Why is my 15-year-old poodle losing fur around his eyes and feet?

Minor skin and coat changes can be normal in older dogs, however it is always best to rule out anything underlying such as a metabolic issues, especially if you are seeing any other changes such as weight gain/loss, irritation of the skin, increases in thirst/urination, or changes in eating habits as these can all indicate a metabolic rather than an aging problem. If he checks out healthy, it may just be that he got the genetics for having a thinner coat, whereas some dogs may go gray faster or not at all, etc. Keeping the area groomed and free of mats may help keep any remaining hair from being pulled out, and in some cases a supplement such as fish oil or vitamin E may help with overall skin and coat health.

No, this isn't normal, and I would have Brownie seen by a vet first thing tomorrow. This could be due to allergies, an endocrine disorder, ear infection, or insect bites (fleas, mites). The vet can diagnose what is causing her to lose the hair on her ears, and can treat her for it.

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.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to us concerning your pets hair loss. Yes, hypothyroidism can be a cause of an older dogs hair loss. The clinical signs of hypothyroidism are no itchy hair loss, panting, constantly seeking out vents or shady places because the heat bothers them, etc. but this condition usually begins between the ages of two and five but there are some situations in which happens at an older age. There are many other diseases that can also cause hair loss so it is in your best interest To take him to a veterinarian to have a full physical examination performed. The vet will be able to run tests such as blood work up, thyroid testing, skin scraping, etc. to be able to make a diagnosis and put him on the correct treatment. I hope this information has helped. Have a great day.

Hair loss and discoloration can have a number of possible causes, including endocrine/metabolic diseases (hypothyroidism or Cushing's disease), parasitic diseases, allergic conditions, hormonal disturbances, etc. Initially, ask your vet to examine Daphne's skin and check for parasites/mites with a skin scrape. Daphne may need to have some blood testing to evaluate her thyroid hormones and overall organ function (CBC, chemistry, thyroid panel with T4/TSH) if she has any other changes in her appetite, weight and water consumption. Other tests may be recommended in the future, including skin biopsies, hormonal testing, and screening for Cushing's disease.

Your pup's hair loss could be several things including allergies, endocrine disease, parasites, hormonal changes, poor diet or the normal twice yearly shedding of the coat. The only way to figure out the cause is to have him examined by your veterinarian who may need to run some diagnostics to start figuring out whats wrong. You can rule out parasites by using an oral medication like Simparica. 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 his diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Eyes can be red for many reasons including an injury to the cornea, an infection, dry eye, uveitis, allergies or glaucoma. I recommend to have him examined again by the veterinarian. It's possible the doctor has already completed some of the tests. Be sure to have a discussion about the most probable causes and what needs to be done to test for them. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I recommend a vet visit for Toby to assess the cause of his hairloss. Hairloss can be from allergies, parasites, endocrine disorders or breed related alopecia. Depending on what the veterinarian finds during Toby's exam they may recommend diagnostic testing to look for a primary skin disorder or bloodwork to check for endocrine (such as thyroid or adrenal gland) abnormalities. I hope this helps.