WRITTEN BY DR. PATRICK MAHANEY
When you see your dog scratching himself, your first instinct might be to go on a flea hunt. But don’t rush to conclusions — yet. Several causes could be contributing a dog's scratching tendencies and hair loss. The good news is most skin issues are treatable at home with a proper diagnosis and appropriate medical treatment. Let’s go over some common causes of canine itching and hair loss and how to stop them in their tracks.
A dog’s fur serves as both insulation and protection from environmental elements, so getting to the bottom of itching and hair loss is vital to your pet’s health. Here are a few causes of these symptoms.
In dogs, allergies work much like they do in humans. When a dog is exposed to allergens, including pollen, dust mites, mold, certain foods, and more, their immune system mistakenly identifies the allergen as harmful and releases histamines in response. Histamines make blood vessels expand, leading to swelling of skin structures and itching.
Bacterial and fungal infections are common in dogs and can affect their skin, ears, and other parts of the body. Your veterinarian may be able to diagnose an infection easier than allergies, as many infections lead to lesions and redness in addition to hair loss.
Besides overgrowth of normal skin bacteria, bacterial and fungal infections an be picked up from a canine's environment and require a veterinarian's exam and diagnostic testing for to achieve a diagnosis and determine appropriate treatment.
These pesky culprits are all too happy to latch onto a dog’s coat. They are plentiful in outdoor environments, especially grassy and wooded areas. Since most dogs get several walks outside each day, they're likely to encounter blood-feeding insects along the way. And as fleas, ticks, and other biting insects can spread diseases, it's important to take preventative measures by using veterinary-prescribed topical or oral flea, tick, and heartworm preventatives.
Symptoms vary depending on the cause of the hair loss and scratching, whether it be allergies, infections, or parasites.
“My dog is itching and losing hair?” It’s a question I hear often in my practice, and always leads me to a few questions: How long has this been happening? Have they been in any new environments? Have there been any recent food or treat changes? Do you notice any particular patterns associated with the itching?
As a pet parent, the best thing you can do when you start to see symptoms is to observe and document them. Here’s a breakdown of a typical course of action you can take if you notice abnormal itching or hair loss in your pet.
When I see a pet for itching and hair loss, I first look for signs of infection, such as redness, swelling, pustules, or the presence of fleas and ticks. I’ll feel the skin for mass-like lesions (bumps, lumps, etc.) or unusual textures. In some cases, I’ll recommend tests such as skin impression smears or scraping for cytology (microscopic evaluation), bacterial and/or fungal culture, blood testing for internal organ function, or allergy testing.
Or, I may prescribe oral, topical, or injectable medications like antibiotics, anti-fungals, antihistamines, anti-parasitics, steroids, allergy immunotherapy, or itch-reducing treatments. If I suspect food allergies, I may recommend an elimination diet to identify and avoid allergy triggers.
When I need to dig a little deeper to get to the bottom of an issue, I have a few options. One is doing skin scrapings, which I analyze under a microscope. This often tells me what kind of bacterial or fungal infections may be contributing to the clinical signs. I may send swabs of the skin surface or discharge to a laboratory for bacterial and/or fungal culture. In other cases, I may recommend allergy testing, a process that involves injecting small amounts of allergens into the pet’s skin to observe reactions.
Just as with humans, blood tests can tell us a lot about the root causes of a condition. They help identify systemic issues, infections, and allergic reactions. The most common common tests are Complete Blood Count (CBC) which assesses red blood cells (oxygen transporting cells), white blood cells (managers of inflammation and infection), and platelets (blood clotting cells) and chemistry testing for internal organ function to detect metabolic (endocrine/glandular) disorders that may contribute to skin issues.
Cushing's Disease (Hyperadrenocorticism) and Hypothyroidism are the two most-common metabolic disorders that can correlate with abnormal skin and coat health. Serum allergy testing (a blood test that can determine a dog's sensitivity to certain allergens) can also shed some light on skin problems, but skin allergy testing is more precise.
A chemistry panel helps assess organ function and detect metabolic disorders that may contribute to skin issues. Other tests for a dog losing hair from itching can be thyroid function tests, heartworm tests, and serum allergy testing (a blood test that can determine a dog’s sensitivity to allergens).
After consulting with a vet and determining a treatment plan, you can often take the problem into your own hands. Fleas, ticks, mites, and parasites respond well to topical medications, as well as shampoos and sprays with anti-pest ingredients like pyrethrin. For allergies, antihistamines or corticosteroids can be tried under veterinarian guidance. Skin infections can be treated with topical or oral antibiotics or anti-fungals, or medicated shampoos formulated to treat infection.
The remedies you need are often just a shopping aisle or online cart away.
Start with a maintenance routine that will help keep your dog’s hair clean and lush. A pet wipe can help your pup keep infection-causing grime away. Also a must: a dog de-shedding brush to remove loose fur and debris and promote a healthy coat.
To soothe irritated skin, use an anti-itch pet shampoo that contains active medicated ingredients to help alleviate itching while gently cleansing to remove excess oil and skin crusts/flakes. And for bacterial and fungal infections (including ringworm), a veterinarian-formulated shampoo can treat while promoting healthy skin.
Luckily, there are plenty of ways to help your dog prevent uncomfortable itching and scratching at home.
Now that you know a little more about this common issue of itching and hair loss in dogs, the next time you see them scratching themselves, you don’t need to scratch your head. Instead of saying, “My dog is itching and losing hair but no fleas can be found––what gives?” you have the guidance you need to make sure your four-legged family member is healthy and comfortable.
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Dr. Patrick Mahaney works as a concierge-style veterinarian and has a number of celebrity clients through his house-call practice, California Pet Acupuncture and Wellness. He loves building personal, long-term relationships with his clients to best suit their pets’ needs within the comfortable confines of their homes.
To spread his message of holistic veterinary medicine on a large-scale basis, Dr. Mahaney attained a Certified Veterinary Journalist certificate and enjoys contributing to pet-related media projects. He is also a certified veterinary acupuncturist.
Holistic, House-Call Veterinarian
Los Angeles, CA
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