Why is my dog losing chunks of fur from her leg? Should I see a vet?

Hello, it looks like Lucky may be shedding his winter coat since it is starting to warm up. If he does have an active skin condition however, look for any sings of itchiness, anxiety, further hair loss, red skin, and scabs. Dogs with skin allergies may also bite and chew at their feet constantly, and environmental allergies are common during this time of the year. If you note any of these, then have lucky seen by his veterinarian as he may need medications. Please also make sure that he has monthly flea and tick control as fleas can also cause severe itchiness and hair loss, especially around his lower back, legs and belly. Hope this helps and best of luck.

It might just be normal shedding but it could also be caused by a medical condition. You could bathe him with a moisturizing dog shampoo, brush him and add an omega-3 supplement (Free Form Snip Tips) and see if that helps. The black spots could just be normal pigmentation of his skin. If the excessive shedding and spots continues then he should be examined by a vet to determine if there is a problem. Your vet can do some testing to help diagnose. He could have a skin infection, mites, flea allergy, hypothyroidism, etc.

Shedding fur, even seemingly large amounts, is completely normal for most dogs. If your dog has never shed like this in the past, or if she is losing so much fur she is having bald patches, then I would be concerned. Poor hair growth and cost condition can be due to poor nutrition/diet or an underlying medical condition like hypothyroidism. If you feel like the amount Soska is shedding is abnormal I would recommend a visit to your veterinarian to have her examined and possibly to have blood work performed. In the meantime you can supplement her diet with some fish oil (specifically omega 3 fatty acids) and see if that helps her coat. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck!

All dogs start their seasonal shed at different times. If the hair and skin underneath looks normal then I am less worried. However, if there are bald spots, crusting, red skin, or itchiness then Woody should be seen by your veterinarian. With his breed I imagine he has some major thick fur to shed at this time of year. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.

I am sorry to hear of your concern for Chelsea! I would recommend having Chelsea examined by your regular veterinarian. Without seeing her in person it is difficult to determine the nature of the hairless patches. However, in a young dog hairless patches on the legs and body would make me concerned about a parasite like demodex. Your veterinarian can do a thorough physical exam and will likely recommend some diagnostics such as a skin scrape, to help them determine the nature of these lesions. Your vet May prescribe medications such as a topical or oral parasite treatment, medicated shampoo and antibiotics.

No, this hair loss does not sound normal and it does not look normal in the picture. Reggie could have a skin infection, fungal infection, or mange among other things causing his hair loss. Without seeing him in person, I can't say for certain what is going on. He does need to see a vet to have this diagnose and treated. I recommend giving his vet a call now to make him an appointment. Best of luck.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Yes, this is a very normal thing for Huskies to do! This is called "blowing their coat", and it can take up to 6 weeks for them to shed their undercoat. As I'm sure you are aware, Huskies have a very thick coat of fur, and they typically shed this undercoat as the weather gets warmer to help them better regulate their temperature. It can seem like a huge amount of fur, but it is normal. As long as Bowie is otherwise acting normally (eating, drinking, urinating and defecating normally) and he is not getting any bald spots, he is likely just blowing his coat. You may have to brush him fairly regularly during this time to facilitate this shedding. I hope this is helpful!