Many breeds of dog naturally shed their hair, some seasonally, some constantly and some not at all. Hair loss can be caused by many things. The most common seasonal shedding is brought on by the change in daylight, as the days become longer, they go through a hormone change that tells them to shed their winter coat and grow their summer one and the same in autumn with their winter coat
Potential causes:
friction from an ill-fitting harness
pressure points from always sitting on one leg
irritation from fleas or parasites
a small bacterial infection like a hotspot usually caused by damaged skin
allergies will cause a reaction in the skin, usually not only in one small area
stress can cause a dog to bite and scratch itself. The hormone change caused by stress often has lasting effects with many health issues, including bowel irritation which can sometimes be mistaken for a food allergy. We have an article on stress-related skin issues, click below to find out more
Pain, change in got texture and growth can indicate an injury
Hormones, sometimes it's just old age, as the dog gets older their hair gets thinner, sometimes it's a thyroid issue that must be treated by your vet
Surgical clipping is a very short clipping that sometimes grazes the skin.
Trauma to the hair follicles like an injury or burn. Be careful putting bows in hair if you pull the hair out by the root with a tight bobble, the hair won't grow back
Damaged skin
Using strong chemicals on your pets skin, will unbalance the skin's natural oils, you need healthy skin to have healthy hair
Alopecia, which is over a large area leaving little to no hair, can be caused by an underlying health issue or an allergy
If your dog has alopecia or this is an issue that has been ongoing for some time, you should speak to your vet
When does shedding become alopecia?
Alopecia is when hair is completely missing from where it would normally grow and shows little sign of regrowth, this often causes the skin to become dry and brittle, if left untreated, the skin will thicken, making hair regrowth even more challenging
How do I treat bald patches or alopecia?
First of all, you need to look after the skin. Dog's skin is thinner than ours as they usually have a thick coat of glossy hair to protect it, without this hair, the skin will be under stress and become damaged and brittle, this will allow bacteria and fungal infections to work in causing secondary problems.
Keep the skin clean and hydrated, if it's necessary to wash your pet, make sure you use your shampoo bar for dry and sensitive skin, it's very nourishing and hydrating and very gentle on the skin for cleaning then follow up with our skin recovery balm. The balm is important, it will act as an extra layer of protection for the skin, it will hydrate and nourish while improving microcirculation which will all encourage healthy hair growth. You can use this skin recovery balm as often as you like
Itching? Thicker skin?
If your dog has had alopecia for some time then the chances are the skin will have become thicker, more leathery, very dry and damaged which will make it itchy. If your dog has reached this point you should use our skin mask for dry and damaged skin, this will clean and purify the skin, its natural antibacterial and antifungal properties will help calm infection and the natural anti-inflammatory properties will cool and soothe the skin. Then you should follow up with the skin recovery balm
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