Why is my dog losing hair?
My dog has been shedding hair like crazy recently! She leaves hair on all our furniture, bedding, and clothes. Why could this be happening? Can I prevent it?
2 Answers
This really depends on your dogs breed! Most dogs have specific times when they are changing their coats, getting ready for either winter or summer. This can be caused by hotter/colder than usual weather in your area. This is the most common reason that dogs shed.
Dogs can also shed because their skin is lacking the nutrients it need to be healthy! You can try giving your pup some fish oil, coconut oil, or even a raw egg in their meal to help. I personally love the Salmon Oil made for pups that you can get on Amazon - it has helped my dogs and their shedding tremendously!
Not as common, dogs can also shed because they are sick or extremely stressed. Skin infections such as mange, immune disorders and even cancer can cause dogs to lose large amounts of hair in short periods of time. However, this is the least of my worries when it comes to shedding. I would recommend giving your pup a good bath and brush, or even getting them groomed, starting them on something for their skin and seeing if it improves. If it does not within a couple of weeks, then I would recommend taking them to the vet just to be on the safe side!Without seeing your pup, this is difficult to diagnose.
A bald spot could be caused by allergies that have made your pet itch a certain spot causing hair loss. This could sometimes also be related to fleas. On occasion, we do see dogs come in with mange (a skin disease) that causes hair loss in spots. This can be very contagious to you and other animals, so it is important to take your dog to the vet to ensure that this is not the case.
If it's related to the breed or a change in the season/weather, you can try brushing them more and special brushes or combs that get to the undercoat and help to de-shed. Other than that there can be allergies or skin irritation/conditions that you should talk to your vet about. Common signs if it's a bigger issue are excessive itching, biting at fur, and watery eyes.
Trust me, its one of my pet peeves lol. Unfortunately it is something that you get used to. It might not be good for allergens but as a pet lover it is something we just deal with. Maybe give baths often, use a brush for excess hair and even check for skin irritations!
Could be allergies, body temp is too hot, scared or anxious. There are "shed brushes" that can help reduce this! They help to brush out the hairs on their bodies that are ready to fall out without pulling hairs that aren't released by their follicles. It also depends on the bread. Long hair vs short