Hair loss on 7mth old collie/terrier

Little A

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can help.

I noticed my dog seemed to be thinning abit especially along her spine. However, today I see she had quite a sizable bald spot.

Initially my sister reckoned it could be her losing her "puppy hair"....but this spot looks quite bald and I can't see any new hair growing through. Her skin underneath seems fine.

She's fed dry food & a spoon of cod liver oil.

Has anyone any suggestions what might be causibng this or is it just "puppy hair" falling out?

BlackCat2008

Puppys don't go bald before growing out the puppy coat,have you spoken to a vet about this, it could be anything from flea, mite or mange to allerges to food or envorment allergies ie carpets and shaken vac or washing powder,your best bet is to have it checked by a vet he will do a skin scrapping to find out what it is.

Good luck lets know how you get on.

carwash_2006

I would be suspicious of ringworm, the actual ringworm isn't always very obvious and I have seen cases that tested positive for it that the only symptom was baldy spots.

Definitely a job for the vet.

Little A

Ringworm:eek:

That had me running out the door to the vet....who I managed to catch as she was closing the door.

She doesn't reckon it's ringworm as it over a chunk of her back.

She's putting her on a course of anti-biotitics (sp) & suggested a different food.

Fingers crossed

(if that doesn't work, she will have to get some tests done....cost a small fortune & now thats she's had a skin problem, they won't cover this....ever!! Typical, I ment to get the insurance sorted last week as I know someone who has to get a significant op done....in the region of €4k)

luckat

Little A, is the thinning by any chance near her tail? If so, ask the vet about a kind of mites that foxes carry. The foxes rub against posts and trees, and so do dogs, and the dogs catch the mites. Stronghold or Advantage drops (can't remember which) cures this.

Ohhh, yes, do get the insurance. My dog lepped happily over a tree and speared herself on a broken branch. The six-inch rip in her stomach required a huge operation, a couple of days on a drip, follow-up antibiotics and anti-inflammatories and several later visits.

Total cost to me was something like €100 - because she was insured. And those vets do know how to charge. In fact, I think they must have special charging classes as part of their training.

lostinnappies

I could be a parasite .. mites even fleas can casue hair loss. Did the vet do a skin scrape.... does your dog scratch ... or it could be allergies (do you shampoo her/him)

Little A

I could be a parasite .. mites even fleas can casue hair loss. Did the vet do a skin scrape.... does your dog scratch ... or it could be allergies (do you shampoo her/him)

She's had all her drops/jabs/tabs etc....I showed the vet her record and she seems happy that these are up to date. We have her since early August & has been washed twice with puppy hypoallogenic shampoo....last bath about a month ago.

Vet said she'd do a skin probe, if the anti biotitics don't work....this seems ore intrusive than scraping.

I don't think she scratches excessively, but she got spayed last month (could her hormones be at her) & did seem to want bite her back after the collar came off...I'm begining to wonder if she is pulling out the hair with her teeth as it is in the area that she can reach, but as I say, I don't think she is doing it excessively...I've seen her do it a few times over the last week. She actually went to pull at my hair tonight when I was playing ball on the floor with her...not sure if she was just trying to play as I said a swift NO to her the couple of times she tried.

She is mainly indoors & in the same room as us (except when she sneaks upstairs to rob some of the kids toys:)). The only main change is I've been working for the last month for a few hours. Did bring her with me for the first week to ease her into it. Currently walking her for 40min before work. Then leave her with food, water, toys, kong, etc. She seems happy enough (usually sleeps in the mornings anyway). Then bring her for 30 min walk afterwards....plus a good old play. Of course she could be pulling out her hair while I'm gone.....literally!!

She's a rescue pup & apparently was found with almost no hair, so her coat has only just come back....I hate the idea of her having problems with it again. Thats as much info as I have!!!

Little A

is the thinning by any chance near her tail? If so, ask the vet about a kind of mites that foxes carry. The foxes rub against posts and trees, and so do dogs, and the dogs catch the mites.

Around the tail is fine....it about 4 inch or so above the tail & kind of a circular patch of about 6 inches or so......her coat is actually very thick & the bald patchs onlt became apparent in the last few days. She wouldn;t get to scratch herself anywhere there are foxes. I live in an urban area & she is always on a short lead when we go out.

