My 9-month-old Golden Retriever is losing a lot of hair. What's wrong?

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 easily be differentiated by the clinical signs associated with it and the physical exam findings. If Cookie is only showing some hair loss without scratching or overgrooming then it could conditions such as alopecia areata that can affect dogs and cats 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 her overgrooming herself in that area then it could be something like psychogenic alopecia which is more of a behavioral issue. I think that since she 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 her examined by your veterinarian. Good luck!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I can’t tell for sure without looking and feeling but it is likely that it is perfectly normal. Austin is simply loosing his “puppy coat” and growing in his new adult fur. The adult coat of Goldens is quite soft and shiny when properly cared for but it will never be quite as soft as his newborn fur. Of course if it stays very thin or there are large patches missing, talk to your vet about what else could be going on (mites, hormonal problem, post shave alopecia, or other problems.) Best of luck to you and Austin!

Hello. Hair loss in dogs can be normal (shedding) if it is being replaced by new hair growth. This is normal and will occur, and clean up can be controlled by brushing your dog's hair every day. If patches are being lost and the skin is showing, you should check for fleas/mites. A skin scraping may be necessary. If that is not the cause it could be due to infection, allergies, or other causes.

Pets can experience hair loss for many reasons. If you are noticing bald areas, redness to the skin, scabs or flaky skin, Joy could have a skin infection, need a different diet or an omega 3 supplement for pets. If you don't see any signs of pathology, this may be normal shedding. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

You might try changing the diet to see if this helps. I recommend the brand Royal Canin. This diet can help a lot with hair issues. Otherwise things like parasites and thyroid issues can also affect the hair coat. I recommend having Daisy seen by a veterinarian to look for an underlying medical condition. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any further questions.

Shedding large amounts of hair at one time in a puppy at any age between 4-8 months is going to be normal. There are estimates to when a pet should shed, but again you have to take into account that there is a bell curve with any estimate, so some dogs fall to the left or right of this. Dogs can also shed at multiple intervals, because the entire shedding process can be broken up into phases. You know you are dealing with an actual skin issue when you see patches of bald areas on the skin. As long as she doesn't have alopecia areas then this is considered to be a normal shedding process. Good luck with your new pup!

It sounds like Garry may be shedding due to seasonal changes which is perfectly normal. I find that the best way to combat seasonal shedding is daily brushing - you may want to look into using an undercoat brush if his coat is very thick. If he is shedding so much that you can see bare spots, if his skin seems irritated, or if his coat is dull I would recommend seeing your veterinarian to make sure he doesn't have a skin condition or parasites.