Alopecia

JoeV · 05-31-2011, 10:37 AM

Does anyone have experience with Alopecia? Lucky is starting to loose some fur on both sides of her back and the area has turned dark. I'd say I noticed the fur loss a couple of months ago. Not dramatic, but enough for me to wonder if this is normal. At first I just thought her brindle colors were changing and her coat getting darker, but then researched and read about this condition. Will this go away with time? Anything I can do to help it?

Doreen · 05-31-2011, 11:51 AM

are you sure it isn't mange? I have seen dogs with that, but it was so long ago, I'd forgotten what it looked like and it was on Bernise Mountain Dogs.

bruinsBoxers · 05-31-2011, 12:57 PM

It can be a thyroid problem or seasonal Alopecia.

Thyroid can be tested by blood work but you will have to get the full panel
including TgAA . With thyroid the fur will usually be missing on the flanks and does not grow back . There may or may not be other signs of thyroid to go along with the hair loss.

Seasonal alopecia will usually show up in late winter early spring and will resolve itself by summer . It is caused by lack of sunlight ( vit D) . Most times the fur will grow back darker then it was before . I know some have used melatonin to help the hair regrow faster but it is hit or miss with the dosage needed .

Either the hair will come back or it won't I don't think you can really do much about it .

Titan had season alopecia in his late years , the first whole year the fur never grew back , the second spring it started to grow back in . But again every winter the cycle of alopecia would happen all over again .

purplelori · 05-31-2011, 01:21 PM

Very interesting. I wonder if giving a vitamin suppliment of Vit D during the winter would take care of the problem and save the fur? Just curious.

Hope it's easily diagnosed and treated--whatever it is!

JoeV · 06-01-2011, 08:53 AM

Thanks guys. Missy, I guess I should get her to the vet for bloodwork to hopefully rule out a thyroid problem. She shows no other signs but better to be safe. Will let you guys know what happens.

purplelori · 06-01-2011, 09:33 AM

Will keep my fingers crossed for you!

Scooby · 06-02-2011, 08:21 AM

Maybe it's ringworm? I've never experienced it with dogs, but with the cows, they lose patches and strips of hair down their backs and around their rumps. Just an idea! Good luck figuring it out

JoeV · 07-08-2011, 08:57 AM

Hey guys, wanted to give an update on Lucky. We decided to give her a few more weeks to see if anything changed. Nothing changed with the hair loss, still the same, but she has been extra tired lately. So I took her to the vet.

Lucky first tested negative for Lyme's and heartworm. Then they tested thyroid, which came back normal. (Missy, my vet never heard of TgAA, but researched it and called the lab - lab said they don't run that. Vet was intrigued about it, but said the test they ran is accurate to determine. Do you think the vet should have known about that?).

The vet's diagnosis was that it is seasonal alopecia. The hair will regrow, but be dark. Said we could give melatonin but like you said Missy, it is hit or miss. So I think we'll just leave it alone. As for her being tired, she just attributed it to the hot weather lately. If anything gets worse we'll go back.

Doreen · 07-08-2011, 03:49 PM

Thanks for the update Joe....

Marylou Mader · 07-08-2011, 04:05 PM

Not all labs run the full thyroid panel, make sure they did, also if your vet can run the cortisol levels from the dogs saliva, this too can be a pathway to thyroid issues. We have a friend that this very same thing happened, but they chose not to test, the dog is fine, just bald...