Beth

Little A wrote: »

She's a rescue pup & apparently was found with almost no hair, so her coat has only just come back....I hate the idea of her having problems with it again. Thats as much info as I have!!!

Did you find out from the rescue WHY she had lost hair and what was wrong? Did they investigate it and treat it? It could be a repeat so could be worth a phone call to them to see what steps they took, then have a chat with your vet.

We have the same problem with our rescue rottie - well same symptoms but its something different causing it at times with ours.

She was suffering mange when she was picked up and brought into the rescue. All dogs carry the mange mite but it doesnt affect them unless they have a reduced immune system. Mange is really just the name for a high amount of those mites. Our rottie had a shocking immune system so suffered from mange problems.

Ours loses her hair when she is under stress as well, anything from kennel cough to going through her season, to a big change in routine. Since you've changed your routine it could be something as simple as this, depending on why she lost her coat in the first place when at the rescue.

But we've also noticed behavioural changes so we've had her checked out by two vets, one being a homeopathic vet 2 hrs away.

She has an allergy as well to storage mites - found in 9 out of 10 bags of dried food so now she's on fresh raw food.

Each time she is under stress, she will start losing a patch and then it will grow and grow til the floors look as if we've shaved her.

She had been on quite a few antibiotics - which not only kill the bad stuff but also the good stuff, so her immune system will still not be the best while she's on them. Try give her some probiotic yoghurt or probiotic powder that you can get in a health shop to try help her. (check with your vet to see if this is ok first though.)

I would say if possible to get the vet to check her out further - especially if there are other changes that you may not have been tuned into until the hair loss showed up, behavioural or physical. Its possible she has an allergy to something thats around like the mites mentioned above, or house mites/dust mites, a change in cleaning products , or if there are no other changes at all except for your routine, its possible its just stress.

(There's other stuff wrong with our rottie too but since I've learned all that stuff above regarding the hair loss, I thought some of it might help)

This is our poor baldy

luckat

Hmm. Any way you can put a webcam up so you can take the odd look at her when you're out, see if she's self-harming, poor little pup? Stress can do this.

Little A

Thanks Beth....you're great!!

The rescue told me she had been checked for mange and it wasn't that. They reckon it was just simply down to mistreatment and malnourishment. They had her for about 3 months before she was up for adoption and her hair had grown back - she just had some flaky bits.

The work thing is only temporary til the end of the month. I did come back a few time (quitely & without her hearing/seeing me) and she always seemed fine (pottering around the garden or napping). She hears the car & hops out of bed to meet me at the door (you know she's been napping as she has that goofy, sleepy look for about 5 mins & she all warm from her bed).

Beth

Little A wrote: »

I did come back a few time (quitely & without her hearing/seeing me)

Ohhhh she hears ya alright
You're probably just going to be in the way interfering with her day if you come back to check

I hope the antibiotics start to take effect soon and that its just something small. Fingers crossed anyway eh.

If it doesnt improve, do get the vet to do a further check.

Even small things that we wouldnt consider significant can affect them - like changing floor cleaners. Letting them back into the room when the floor is dry, you wouldnt think it would affect them, but even when the floor is dry it can.

If only they could talk huh!

lostinnappies

If it began just after she had been spayed it could be stress related. Most dogs who are mistreated will show it some way... some dogs will repeatedly chew one spot on their legs others will pull their hair out. If the antibiotics and the vet come up with nothing, i would speak to a behaviourist (not a dog tainer) who could give you some ideas on how to ease her stress.

one last thought. Sometimes injections given during the spey are given in the lumbar muscle on either side of the spine. Its a perfectly safe place to give them and i have given lots in this area with no problems. Seeing as how the problem is in this area perhaps you could ask the vet if any injections were given around this area which could be causing problems. I dont see how though because the only things that are injected IM during a spey are pain relief, sedation and antibiotics. Just thought she may have had some kind of itchy reaction which is now becoming a phsychological thing for her... again its just a thought, probably nothing.

Little A

A wee update.

