The condition of the animal's fur is an important indicator of its health. Silky and thick hair of your four-legged friend testifies to his excellent health. If the dog begins to drop out heavily or bald patches appear, you should always contact the veterinarian. These symptoms can signal the development of a serious illness in your pet.
- Causes of loss of hair in pet
- Alopecia-related dogs of disease
- Methods for combating hair loss in dogs
Causes of loss of hair in pet
- Unbalanced nutrition. Many dog owners feed their pets with exceptionally dry food. It is not right. In dry food, there are insufficient amounts of minerals and vitamins. For example, with a deficiency of B group vitamins, the skin of the dog begins to peel off, and the hair follicles break down. The lack of vitamin A in the diet of the pet causes an increased greasiness of the skin, and wool acquires a dull shade. In the menu of the dog must be present quality natural products and oils containing unsaturated fatty acids. The best option is chicken, lean beef, lamb, as well as olive oil and flaxseed oil.
- Allergy. In allergic reactions, the dog's hair begins to fall in clumps, irritation develops on the skin, which is accompanied by itching. Animal can be allergic to dry food, shampoos, household chemicals, medicines and synthetic materials.
- Hormonal disorders. If the animal has a disrupted thyroid, the body produces a non-controlled amount of hormones, the hair begins to drop out symmetrically, the hair growth activity decreases, the skin becomes soft. With hormonal imbalance, the dog also begins to actively increase body weight, the sexual organs swell and the animal is thirsty. These disorders in the body cause birth control pills, steroids and medications.
- Wrong care of the coat. Your pet can begin to lose hair due to the use of ordinary shampoos and conditioners for bathing. To wool was healthy and shiny, use for water procedures hygienic products designed for dogs. Long-haired dogs are recommended to bathe in warm water once a month, and dogs with short hair - once every two to three months. Wool must be systematically cleaned with a rubber brush and combed with special combs. If the dog is kept on the street, you can not bathe in the winter. It is best to clean the hair with a brush and dry snow.
- Reduced immune responses. After any transferred disease, the animal's immunity decreases, and the coat begins to drop actively.
- Stress stress of the pet. To cope with stressful stress, the dog begins to actively lick. As a result, the wool thins, breaks and shortens.
The cause of intense hair loss in your four-footed friend may be the development of a serious disease.
to Table of Contents ^Alopecia-Bearing Dogs of Disease
- Scabies. The causative agent of the disease is the itch mite. There are two types of scabies in dogs: demodectic and sarcoptic. The first type of scabies most often affects puppies. Wool falls first around the lips, corners of the mouth and eyelids, and then on the limbs and trunk of the animal. The size of the bald spots is about 2.5 cm in diameter. Demodecosis in the dog is accompanied by itching. This type of scabies often occurs due to the development of immunodeficiency in the pet. When the dog is infected with sarcopptosis, the hair will fall out very intensely. This process is complicated by severe itching and uncomfortable sensations. Determine the kind of scabies that are parasitized in an animal, using laboratory diagnostics.
- Black acanthosis. This disease occurs as a result of dysfunction of the thyroid gland and adrenal glands. Wool begins to fall out on the folds of the body, in the armpit and ears. These places have an unpleasant smell, get a darker shade and become greasy to the touch. Most often black acanthus is affected by dachshunds.
- Ringworm. This disease refers to a fungal infection that causes hair loss at the base of the dog's tail, on the lower part of the paws, near the ears and on the muzzle. Ringworm is manifested in the form of pink scaly patches of rounded shape, along the edges of which there is a clear red contour. The dog is strongly combed with hair loss.
- Solar dermatitis. This pathology is typical for Dalmatians, boxers, short-haired Pointers, Bull Terriers. Sunny dermatitis affects the unpigmented or poorly protected hair areas of the skin. Hair loss occurs on the inside of the thigh, tip of the tail, nose, distal portions of the paws.
- Compound corn. This disease is often diagnosed in large breeds of dogs that rest on a hard surface. At points of contact with the surface, the animal develops a hairless, gray and wrinkled skin. Corn affects the area of the elbow joints of the limbs in the pet.
- Syndrome of the blue dobermann. The disease is typical for Dobermans, and for other breeds of dogs. The animal begins to drop hair throughout the body and pustules are formed. Appearance of the dog's fur is associated with a fur coat, which is eaten by a moth. The blue Dobermann syndrome is considered a hereditary disease that does not lend itself to medical treatment.
- Yeast infection. Most often yeast infections affect puppies. Wool begins to actively fall out on the areas of the body with high moisture of the skin. Affected areas of the skin become greasy and have an unpleasant smell. Zinc deficiency. The most sensitive breed of dogs to zinc deficiency is husky. On the extremities, elbow joints and muzzle of the animal, wool begins to drop actively. The skin becomes scaly and dry. Sometimes deep cracks appear on the pads of the paws.
If you find your pet symptoms of the above diseases, you need to contact the veterinary clinic. Experts will conduct a visual examination of the animal and will assign the following laboratory tests:
- biochemical blood test;
- skin biopsy;
- skin hypersensitivity test;
- scraping from the area of hair loss.
The results of laboratory tests will help to determine the causes of baldness of the dog and choose an effective treatment for the pet.
to the table of contents ^Methods for combating hair loss in a dog
If a pet's hair loss is associated with a hormonal imbalance, the veterinarian prescribes special preparations that stabilize his hormonal background.
For non-hormonal causes of hair loss, the course of therapy will involve completely different methods. For example, if the baldness of a dog is associated with an unbalanced diet, it is recommended that foods rich in vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids be recommended in the diet of the animal. If the loss of hair is associated with food allergy, the owner of the pet should think about changing the producer of dry food.
The problem with parasites or helminths is solved with the help of medications. Veterinarians sometimes recommend the use of complex preparations that guarantee disposal of all kinds of microorganisms, including flea larvae, mites, worm eaters, and also eggs of worms.
If the loss of hair in a four-legged friend is associated with a decrease in immune responses, the expert assigns immunostimulating drugs to the animal. For the treatment and prevention of immunodeficiency, multivitamins are also prescribed.
Treatment of fungal and infectious diseases in the pet is carried out by antibiotics, which should be prescribed only by a veterinarian. To relieve stress, the dog uses lavender and wild apple essential oils, as well as herbs, acupuncture and homeopathic remedies.