Samoyed puppy losing hair after infection diagnosis, is this normal?

Hello. The hair loss is probably more related to the bacteria on the skin. I assume the dermatologist placed your pet on an antibiotic & possibly a medicated shampoo. The hair loss is just a result of the skin infection & once things are under control, her coat should come back in. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

So cute! That is a common bacteria on the skin and sometimes it can cause a skin infection which can be treated with an antibiotic. The best thing would be to have your vet take a look at him after you get him to make sure he doesn't need additional treatment.

It looks as if your dog has a skin infection, most commonly caused by an allergy, a skin mite (Demodex) or fleas. 

The allergy could be a due to a protein in your dog’s food or an environmental allergy like to dust, pollens, grasses, etc. 

The allergy causes your dog to itch and chew at the skin which breaks down the skin barrier. This then leads to infection. Skin infections are typically characterized by large areas of hair loss, redness, crusting, flaking, and pustules. A thorough skin examination by your veterinarian should be able to determine the cause of the itch so it can be treated appropriately. A skin scraping and skin cytology should be performed to rule out mites and to determine the type of infection present (bacterial vs fungal). Your dog will most likely need antibiotics/antifungals longterm to help clear up the infection and possibly an allergy/anti-itch medication like Apoquel, Atopica, or Cytopoint to give some relief while the infection clears up. A medicated shampoo will be beneficial as well. I would also recommend he be on a good flea control routinely too. Once the infection has resolved a long term allergy medication (like Apoquel or Cytopoint) can be given on a regular basis to prevent any future problems. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.


Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear that Emma is having some skin problems. You are completely right about the pustules and the impetigo. In fact in puppies, some vets still tend to call it puppy impetigo. This condition in adult dogs is known as staph pyoderma caused by a bacteria known as Staphylococcus pseudointermedius. It is a normal bacterial resident on the skin of dogs and very commonly causes problems like this in dogs. Sometimes the cause is unknown and other times it's caused by external parasites (fleas, ticks, mites, etc), allergies to inhaled allergens/flea bite allergies/or food allergies, contact irritants or allergens, internal organ problems, intestinal parasite problems, nutritional problems, a primary bacterial skin problem, and the list goes on. Most of the time it is hard to narrow down the causative problem. Your vet can take a detailed history and do a complete exam with diagnostics to follow if indicated. Most of the time this problem is treated topically with medicated shampoos effective against the staph bacteria (such as a benzoyl peroxide shampoo). Leave the lather on for at least 10-15 minutes and let the product cleanse the skin and the hair follicles. Rinse very well and you can even use a good coat conditioner to follow. Sometimes these infections are stubborn and require oral antibiotics and medicines for itching because this condition can become rather itchy and irritating for the pet. Antihistamines or even steroids are used to calm the itch depending upon the level of itching and the suspected cause. Fish oil is also good for the skin and all organs of the body as they are anti inflammatory. Many other strategies can be employed depending on the suspected cause. We are in a high allergy season (late summer/fall) here in the United States. A lot of weed pollens are out right now causing lots of problems for humans and pets alike. This could certainly be what is going on. One more thing- dermatologists advise treating these cases (when bad enough) with a 21 day or 3 week course of good skin antibiotics to make it go away completely. If the condition recurs, then an inciting factor is at play and should be pursued. Good luck with Emma.

I would agree that it appears their is an infection on the skin, but I could not say for sure if this is a Staph infection. These are somewhat common to the skin, but without a culture of the affected region we are truly just taking a best guess. If the condition seemed to resolve and is now coming back, the course of antibiotics that was utilized may have been successful but too short. Recommencing the antibiotics should be discussed with the veterinarian. I would also see about getting her on medication for the itchiness, as well as fitting her with a collar to prevent any self-mutilation. Another possibility is that we are simply dealing with a superficial puppy pyoderma. This is a fancy way of saying simply puppy skin irritation. Many times these can be annoying but will eventually resolve on their own as the dog gets older. Since you are seeing erupting lesions, I tend to lean more towards a true, treatable infectious process. Lastly, I would definitely stop using hydrogen peroxide. Although it may have antiseptic properties, this can actually delay healing in some cases. If you want to scrub the area, I would use something like dilute betadine or chlorhexidine solution. Hope this helps!

Hello, thank you for using PetCoach. This looks normal to me based on the circumstances. I would recommend you apply this mousse product which may help the hair to re-grow faster and will moisturize the skin. ( http://www.allivet.com/p-5668-dermoscent-essential-mousse-for-dogs-150-ml.aspx ) Hope this helps. Best wishes!

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.