Finally got hold of the person from the rescue. She said the hair lost was down to fleas....but they treated her for everything, just in case & had her on Malaseb shampoo. She was abit horrified that the vets first recommendation was a skin biopsy. Have to admit I was abit surprised at this too as the vet barely looked at her & said that was the only way to check it all out.....it seemed rather invasive.

So she been taking her tablets, going to give her an oatmeal bath (poltice cooling as I type) and will pick up the shampoo in the morning. Gave her an Advocate last night & popped a collar on her as well. She doesn't seem to be particularly itchy at the moment, so hopefully it's a matter of preventing her from making it any worse. Other than that, she's in good form....hard to type as I'm playing tug of war at the same time!!

Beth

Advocate is very good for mite allergies. Especially for dogs with low immune systems that would cause the mange mites tehy carry to increase a lot. Advocate once every 28 days does the trick in keeping it under control (after astronomical bills I found this out :rolleyes: )

If you're not happy with your vet - change vets. You need to be able to trust the vet to do the right thing for your dog seeing as they cant talk!!

Good luck with her now. Hopefully it wont be too long before she's cleared up.

Toulouse

Little A wrote: »

Gave her an Advocate last night & popped a collar on her as well. She doesn't seem to be particularly itchy at the moment, so hopefully it's a matter of preventing her from making it any worse. Other than that, she's in good form....hard to type as I'm playing tug of war at the same time!!

Are you talking about a flea collar? If so then the Advocate is more than adequate, you really don't need the collar as well. Both together could be very hard on her system.

Hope you get to the bottom of it soon. I do agree that if you're not happy with your vet then see another.

lostinnappies

Toulouse wrote: »

Are you talking about a flea collar? If so then the Advocate is more than adequate, you really don't need the collar as well. Both together could be very hard on her system.

Hope you get to the bottom of it soon. I do agree that if you're not happy with your vet then see another.

To be honest i wouldnt put a flea collar on her either. These can cause more skin problems and if she is already having problems with her skin it may make matters worse.:)

Little A

Not a flea collar, an elizabethian one, just to help stop her biting at her back & give the tablets & shampoo a chance to work. Took it off yesterday & she does seem alot better, but it will take a while for the hair to grow back.

Little A

5 months & all Ok until a few days ago...she's starting to lose hair again.

Back last oct/nov, she ended up on a months' worth of antibiotics & got a skin scrapping done. Tests came back clear (not sure for what) & hair grew back.

Fab coat over winter, which has been moulting all over the place in the last while, but yesterday I noticed a "thinning". Closer look & it's balding in the same area (mid to lower back along the spine). Hair literally coming out if you gave any pull. Went to Blue Cross & he immediately reckoned flea allergy. But all flea & worm & vacs etc all up to date. He ruled out ringworm :eek: & manage :eek:. So possibly/probably an allergy but I want to be sure it's not fleas

So heres the questions :
- Will Frontline combo really last 2 months, or does efficency wear off? Is that the best option? Would Advocate on a monthly basis be better (vet said it can now be bought from a pet shop....it that true?)
- best way to check for fleas (there is no sign of them-she doesn't seem to scratch excessively) She still has loads of her winter coat & almost impossible to get to her skin. (oh....just thought, could that affect the way the frontline is absorbed....do my best to get on the skin, but its hard). Tried the damp paper towel test & all seemed fine
- no sign of fleas in the house (no one being bitten)...apart from hoovering well , is there anything else I can do?
- If it's an allergy - am I destined to spend a fortune?? Her diet has now been the same for 2/3 months , would it take that long to show a reaction? What is THE most common allergy? (she on James Wellbeloved in mornings & raw chicken/beef evenings)

I have to give her a wash 2mrw with special shampoo & I'm dreading it 'cos I know she'll lose loads of hair......what will other dog owners think if I'm walking a "baldy/mangy looking" dog?

looserock

Doesn't sound like it critters, it might be but you had scrapings done etc yes?.

Sometimes if a dog is getting too much protein this will happen, sorry if this has already been mentioned,I didn't read all the thread.

Lauragoesmad

Is your dog neutered?

Little A

Yes, she is spayed....got it done last September & thought it might be a factor last time, but clearly not this time.

Scraping were done last time & came back clear....would a scraping show up fleas?