My dog's rear end is balding and her fur is changing color. What's wrong?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. A secondary infection is likely and also needs to be addressed. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

From the description provided, your pet may be suffering from allergies secondary to fleas, environmental allergens such as dust, pollen, grass, or even a protein source in his diet. In addition to the food trial, it is imperative to administer the flea prevention on time every month. Even one flea bite can set off a reaction that can ultimately lead to a secondary skin infection.

Poor Sharky! The area of his hair loss is certainly consistent with irritation from his collar. From the pictures, it looks as though Sharky may also be wearing a flea collar, and these products can actually cause a lot of skin irritation in more sensitive dogs. Other causes of the hair loss could be related to hypothyroidism, mange, hormonal imbalances, among other issues. At this point, consider taking all collars (flea or normal collars) off of Sharky and use a harness to walk him until the hair loss resolves. You can also try bathing Sharky in a gentle oatmeal based pet shampoo since this can be soothing on the skin. Make sure that Sharky is regularly receiving a high quality flea and tick preventative, such as Nexgard, Bravecto, or K9 Advantix II in case a flea allergy could be contributing to this issue. If he starts to itch and scratch, if the hair loss worsens or does not begin to improve in the next few weeks, Sharky will need to go to his vet for further evaluation. I hope this helps and that he's feeling better soon!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. First, make sure that Riley is on approriate flea control. Even if you don't see fleas on her, flea allergies can flare with only one flea bite. There are oral flea and tick products available from your veterinarian or topical products such as Vectra or Advantage are very effective against fleas. If flea control doesnt work, then I suggest a visit to the vet to find out what Riley may be allergic to that is causing her to bite and lose hair.

It's hard to know exactly why she has the brownish discoloration. certainly you should try switching her to a different flea product and remove the collar. It may take up to two months for any discoloration to disappear. You could then try switching the collar to a nylon or fabric collar, again, it may take up to two months. In the mean time, there are a couple things you can do at home and they can help but they may not address the underlying cause. You can try adding in an omega 3 fatty acid supplement for dogs, this can help improve the skin health. You may also try changing Haddie's diet to something like Royal Canin or Nutro as they are aimed at skin health. Also protect the area from trauma by having Haddie wear an elizabethan collar if she is itching. Have her examined by the veterinarian if it appears to be getting worse. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

This is probably due to a severe allergy, although it could also be fleas or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat Rose with a high quality flea treatment (e.g. advantage), then get her to the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try discovering the cause of the allergy. Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair the skin lesions (steroids and antibiotics). simultaneously you should start her on a prescription hypoallergenic diet for at least 2 months. Hopefully you will see some results after all this, if not you and your vet should consider putting her on a long term allergy treatment (Atopica or Apoquel).

Thank you for submitting your question regarding your dog. If your at home treatments have not been effective, then it is time to see his veterinarian. He will likely need skin testing to look for mites or ringworm. If these tests are negative, allergies may be a possibility. He will need prescription medications to control the itchy and allow the hair to grow back. I hope this information helps!