunks?
If your dog appears to be losing hair in small or large chunks, he probably has one of two types of mange. Mange is an affliction of the skin caused by either the Demodex canis mite or the Sarcoptes scabiei canis mite, which is also known as canine scabies. Only Sarcoptes scabiei canis is contagious, but both types of mange require immediate attention from a veterinarian.
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Demodectic Mange
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Look around the rim of your dog's ear. If there is no visible hair loss underneath or around the tips, the dog is most likely suffering from demodectic mange. Dogs with this type of mange will show thinning hair around the face and muzzle or patches of hair loss over the body. This disease affects puppies more often than mature dogs.
Demodex is a mite that lives on every mammal. The mite inhabits the hair follicles, eating dead skin cells, hormones and oils accumulated there. The mite usually coexists with its host harmoniously. In dogs, Demodex canis becomes a problem when the dog's immunity is unable to control the mite population. The mite, in such cases, overpopulates the hair follicle causing the hair to fall out. Demodectic mange is not communicable because the disease only infects dogs with a low immune system. Low immunity to the demodex mite is hereditary and renders dogs that suffer from this disease unbreedable.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Demodectic Mange
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A vet uses a skin scraping and microscope to diagnose demodectic mange. Dogs with this type of mange often show signs of discomfort, uncontrollable itching, and fatigue in addition to hair loss. Given that this illness is the result of a poor immune system, treatment will prevent secondary infection or permanent damage to the skin.
Treatment of demodectic mange involves a topical application of Promeris every two weeks. Promeris is a flea and tick preventative, but the active ingredient Amitraz kills Demodex canis. The treatment allows the dog's immune system to build up a resistance to the mite. If demodex mange fails to respond to Promeris treatment, dips, shampoos and gels are available as alternative treatments.
There is no need to separate dogs with demodectic mange from other pets or risk of reinfection through their bedding or kennels. Relapses can occur at points of new stress for the dog. Your veterinarian will recommend postponing any spaying or neutering until the dog has recovered fully.
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Sarcoptic Mange
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Sarcoptic mange is highly contagious and can affect healthy dogs. The contagion is caused by a single mite, Sarcoptes scabiei canis, and is a form of scabies. A dog can obtain sarcoptic mange without being exposed to an infected dog. The mite causes severe pain and intense itching as it burrows into the skin, creating a network of tunnels full of eggs. The mite usually dies in the tunnel after laying her eggs. Her larvae and nymphs feed on clear serum, a component of blood, that bubbles up through the tunnels. The mite can live off the host for up to 21 days, making reinfection possible.
Diagnosis and Treatment
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Most dogs suffering from sarcoptic mange chew out the Sarcoptes scabiei canis mite from their skin rendering diagnosis by skin scraping difficult. Symptoms of sarcoptic mange include thick wrinkled skin, open lesions, bumps and location of the hair loss around the ears, elbows and mouth.
Dips in Amitraz or Mitaban are effective treatments of sarcoptic mange. Ivermectin, given orally, is also an affective treatment. Other topical treatments include Revolution, Frontline Plus and Interceptor. A vet may also recommend washing the dog with a shampoo such as Malaseb to control yeast infections of the skin.
Quarantine dogs with sarcoptic mange and spray their bedding and play areas with a flea preventative.
Seek a Veterinarian Immediately
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Seek a veterinarian as soon as possible when you notice hair loss on your dog. Delaying diagnosis could result in a worsening condition and longer recovery. The risk of secondary infection is high. Dogs with mange will chew and scratch their skin until it bleeds. Response to treatments usually occurs within a few doses.
Given the frequency of veterinary visits required for treatment, low-cost pet care clinics such as SNAP, offer treatment as part of their limited service programs. For a list of low-cost resources in your area, please visit the Human Society website, humanesociety.org.
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- Photo Credit Wolf image by Petra Kohlstädt from Fotolia.com
