My dog has hair loss and black spots on her belly. What's wrong?

Hi and thanks for posting! Thank you for sending along a picture as well. From your picture, it looks to me like comedones or otherwise known as blackheads which occur when the hair follicle becomes clogged. Usually these can be treated with certain medicated shampoos that contain benzoyl peroxide in them to help flush out the follicle. Be sure to purchase these shampoos from your veterinarian as dogs can be especially sensitive to human shampoos and other human hygiene products. I hope this helps!

Those black spots look like comedones (aka: blackheads). I suggest you use this shampoo that contains benzoyl peroxide. Lather the affected areas (no need to do the whole dog), let it sit for 10-15 minutes and then rinse throughly. Do this every 2-3 days until they are gone. Then use this shampoo 1-2 times every month for maintenance. ( https://www.allivet.com/p-7130-oxiderm-shampoo-ps.aspx ) The loss of appetite is not related to the comedones. If she won't eat then you need to get her to your vet for an exam. If she is not spayed it may be due to her heat cycle. I would suggest spaying her.

The bald spots and pimples may indicate minor infection or may be a symptom of a broader underlying condition. Skin problems can have a variety of causes, sometimes more than one. It is important to have the condition addressed by your veterinarian to determine if there is a medical cause for your pet’s skin issues and treat accordingly. Young dogs can get skin infections, commonly referred to as 'puppy pyoderma'. This usually occurs on the belly and inside the hind legs. This type of infection usually resolves without treatment as the puppy gets older. [*Staph* infections](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/staphylococcal-pyoderma-1/) are common in dogs of all ages and may requires antibiotic therapy to treat. In pets of all ages, [fleas](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/flea-allergy/), [food allergies](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/food-allergies/) and [environmental allergies](https://www.petcoach.co/article/food-allergies-vs-environmental-allergies-whats-the-difference) (contact or inhaled) can be a cause. Any one of these may not be enough to trigger the breakouts, depending on how sensitive your pet is, but a combination can be enough to start the itch-scratch cycle. Finding out the cause and eliminating it is the best course of action. With flea allergies, if your pet is sensitive enough, a single bite can cause them to break out scratch enough to tear their skin or cause a [hot spot](https://www.petcoach.co/dog/condition/hot-spots/). Diagnosing the cause of allergies may require [allergy testing](https://www.petcoach.co/article/allergy-testing-immunotherapy-in-dogs) and [food elimination trials](https://www.petcoach.co/article/food-trials-for-allergies-in-pets-what-to-expect). [Check for fleas](https://www.petcoach.co/article/how-to-check-your-pet-for-fleas-and-ticks) with a flea comb. Look for fleas and/or tiny black granules, like coarse black pepper. This is flea feces, consisting of digested, dried blood. You may find tiny white particles, like salt, which are the flea eggs. Applying a good topical monthly flea treatment and aggressively treating your house and yard will help break the flea life cycle. If you use plastic bowls, this is a possible cause for hair loss, though this tends to be on the chin, where their skin touches the bowl while they eat. If you suspect this to be the culprit, try changing the bowls to glass, metal or ceramic. Food allergies are often caused by sensitivity to a [protein in the food](https://www.petcoach.co/article/all-about-protein-in-pet-food). Hill's Science Diet offers some non-prescription options for sensitive skin as well as [prescription hypoallergenic foods](https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/category/dog/dog-food/prescription-dog-food-and-treats) for more severe cases. Royal Canin carries limited protein and [novel protein](https://www.petcoach.co/article/what-is-a-novel-protein-pet-food) diets that may also offer some relief. Your vet can recommend a specific diet that will help.

Those are blackheads (comedones). They usually do not cause a problem, as I said yesterday. Washing her with a medicated shampoo that contains Benzoyl Peroxide (not hydrogen peroxide) is recommended as that will help to unclog the pores. Do not squeeze them out. ( https://www.allivet.com/p-1520-dermabenss-shampoo.aspx?SearchTerm=benzoyl+Auto )

I am assuming that this is a dog? The areas of hair loss on the skin could be caused my a multitude of problems, but most common would be something called demodex. Demodex is a mite that is present mostly in very young dogs or dogs with immune suppression from other conditions. I would encourage you to have her evaluated by your veterinarian soon. They may recommend a skin scrape to look for mites. Sometimes even if they aren’t found a trial therapy is still recommended. Best of luck and I hope they resolve quickly. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

I'm sorry that Sid is having this issue. I strongly recommend you take her to the vet for an exam. It is very difficult to tell much from the photo you posted. Hairless can be caused by any number of issues: hormones (if she is not fixed), an underlying endocrine disease like Cushing's or hypothyroidism, parasites (mites, fleas, etc) or she may have an allergy or a bacterial or fungal infection of the skin. As you can see, it is not something that can be easily distinguished with an internet photo. You can certainly try a medicated shampoo. I do not know what you have available in India but I would suggest one like this one. Try to find one with the same active ingredients: https://petshopindia.com/dog-medicated-shampoo/venttura-dacderm-plus-antimicrobial-medicated-shampoo-200ml You could also try giving her some vitamins but if she won't take medicine she may not eat it: https://www.petsworld.in/petcare-nutricoat-advance-dog-supplement-200-gm.html I hope this helps. If you have any additional questions please feel free to ask again! Best wishes!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on your description, it sounds as though Cherry Pie may have a skin infection. This infection may be from bacteria, fungus or both. I would recommend having her examined by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. If you are unable to get her to the vet I would recommend using the below recommended products which can be found online quite easily. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. 1. Douxo PS Chlorhexidine combination shampoo and bathe twice weekly until resolved 2. Malacetic conditioning spray and apply to the affected areas twice daily until resolved 3. Essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent 4. Welactin omega 3 fish oil capsules for dogs.