My puppy is thin, losing hair, and scratching. What should I do now?

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.

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

Rosie should see a veterinarian for a skin scrape in order to determine if she has Demodex. This is a mange mite that is most common in young puppies and presents with hair loss, red skin and pustules like you see in the photo. There are several very successful treatment options for this. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and thank you for your post! A patch of hair loss could indicate multiple things. I am assuming that she is quite Young since you are calling her a puppy. If she is very young, she might have a patch of hair loss due to skin mites called Demodex. This patch could also be infectious, bacterial or fungal. I would suggest getting her seen by her veterinarian to have diagnostic tests performed to see what the primary cause of this patch of hair loss is. Your veterinarian will likely scrape the skin in that affected area as an initial test. Depending on the cause, that will be able to prescribe the most appropriate treatments for this. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any other concerns that you may have. I am also available via text or phone consultation.

It's likely that Maddie is suffering from a form of mange called demodectic mange. This is common in puppies and often goes away as they get older. It's also possible that this is due to a skin infection. In order to narrow-down the cause of this a vet doctor would have to inspect the skin and do some testing. They will also be able to provide treatment for this. Below is a link to an article that explains this condition more and gives some good advice. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/mange-demodectic-in-dogs I hope that helps and Maddie gets better soon.

Hello. Hair loss in a puppy can be a concern if it is excessive. The first thing we want to rule out is external parasites like fleas & mange mites ( Demodex & Sarcoptic ). Bacterial & yeast-based infections & allergies are also a possibility. You can bathe Blu in a flea shampoo to eliminate the possibility of fleas, but if she is intensely itchy & continues to lose hair, you will need to see your veterinarian for a diagnosis. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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!