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Why is my puppy losing hair from chewing? Is it serious or persistent?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Female

Hi, I am about to get a husky cross German Shepherd but the person who is giving me the puppy said that the pups were sucking/chewing on each other’s legs and tail and now they have some hair loss in those areas... I wanted to know if that is a problem that will persist and if that y’all think that there could be an underlying problem... thanks in advance... these are the pictures they sent to me...

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Stacey Anstaett, DVM

Answered By Stacey Anstaett, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on April 13th, 2019

Cute pups! Its hard to say whether this isa problem that will persist, as its hard to know if the puppies are doing this as behavioral playing, or because they have an itchy skin condition. So the short (ish) answer is "maybe" there is an underlying problem that could persist. Take the puppy to the vet when you get him/her. They may recommend doing a skin scrape to look for mites, and may also recommend testing for ringworm. It my be that they have a tendency to be allergic as well, and unfortunately there's just not a way to know this for certain at this time; you just have to see what happens over time.

Thank you for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach, and good luck with the new pup!
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