What you need to know about excessive hair loss in dogs

You love your dog, and you hate to see anything out of the ordinary happen to it. But sometimes bad things happen to good dogs, and excessive hair loss is one of those ailments.

The hair loss can come through a variety of illnesses like an allergic reaction, skin conditions and thyroid gland malfunction, and so on. The good news is that the loss of hair is treatable.

Why is my dog losing hair?

Over the years you have owned your dog, you may have seen shedding take place. That is normal for most dogs. But when you start to see bald spots in your dog’s fur, then that is a sign your pet has a problem.

Here are some of the common causes of hair loss in dogs:

• Thyroid gland problems
• Hormone issues
• Allergic reactions
• Flea allergies
• Trauma
• Infections
• And more

You can combat hair loss issues in several ways. First, take your dog to the vet and see what medication they can prescribe, or the vet may have to do surgery to remove tumors or other physical growths that may be responsible for the hair loss.

Or you may have to change the food you are feeding your pet or the shampoo as you are using to wash their fur.

Alopecia in dogs

This source for your dog’s hair loss has many origins of its own. Like in humans, hair loss in dogs may be caused by stress, which can come through an unhealthy living environment in the home, a genetic reaction or this ailment can be the result of an autoimmune disease.

Also, growing areas of hair loss may be due to manage, which is a result of a mite called Demodex. Somehow that little creature found its way onto your dog and made a home in its fur.

When this is the case for your dog’s hair loss problem, then you need to go to your vet and get some anti-parasitic, anti-fungal, or antibiotics medication to treat the problem. It is the only way to get rid of this skin condition.

Mold as a source for dog hair loss

As you know, mold can grow just about anywhere, and it has a devastating effect on food, wood, carpets, and other household items. Mold is also harmful to humans and can cause allergic reactions and other health issues.

But did you know that mold is also harmful to your dogs? When you see your dog scratching or licking themselves, especially on their paws, they may have a mold sickness. The mold has gotten onto your dog’s skin, and its poisons are starting to take its toll.

Other symptoms tell you that your pet may not be mold-free:

• Dog bald spots
• Patches of hair
• Noisy or labored breathing
• Sneezing, coughing, rubbing the face on the floor or furniture
• Running nose or discharge from their eyes
• And more

Mold is a stealth poison that sneaks up on a home, a family, and their pets. You need to watch for all the signs to make sure you can get the right treatment for your pet.

How to solve the mold sickness in your pet

There are two ways to treat mold sickness in dogs. The first method is to go to your vet and get the right medication. Part of this treatment may involve not letting your dog go home with you until you resolve the mold problem.

The second method of treatment is to remove the mold in your home. You will have to search out and remove all the mold spots. Unfortunately, some mold problems are more difficult to remove than others and require a significant expense to get done.

That means that you may have to hire professionals to help you remove the mold from your home. Different areas are hard to get into, and professionals know how to handle that problem as well.

The best thing to do is call for a quote and let them come out to your home to see how much your problem is going to cost you.

Prevention is the best medicine

Having your pet contract mold sickness is not a good thing. But it can be a warning that you and your family are in danger of coming down with health issues you could avoid.

One way to prevent you and your pet from contracting any mold-related illness is to install a dehumidifier. If you live in a high humidity area and do nothing to get rid of that excess moisture, then you are putting everyone in your house, including your pet, at risk.

The way to get rid of humidity and prevent mold from taking up residence in your home is to install the right dehumidifier in all the rooms or just one whole-house unit. The choice is up to you.

The cost of treating your dog’s hair loss

When your dog is starting to lose its fur, the best thing you can do is not delay in getting help. The more you delay, the more expensive the treatment will be. In some cases, you are looking at paying up to $350 for common ailments like parasites, infections, and so on.

Allergies and other diseases are a lot more and can ring in at $1,500 if you are not careful. So do not hesitate to help your pet.

Some final words

Hair loss is not always a severe health problem. But it can be. The best thing you can do is talk to your vet as soon as possible and take the right steps to get your dog healthy again.

The longer you wait, the more costly it can be. If mold is the source, then do a quick search to find where the mold is hiding and get rid of it right away.

Kelly Sanders is the editor in chief at TheDehumidifierExperts – a website dedicated to helping people fight against mold and mildew issues with useful tips and advice.

Warning signs: 9 dog illness symptoms and what they mean