My 6-week-old Rhodesian Ridgeback puppy has thinning hair on back.

This could be due to an allergy but infections or mites infestations are possible as well. I would recommend to treat her with an high quality flea treatment, and rule out mites with a skin scrape test. Infections can be easily ruled out as well with few dermatological tests. If all these tests are negative then an allergy can be suspected. Flea allergies, food and environmental ones are the most common in dogs. Antibiotics and/or steroids may be needed.

I would have this checked by a vet. It sounds very much like ringworm. Although the name suggests otherwise, ringworm is not caused by a worm at all-but a fungus. This highly contagious infection can lead to patchy areas of hair loss on a pet, and can spread to other animals-and to humans, too. Classic symptoms of ringworm include lesions that typically appear on a pet’s head, ears, paws and forelimbs. These lesions can cause patchy, crusted circular “bald spots” that sometimes look red in the center. In mild cases of ringworm, there may be just a few broken hairs, while bad cases of ringworm can spread over most of a pet’s body. It’s also possible for a pet to carry the fungus and not show any symptoms whatsoever. Treatment of ringworm depends on the severity of the infection. A veterinarian may prescribe a medicated shampoo or ointment that contains miconazole or a dip such as lime sulfur to kill the fungus. In some cases, oral medications are necessary to cure ringworm. In severe cases, it may be necessary to use a topical and oral treatment, in addition to clipping away the fur. Once treatment begins, lesions should begin to heal in about one to three weeks. Please note, it is important to treat your pet for as long as recommended by your veterinarian. Even though the skin lesions may have cleared up, this doesn’t mean your pet is cured or can’t infect another animal or person. Certain diagnostic tests may need to be repeated in order to ensure cure. And unfortunately, there is no guarantee that reinfection won’t occur!

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

Simba could have a parasites such as fleas, demodex, or scapies causing hair loss. Some of these would make him itchy too, but some would not. A vet can look for these parasites during an exam with some simple testing. In terms of the food, I don't recommend a vegetarian food for dogs. But I also doubt a vegetarian diet would cause hair loss unless Simba was already really sick from it. So probably unrelated. Do switch to a regular puppy food with meat if at all possible.

It is possible that your puppy is having a little bit of hair thinning, but it's not something that you have to address right away. Especially if it's barely noticeable. The reason I say this is because puppies are highly susceptible to overpopulation of Demodexx mites, which can cause localized or generalized hair loss with secondary infections. However if the hair loss remains in one area (localized) there is a chance Penelope can resolve this on her own as her immune system develops. Keep an eye on things for now to see how things develop, and if the hair loss worsens and forms actual patches of alopecia then it's time to see a vet at that point for skin testing and proper treatment. Also even though you don't see fleas it doesn't mean that they are not there lurking beneath the hair. They can be very inconspicuous, so it's best just to keep Penelope on monthly flea prevention, even if she just goes outside to potty. Because it's a fact that 40% of indoor dogs still get fleas, and that can lead to itching and thinning of hair also.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Elle. She has lost a fair amount of hair. I am glad that she will see her veterinarian soon. Demodex is a common mite in puppies that results in hairloss. This is identified with skin scrapes. Ringworm can also cause hairloss. It is diagnosed with a fungal culture. Based on these results, medication will likely be prescribed. In the meantime, place an E-collar on her if she is itching or scratching the affected areas. I hope this information helps!

Dry skin does not generally progress to hair loss and shedding. I would be more concerned that Kane is dealing with an infection in his skin. Demodex mites and ringworm (which humans can get) both can have this appearance. I would recommend to take him into the vet to have an exam and a skin scrape to test for mites. Both of these conditions respond well to treatment. I hope this helps and please post again with any further questions!