Losing hair

[jbreech]

I have a male Maltese that is losing all of his hair . Has anybody on here had this problem .We had him groomed at Petsmart about a year ago and that when it started . He all most bald took him to my vet and she did a blood test said his Thyroid was low and put him on some pills for it but it not helping . So thought i ask on here to see if any body knew of something else i could try.

[myredracer]

If using dry dog food, try changing brands & formula. My mom used to have a dog that lost a lot of hair and it looked like it had mange to the point it was looking like it would have to be put down. After I told her to change her dog food, the dog's hair eventually all came back.

[xteacher]

Is the hair loss mainly on his sides? Is he getting a potbellied look? Does he have excessive thirst? If so, I'd have him tested for Cushings Disease.

[jbreech]

Thank you . He not been on it but 3 weeks takes 2 a day . Have to take him back for another blood test to see if the pills were the right does . just worrying and thinking if there was something more i could do to help . I will get him rechecked and keep up with the pills. Thank you all for your time in answer me and making me feel there hope to getting his hair back . He sure is sad looking right now.

[Crowe]

Why our pup never goes to a groomer. I do it at home.

Not all of us have the ability, infrastructure or the time to do so. It's entirely possible the timing of the grooming and the hair loss is purely coincidental.

[dturm]

This website does a reasonable job of describing hair growth in dogs.

Canine hair growth

However, not all dogs grow and shed their hairs at a uniform rate, and some dogs that do not shed much at all, shed only lightly, or shed small amounts on an ongoing basis may have a rather staggered process of coat growth and renewal. If your dog does not go through a couple of phases of very heavy shedding over the course of the year, they probably fall into this category. This means that across the whole of the coat, different hairs are in any one of the four growth stages, leading to a staggered process of loss and renewal, although this will tend to become slightly more pronounced around the turn of the seasons.

Dogs that require regular grooming (poodles) fall into the category where the hair growth is more like what happens in people.

[Pawz4me]

dturm wrote:

Basically, the hair in dogs doesn't constantly grow like our hair does. There is a long inactive phase where the hair is just there and attached before the next phase where it is shed and another hair starts to grow.

Even on Maltese and similar breeds? I haven't noticed that on our Shih Tzu. He's the first "non shedding" dog I've owned, but his hair seems to grow at a consistent rate year round. I groom him every three weeks and cut off about the same amount.

[dturm]

Hormone issues causing hair loss are quite common and because of the way hair grows in dogs (excepting a few breeds) it can take many months on medication to demonstrate any improvement.

Basically, the hair in dogs doesn't constantly grow like our hair does. There is a long inactive phase where the hair is just there and attached before the next phase where it is shed and another hair starts to grow.

As long as there are not other symptoms like itching, scabs and sores, etc., don't expect too much too soon. If there are other symptoms, revisit your vet as there are so many possible causes that we can't do an adequate job diagnosing here.

Doug, DVM

[SidecarFlip]

Why our pup never goes to a groomer. I do it at home.

[Crowe]

I agree with the above on thyroid and skin allergies but has he been checked for mange? It could easily have been transferred at the groomers.

[Pawz4me]

Ditto Old Biscuit. How long has he been on thyroid replacement hormone? I can tell you from my own human experience that it took six or eight weeks for it to kick in.

[Old-Biscuit]

How long on the thyroid pill?
Was thyroid on issue shown with blood test?
Besides thyroid......could be food allergy



I have non functioning thyroid..........took months to get correct level and actually see/experience changes

Our dog has low thyroid....takes same thyroid meds as I do
She had lost majority of her coat also.
She has now a full coat
She has been on thyroid meds for 3-4 months