Why is my dog losing hair on her stomach, chest, and hind legs?

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is a variety of reasons that can explain alopecia or hair loss. The causes can be differentiated by the clinical signs associated with it and the physical exam findings. If Wally is only showing some hair loss without scratching or overgrooming then it could conditions such as alopecia areata that can affect dogs and usually resolves on its own. If there is evidence of scratching and you start noticing some redness or irritation associated with it, then other conditions such as allergies are possible. If you notice him overgrooming himself in that area then it could be something like psychogenic alopecia which is more of a behavioral issue. I think that since he is not having overt clinical signs and it is mostly hair loss, I think it is possibly transient and could resolve on its own. You can monitor this closely and if it does not resolve or it worsens then have him examined by your veterinarian. Good luck!

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. Based on the pictures you have provided, I would suspect that Princess is suffering from a skin allergy, skin infection or skin parasite infection. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine her so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. The veterinarian can check her skin for skin parasites and see if there is a bacterial or fungal infection as well. If you are unable to get to a veterinarian right away, I would recommend the below 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. Welactin omega 3 fish oil capsules for dogs 2. Douxo PS Chlorhexidine combination shampoo and bathe twice weekly until resolved 3. Douxo PS Calm mousse and apply once daily until resolved 4. Malacetic conditioning spray and apply to the affected areas twice daily until resolved 5. Essential 6 spot on by Dermoscent and apply as directed

There could be a couple of reasons why Diesel is losing hair on his stomach and armpit. He could have a skin infection causing the hair loss, or could be suffering from Cushing's disease. It could also be that he's very itchy. Severe itching can be caused by fleas, mites, ringworm, or allergies. If he isn't up to date on his flea treatment, I can give you one for him. First, I would give him Capstar. It's a one time pill that starts killing fleas within 30 minutes. Then follow up with a spot on treatment, such as Advantage or Revolution. This is a treatment that has to be used once a month. You will also have to disinfect the environment. Wash his bedding in hot soapy water, and vacuum the furniture and carpet surfaces. You can use a spray to kill fleas in the house, such as Indorex, or a flea bomb would work well to kill the fleas in the home. If he is up to date on his flea treatment, I recommend taking him into the vet for an exam tomorrow. The vet can do blood tests, skin scrapings, and use a Wood's lamp to diagnose Cushing's disease allergies, mites, and ringworm. The vet can also check to see if he has a skin infection. Once the cause of the hair loss is found, the vet can prescribe the appropriate treatment. I would give your vet a call to set up an appointment. Best of luck, I hope this helps!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. 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!

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!

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 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.