The dog has a coat: why and what to do?

To understand how the owner to act when a pet has hair loss, it is necessary to establish the reasons. Of course, with the loss of hair in the area near the eyes, as well as on the body, the dog's body signals the occurrence of any changes. However, these changes do not always mean a critical health condition that requires urgent treatment. Symptoms may be caused by safe factors. But in some cases - carrying a threat to health.

What are the causes of hair loss in dogs, why does it itch and itch, flake skin? There are several groups of factors that can lead to such states.

Possible reasons

Hormonal
The beginning of pet baldness can be caused by a hormonal disease. The most common:

1. Violations of the production of growth hormone. Able to provoke a uniform loss of hair dog. This problem is more often encountered by males during sexual development.Certain breeds, such as the poodle and the spitz, are also the most susceptible to this disease.
2. Cushing's syndrome. Another common problem is the loss of hair all over the body. This process is due to a surplus of cortisol in the pet. Signaling of the onset of symptoms can be an increase in body weight, increased thirst. Also, the animal may begin to experience uncontrolled urination. The dog's stomach becomes flabby and saggy. It should be borne in mind that such symptoms may also accompany the use of steroids, and do not always signal a disease.
3. Elevated estrogen levels. Loss of hair can be caused as a result of an overabundance of pet estrogen in the body. This phenomenon is characteristic mainly for sterilized females in adulthood. Among the symptoms that appear are thin hair, stunted growth. That may be accompanied by the softness and smoothness of the pet's skin.
4. Hypothyroidism. With a deficit in the body of a pet of thyroid hormones - hypothyroidism occurs. At the same time, the dog’s lethargy is noted.There is a decrease in immunity, which, in turn, leads to a loss of body resistance against infectious diseases. This accompanies the thinning of the hair, followed by its thinning in the chest and neck, then the back and sides, tail, and hips are exposed to baldness.

There may be such cases in which the cause of hair loss becomes a person. This may be due to the fact that pets living in a booth on the street do not receive all the necessary nutrients from the owner with food. What subsequently leads to weight gain and even diabetes mellitus, which is not suspected by some of the owners.

Moreover, if the dog is in close contact with the person, it has the risk of contracting diseases from the owner. Plus, it is not recommended to give the dog a variety of hormonal drugs, such as contraceptives. As this can also lead to the onset of baldness.

Non-hormonal
In addition to diseases, the cause of which lies in a surge of hormones, other diseases that also require surgical treatment can lead to hair loss in the dog.These include:

1. Shedding. This process is entirely due to the individual characteristics of the pet and its breed, as well as the type of wool. The age for a molt in a puppy is a period of up to 10 months. Often the process is accompanied by increased loss of hair, resulting in possible spotting of the skin. Also, molting may occur as a result of the use of special products when bathing a puppy, since such additives can lead to brittle and dry skin, as well as weakening of the hairline. Adult dogs endure molting 2 times a year. Most often this process has a relationship with seasonality. At such moments, the dog needs special care. In addition to factors of a seasonal nature, there are causes caused by stress.
2. Allergy. In some cases, with hair loss, mainly in the eye zone, the cause may be an allergy. Also, the process is accompanied by reddening of the skin and itching. Allergy is common among dogs. The reasons for its appearance is not compliance with the correct diet of the pet, seasonal allergens, as well as fleas.
3. Parasites. Also one of the most common causes of hair loss near the eyes and itching is the development of parasitic diseases that can cause ticks. Scabies such as demodicosis occurs during periods when the immune system is weakened, dogs of any age are affected.
4. Solar dermatitis. Pets with weak pigmentation of the skin of the nose may develop a disease such as solar dermatitis. That in turn can cause hair loss. The area exposed to hair loss becomes the muzzle, namely the area around the nose and eyes. If untreated, ulcers on the skin may appear.
5. Ringworm. Hair loss can be triggered by a fungal infection, such as ringworm. This is caused by the formation on the pet skin of areas with a scaly structure and covered with a crust. In such areas of the skin is no wool.
6. Dandruff. Such a phenomenon as dandruff, which has a negative effect on the condition of the skin and hair follicles, leads to brittleness and dryness of wool.
7. Avitaminosis. The reason for the loss of wool can be a lack of vitamins and minerals.For example, when there is a shortage of zinc, the skin becomes scaly and becomes solid. The areas around the eyes and nose, elbow joints completely lose hair.
8. Period of delivery, feeding. The reason for the beginning of hair loss in females can become childbirth or lactation.

In addition to the above conditions causing hair loss in dogs, there are others. Including, diseases peculiar only to specific breeds. When symptoms first appear, a pet should be examined promptly to prevent the chronic loss of hair.

It is important to understand that a dog’s self-treatment is unacceptable. Treatment requires the appointment of drugs and therapy under the supervision of a veterinarian.

Treatment and prevention measures against hair loss

Regardless of the breed of dog, any pet needs care and required treatment from the owner. There is an erroneous opinion that smooth-haired dogs are not subject to abundant molting and, therefore, do not require skin and coat care. However, this is a misconception.

For any domestic dog, bathing every 2-3 months and combing wool is necessary.at least once a week. The frequency of swimming is determined by the level of contamination of the coat and the breed of dog. For a pet that does not participate in exhibitions and various shows, periodic bathing with shampoo and means aimed at preventing the appearance of parasites is sufficient.

If the dog began to itch, and the inspection revealed bald spots that are the cause of this itch, you should promptly seek the advice of a veterinarian. Only he can determine the cause of hair loss. And after diagnosis, the doctor will prescribe the necessary treatment. That will prevent the development of the disease.

In order to protect the dog from the threat of food allergies, as well as to prevent worms, the pet should be provided with a balanced diet, as well as an opportunity for physical activity. In addition, it is necessary to exclude contacts of a dog with homeless animals, since they may be carriers of infections. For this reason, do not walk your pet in unchecked locations.

With proper care of the dog, and soon pay attention to signs of hair loss, the problem of baldness does not pose a threat.A timely start of treatment will eliminate the itching and return the pet's hair a radiant look.