Why is my dog losing hair in small spots on his hips and back end?

I'm glad that Jaxi doesn't seem to be bothered by the lesion on her skin. Flaky areas with hair loss can be caused by a variety of conditions, including ringworm, mange and skin infections. Since these issues can only be diagnosed with microscopic evaluation and/or culture, I recommend taking Jaxi to her vet. I hope that she's on the mend soon!

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.

Mites are just one possible cause of itching and hair loss, however they wouldn't necessarily cause "lumped up" spots on the skin. You may be seeing hives, which are due to some type of an allergic reaction. The first thing to do would be to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. Discuss allergy testing, hydrolyzed diets, food elimination trials, parasite control and antihistamine use with the vet. Any potential treatment will depend on the underlying cause. In the meantime, place an e-collar (cone) on Axel to prevent excessive licking or chewing. You can also treat for fleas using a topical preventive (Frontline, Advantix, etc.) or an oral preventive (CapStar, Comfortis, Bravecto, Credelio, etc.). Vacuum everywhere indoors and dispose of the bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately afterwards. Wash all bedding in the hottest water allowable by fabric and dry in a dryer. Use an area treatment, such as Indorex or Knockout ES, to prevent or treat any flea infestation.

From the description provided, your pet may be suffering from allergies secondary to fleas, environmental allergens such as dust, pollen, grass, or even a protein source in his diet. In addition to the food trial, it is imperative to administer the flea prevention on time every month. Even one flea bite can set off a reaction that can ultimately lead to a secondary skin infection.

Petra is very cute! I would recommend taking her to a vet for a skin scrape. This will make sure she does not have skin mites like demodex. IT is possible a small allergy,fungal disease, skin infection or even vasculitis from a rabies vaccine cause the hair loss. However due to breed I would make sure she does not have skin mites.

Poor Axle! I'm sorry to hear that he's having skin problems. There are a number of different things that can cause hair loss with itching in dogs - some common possibilities would include allergies (food allergies, or an allergy to something in the environment), a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). Treatment will depend on what the underlying problem is, so I would really recommend having Axle examined by a vet to get a diagnosis first. He/she can do some simple skin tests if needed to help determine what is causing the hair loss, and will prescribe appropriate medication to treat the problem depending on what is found. In the meantime, you could try bathing him in an aloe and oatmeal dog shampoo to help soothe his skin - this will not treat the underlying problem, but may temporarily relieve his symptoms and make him a bit more comfortable until you can see the vet.

Those spots on Jax could be several things including allergies, skin mites, flea bites, ringworm (which humans can get) or a bacterial infection. 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 his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. You can wash the lesions with soap once a day and rinse well (don't wash his whole body, just those spots). Protect the areas from licking or scratching and he may need to wear an Elizabethan collar at all times. If the lesions don't start looking better within about a week or if they get worse, have him examined by the veterinarian who may prescribe medications. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.