There are numerous causes of alopecia in dogs. Many dogs will have other affected areas, such as ears and feet, particularly with certain allergies. Often the dog will cause trauma to their skin by excessive scratching, causing open wounds. Fleas, ticks, and lice can be seen with the naked eye mites and fungal elements such as ringworm cannot be seen. If the alopecia is caused by parasites, they may or may not be visible. Skin with papules (red spots), pustules (pimples), plaques, or hives. Skin that is red, inflamed, thickened, oozing, bleeding, malodorous, or pigmented (black) Mild to severe scratching (but sometimes no scratching at all) Symptoms of Alopecia in Dogsĭepending on the cause of the alopecia, there may be accompanying symptoms including: Where the hair loss occurs can depend on the underlying cause.
Alopecia refers to either thinning hair or spots of hair loss (bald spots). Alopecia is different from shedding, which is a normal part of your dog’s hair growth cycle and depends on the dog’s breed. Alopecia, also known as hair loss, is a very common condition in dogs.
