Why is my Doberman puppy's hair thinning on his spine? How to help?

This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat her with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. advocate or advantage), then get her to the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try discovering the cause of the allergy. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). simultaneously you should start her on a prescription hypoallergenic diet for at least 2 months. Hopefully you will see some results after all this, if not you and your vet should consider putting her on a long term allergy treatment (Atopica or Apoquel).

It is possible that your puppy is having a little bit of hair thinning, but it's not something that you have to address right away. Especially if it's barely noticeable. The reason I say this is because puppies are highly susceptible to overpopulation of Demodexx mites, which can cause localized or generalized hair loss with secondary infections. However if the hair loss remains in one area (localized) there is a chance Penelope can resolve this on her own as her immune system develops. Keep an eye on things for now to see how things develop, and if the hair loss worsens and forms actual patches of alopecia then it's time to see a vet at that point for skin testing and proper treatment. Also even though you don't see fleas it doesn't mean that they are not there lurking beneath the hair. They can be very inconspicuous, so it's best just to keep Penelope on monthly flea prevention, even if she just goes outside to potty. Because it's a fact that 40% of indoor dogs still get fleas, and that can lead to itching and thinning of hair also.

Hair loss can be due to skin diseases including mite or flea infections or bacterial or fungal infections including ringworm. Hair loss can also be caused by autoimmune disorders that affect the skin. Finally, endocrine diseases including hypothyroidism and Cushings disease can also cause hair loss. I recommend you take Duke to your veterinarian for a full work up. You vet will likely want to do skin scrapings to check for mites or other skin infections as well as complete blood work to rule out endocrine diseases, Once the cause of the hair loss has been determined, appropriate treatment can be described. The good news is that with the correct medications, Duke may likely regrow all his hair.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing her allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

She could have an endocrine disease like low thyroid causing her hair loss, or even though she doesn't seem itchy it's also possible that she has an allergy or external parasite. There are some autoimmune diseases that can cause thinning hair as well although usually you would also see skin changes. Your mum should make an appointment with her vet to have Adele's skin examined.

Thinning hair in a young dog like Pocholo may be due to environment allergies, seasonal changes, nutritional deficiencies (namely vitamins and minerals) or less commonly for a young dog, an endocrine condition like Cushing's disease. I would assess Pocholo's diet carefully, make sure that he isn't being exposed to anything out of the ordinary, and if not, consider having him looked at by your vet for any other problems. Hope this makes sense.

Thinning hair and a darkening of the skin could indicate something like allergies, a diet that is not right for her, fleas or (less likely) and endocrine condition. There are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing her diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. If Zoey is wanting to itch the area, you need to protect the area from trauma by having your pup wear an elizabethan collar at all times. Make sure she is up to date on flea prevention. Diets and supplements take 2-4 weeks to take effect. If the changes are not improving after 2 weeks or if they are getting worse, have Zoey examined by the veterinarian. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.