Why is my dog losing fur on her neck due to collar & allergies?

There are two possible reasons for this: 1) since he is shedding a lot anyway at the moment the additional rubbing of the collar is "helping" shed more and faster, 2) He may have a sin reaction to the collar and therefore the Hair falls out. As long as the skin looks healthy, not red, no injuries or rash present, I do not think you have to worry. You may want to take off the collar for a while to eliminate mechanical rubbing damaging the fur.

Poor Sharky! The area of his hair loss is certainly consistent with irritation from his collar. From the pictures, it looks as though Sharky may also be wearing a flea collar, and these products can actually cause a lot of skin irritation in more sensitive dogs. Other causes of the hair loss could be related to hypothyroidism, mange, hormonal imbalances, among other issues. At this point, consider taking all collars (flea or normal collars) off of Sharky and use a harness to walk him until the hair loss resolves. You can also try bathing Sharky in a gentle oatmeal based pet shampoo since this can be soothing on the skin. Make sure that Sharky is regularly receiving a high quality flea and tick preventative, such as Nexgard, Bravecto, or K9 Advantix II in case a flea allergy could be contributing to this issue. If he starts to itch and scratch, if the hair loss worsens or does not begin to improve in the next few weeks, Sharky will need to go to his vet for further evaluation. I hope this helps and that he's feeling better soon!

Lesions like this could be several things including allergies, skin mites, ringworm (which humans can get) or endocrine disease. 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. 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 or recommend some bloodwork. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It's hard to know exactly why she has the brownish discoloration. certainly you should try switching her to a different flea product and remove the collar. It may take up to two months for any discoloration to disappear. You could then try switching the collar to a nylon or fabric collar, again, it may take up to two months. In the mean time, 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 Haddie's diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Haddie wear an elizabethan collar if she is itching. Have her examined by the veterinarian if it appears to be getting worse. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Sorry about Riley. Looks like Riley has an active skin condition that needs examination and treatment from your local veterinarian. The neck is frequently affected with local skin problems due to most dogs having collars that either become wet or irritate the skin. It is also very easy to scratch that area with the hind leg. The rough skin area can indicate an infection related to secondary bacteria or yeast. Frequently, certain parasites such as mites or fleas can contribute to this problem. Your veterinarian will perform some diagnostic testing and gather information regarding this problem to help find the best treatment and preventative program for your dog. You may want to put a t-shirt or something over the area to avoid further irritation from scratching prior to your appointment. Skin problems are common and usually respond to treatment, so best of luck with Riley. Thanks, Steve Popish, DVM

Hello, sorry to hear about Freya. It looks like she has a local skin infection which could be secondary to a severe episode of allergies. You can wipe the area with skin sensitive baby wipes 2-3 times daily. If this isn't improving within 10 days or if it is getting worse, then Freya should be evaluated by her veterinarian as she may need oral antibiotics and allergy medications. Hope this helps and best of luck.

It very well could be from the collar. Some dogs can develop yeast or bacterial skin infections in the area that is contacted by the collar, since it can trap moisture and cause irritation to the skin. I would recommend removing the collar for the next several days to see if the area heals on its own - you may need to keep Lola inside or on-leash in the yard during this time. If there is no improvement in the skin problem within the next 3-5 days, then it's likely that something else is causing it - in that case, she should be seen by a vet to find out what's going on.