My puppy has hair loss, a big belly, and is skinny. What's wrong?

Hello. This puppy needs medical attention. She appears to have a serious skin condition and should have a skin scrape to check for mange. If she is potbellied and has low energy, she may have other internal parasites. Some intestinal parasites can cause anemia as well as gastrointestinal problems. Anemia is a low red blood cell count which causes weakness and lack of energy. Please have her examined, tested for parasites-both internal and external- and given the appropriate treatments. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

Hi, Puppies can have what we call a "pot belly". In many puppies the pot belly appearance noticeable after a meal but it will decrease in size after a couple of hours. In cases where the pot belly persist in puppies and does not decrease in size we consider the most common cause is heavy worm infestation which will require to have your puppy to have a series of de-worming treatment at 2 weeks intervals at least twice (with heavy infestation I will recommend more than twice). Other cause of distended abdomen is fluid built up (ascites) which warrant a veterinary investigation. I would suggest to start immediately with treatment using a de-wormer recommended by your vet. Good Luck

Hello, sorry to hear about Malik. It sounds like he could potentially have allergies based on the red bumps, bald spot, and shedding. Dogs may develop allergies to the environment, food, or even fleas. He should be seen by his veterinarian if this behavior continues, or he begins to scratch, and if he continues to lose hair. Alternatively, this could be an early signs of a respiratory or GI infection. Have Malik evaluated soon if he is not doing better of if you note any other signs to include a loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, sneezing, or coughing. Hope this helps and best of luck.

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

When you say he hasn’t eaten in 2 days I am not clear if you mean he hadn’t eaten in the days before you got him, or if he hasn’t eaten with you the last 2 days. Puppies want to eat. If he is being offered food but not eating then I would be very concerned and recommend that he be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. The hairless spots on the skin can be multiple problems, but most common would be a mite called demodex. It is usually seen when the immune system is weak. If there are just a few spots often they will resolve as the puppy grows and gets stronger. But if there are many areas or large areas there is a treatment available. I am more concerned about the eating than the skin at this point. Best of luck and I hope he improves soon! Thank you for using Pet Coach.

It is not unusual for a dog to have thin hair on the belly/armpit area, and this can be more obvious in dogs with a very short hair coat such as a pug. If, however, you feel that hair is falling out on her legs this is abnormal and could be a sign of mites on the skin or an allergy. The photos are a bit hard to really tell how the skin appears. If your pup is losing hair on the legs I would recommend an examination by a vet to check for parasites and be sure we don't have an allergy that needs medication to treat. It looks like your pup also has an umbilical hernia. Most often if these are small they are not a problem but it is another reason to have a vet check your puppy and be sure this isn't one that needs surgical repair.

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Weight loss can be a sign of intestinal worms, organ dysfunction or disease (pancreatic insufficiency, liver shunts, kidney disease, liver inflammation/infection, etc.), food allergies or poor diet, and many other conditions. Hair loss can be due to parasites (mange, fleas, etc.), hypothyroidism, allergies (food or environment), immune diseases, etc. Given that Kalu is 2 years old, I would start by getting him dewormed and also get a product that treats for fleas, ticks and mange. See if his problems resolve. If they do not, then see your vet about testing. Best of luck with Kalu!