Why is my dog losing fur in patches? Is it contagious to other pets?

Hi, I'm Dr. Johnson. I think I just answered a question about Aysha! The tail tip doesn't worry me, a lot of dogs get the hairless area. My own dog has it. The other picture of the moth eaten appearance to her fur is not normal. A lot of skin conditions looks the same unfortunately. The hair loss could be form a skin infection (bacteria or yeast), from demodex (a non contagious mite) or ring worm. Also I know we were discussing her being over weight and a low thyroid. A low thyroid can predispose dogs to skin infections. Also food allergies can also. I think you have a few reasons to see your Vet now! Good luck!

Puppies are at risk for mites like demodex, ring worm, bacterial infections. I would recommend an exam with your vet and a skin scrape to look for mites. Some mites are contagious to people like sarcoptic mange. Some mites are not. Hope that helps

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Yes, mange is possible. Other possibilities include allergies, ringworm, immune-mediated conditions, among many other possibilities. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. In the meantime, if she appears to be scratching or licking at it, you can use an e-collar to try to prevent further injury. Good luck!

Poor girl. I would highly recommend having her tested for demodexx mites, hypothyroidism, and a fungal infection. Either of these can cause these symptoms, but they can also all be treated with relatively good success. Best of luck to you at the vet. Best wishes and take care.

I'm sorry that Sid is having this issue. I strongly recommend you take her to the vet for an exam. It is very difficult to tell much from the photo you posted. Hairless can be caused by any number of issues: hormones (if she is not fixed), an underlying endocrine disease like Cushing's or hypothyroidism, parasites (mites, fleas, etc) or she may have an allergy or a bacterial or fungal infection of the skin. As you can see, it is not something that can be easily distinguished with an internet photo. You can certainly try a medicated shampoo. I do not know what you have available in India but I would suggest one like this one. Try to find one with the same active ingredients: https://petshopindia.com/dog-medicated-shampoo/venttura-dacderm-plus-antimicrobial-medicated-shampoo-200ml You could also try giving her some vitamins but if she won't take medicine she may not eat it: https://www.petsworld.in/petcare-nutricoat-advance-dog-supplement-200-gm.html I hope this helps. If you have any additional questions please feel free to ask again! Best wishes!

Please post a picture of your pets hair loss so that we can better help you with recommendations and possible causes for her hair loss. Hair loss in general can be caused by: Flea allergies (always a possibility if your pet is not on a high quality flea flea preventative), thyroid disease, allergic dermatitis (environmental or food related), seasonal Alopecia (due to genetics), or even a bacterial or skin infection. Starting with a skin scrape and skin impression through your vet, along with a thyroid test (if your pet meets the criteria) is usually the best place to start when trying to find out the cause. We look forward to hearing back from you soon with pictures of your Sadie. Or a consultation can be requested for a more in depth and personal response. Best of luck and take care.

It could be any of those and yes, it could be contagious. There is no way to diagnose a skin condition just with photos. If I had to guess I would say mange is most likely but again, impossible for me to say for sure based on the photos. There are two types of mange - one is contagious, the other is not. I would quarantine this dog from all your other pets and assume she is contagious until you can get her to the vet.