Diabetic dog losing hair and shedding. Is it thyroid or Cushing's?

I'm sorry to hear of your issues with Jaxx. There are many potential causes for hair loss in dogs including allergies, fleas, mange and hormonal imbalances. Based on the pictures provided, it appears that Jaxx's skin has been inflammed for a while. The skin appears thickened and red. I think this is most likely due to allergies. He may also have a secondary bacterial or yeast infection. A soothing oatmeal bath may help with his discomfort. You can also try an antihistamine such as benadryl. A common dose for this is 1mg per pound of body weight. For example, a 25 pound dog would receive 25mg. If this does not help, I would recommend having him seen by a veterinarian. In some cases, steroids, antibiotics or medicated shampoos may need to be prescribed to resolve this issue.

One of the things that Cushing's disease affects is the normal metabolism of hair follicles. Normally hair follicles "turn over" or produce hair quickly enough that we don't see areas of hair loss even though dogs (and us) lose hair daily. When a dog has Cushing's disease, the hair follicles are not regrowing hair as quickly as possible. (And often they do not shed the hairs normally.) Cushing's disease also affects their immune system, so it is more likely that dogs will get overgrowth of normal yeast and bacteria that can invade the hair follicles and cause the hair to fall out. So, what I would suspect occurred is that Buttercup had an area of hair where the hair follicles had a yeast or bacterial overgowth that invaded the hair follicles. Instead of shedding normally, those hairs stayed in place and allowed the bacterial/yeast overgrowth to spread until the hairs were mechanically removed with a brush. And since her hair follicles were not regrowing hair normally, the area is now bald. If there is any crusting, itching or redness that develops, I would certainly have your vet examine Buttercup. Otherwise, i would recommend regular bathing and brushing to remove dead undercoat and prevent future skin problems. It will take time, but fur should regrow in that area as long as the skin there is healthy. Good luck! I hope that was helpful and answered your question. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Louis! This type of hair loss can be caused by cushings and hypothyroidism among other things like allergies, bacterial or yeast infections and more. Keep in mind that both Cushings and hypothyroidism dogs usually show other signs as well, but not always. Dogs with cushings usually with have excessive drinking and urinating and/or excessive panting. Dogs with hypothyroidism are usually over weight and/or always lethargic. Cushing's and hypothyroidism both require specialized blood testing to diagnose so they were likely not tested for back in August of 2017. I would talk with your vet about your concerns and see if they feel like you need to run any additional diagnostics or if they think there is another cause. I hope this helps!

Cushing Disease, food allergies (it's too early to see results yet), skin mites, flea allergies and environmental allergies can all cause these symptoms. Make sure you are conducting a proper food trial. If Maddox does not respond to the food trial, discuss with your veterinarian next steps. Here are some links with good information" https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/cushings-disease-in-dogs https://www.petcoach.co/article/allergy-testing-immunotherapy-in-dogs/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/food-allergies-and-food-intolerance/ I agree with your vet that a hydrolyzed diet is the best option. I hope this helps.

I'm so sorry that Duke is doing poorly. Unfortunately skin problems can be very difficult to diagnose and treat because they often look the same on exam and require further testing for an accurate diagnosis and treatment. If Duke has a low thyroid level, then he will need thyroid medication for the rest of his life. I have attached more information on hypothyroidism below. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=461 Unfortunately, hair loss can be caused by a huge variety of hormonal and skin problems. Below is a handout that discusses another hormonal disease that can affect the skin called Cushing's disease. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1551 If Duke is itchy, I would also recommend that your veterinarian perform a skin cytology to evaluate for secondary bacterial or yeast infection which is very common with hormonal diseases. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=466 I think you will likely need to have your vet recheck Duke's skin, recheck his blood work, and possibly do additional testing to determine the best treatment for Duke. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

HI Jessie! Hair loss with age is not normal in dogs and is generally a sign of another disease process. There are many possible causes of Dexter's recent hair loss, including some endocrine diseases (Cushing's disease or hypothyroidism). I would recommend having him examined by your local vet who will be able to perform lab testing to evaluate his overall organ function and thyroid function (CBC, blood chemistry, thyroid panel, urinalysis - as a starting point).

Without seeing Jax it is hard to say. I know you haven't seen fleas, but fleas don't have to spend much time on a dog to cause scratching. Other things like microscopic mites, allergies and metabolic problems can also cause hair loss. There isn't much you can do from home but I would recommend making an appointment with your vet to better narrow down the cause.