Midlife Crisis for Dogs: The Unseen Balding Dilemma

Be mindful, today's article focuses solely on the phenomenon of hair loss in dogs, excluding cases caused by various skin diseases.

Why does hair loss occur?

While skin conditions can indeed lead to extensive hair loss in dogs, this hair typically grows back once the condition is treated. However, there's a type of hair loss that is quite unreasonable—it's unpredictable when the hair will grow back, leaving a patch of bare skin that seems to mock you every day.

This situation is usually categorized into two types: congenital and acquired. Congenital hair loss is hereditary and, as of now, there are no effective solutions, even for humans. The British royal family, with all their wealth and influence, is not immune to the curse of baldness.

Therefore, when it comes to hair loss, acquired types are at least something we can attempt to address.

Causes of Hair Loss

Since acquired hair loss is more treatable, we will focus on that.

Allergies: This is the most common cause. Just like humans, dogs can have allergic reactions to various triggers, such as pollen, environmental odors, and certain foods.

The most common allergic reaction is due to flea bites. When a flea bites a particular area, the dog may scratch excessively due to the itching, leading to hair loss in that region. Especially for highly sensitive dogs, a single flea bite can result in gradual hair loss in that area.

Cushing's Disease: This is a common disease in older dogs, not only causing regional hair loss but also leading to increased drinking and urination, increased appetite, frequent panting, and a swollen abdomen.

Alopecia Areata: This is a rare autoimmune disorder, most commonly affecting the neck and head. Treatment should be discussed with a professional veterinarian.

Malformed Follicles: This is common in certain dog breeds, where the hair quality is poor due to inherent defects in the follicles. Even the best food and grooming products won't help, as the follicles do not absorb them. What can you do when the follicles won't cooperate?

PostVaccination: This is the most common and also the most easily reversible form of hair loss. Some dogs may experience skin inflammation and hair loss at the injection site after receiving vaccines like rabies. With proper care, new hair will grow back quickly.

PostGrooming: Believe it or not, some dogs may experience hair loss after grooming. Although there is no authoritative explanation, according to the experience of many international animal grooming associations, it may be due to the dog being frightened during grooming or having an allergy to the shampoo.

Regional: This type of hair loss has no apparent cause and is common in certain breeds, such as dachshunds. This regional hair loss often comes with darkening of the skin pigmentation, which can be considered a form of heredity.

HumanInduced: Tight or poorquality collars, for example, can cause hair loss in dogs. The areas where the collar is worn are most likely to become bald.

Of course, mites, food allergies, hormonal imbalances, tumors, and even medication can also cause hair loss.

So, the question arises: Is there a way to prevent it?

Unfortunately, except for a few specific types, the vast majority of hair loss is unavoidable. Therefore, what we can do is: regularly deworm our dogs, regularly clean our homes, and develop good hygiene habits.