[BellaBean]

Hi all,

So a little background on Ms. Bella ... over the last couple of months, we have noticed her hair start to thin out in certain parts of her body (flanks/neck/hindquarters). Does anyone know what could be causing this hair loss? We brought her in for an annual check up six months ago, got her CBC blood work done and her total T4 came back low (0.7) so we ran an additional Free T4/TSH blood panel and that came back normal. At the time, her fur didn’t look this bad, but we brought up the concern with our vet and he said it was nothing to worry about. Again, this was six months ago and it has dramatically progressed since then. Her diet hasn’t changed, energy levels are normal, as well as her stool. Haven’t changed any of the products (wipes/wash) we use so I’m not sure if this is a skin condition or what could be causing this. There are no rashes or bumps in these areas and she’s not scratching or biting. We don’t have fleas and we haven’t noticed any insects that could be the cause of this. Has anyone experienced this type of hair loss with their dobie? Wanted to post here before bringing her to the vet next week to see if anyone has had something similar happen with their baby. Any input would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[4x4bike ped]

Hi BB. Welcome from the Pacific NW.

Someone with more experience in hypothyroidism in dogs will come on to explain further... But in a nutshell, a simple thyroid (T4) check done by a family DVM does not give a complete nor accurate diagnosis. You need to have a full thyroid panel test done. This generally requires the sample to be sent to a specific lab for testing.

And yes, hair loss is a very common symptom of thyroid issues. And most thyroid issues, once properly diagnosed,are fairly easy and inexpensive to treat.

John Lichtwardt
Portland OR

 

[LadyDi]

IMO I would go to a dermatologist.
But in advance of doing this...
Within this forum go to the top of your page where is says “search community” And type in hair loss.
There are many threads of folks that have had this same problem.
Maybe something you read will apply to you and your dog.
Always good to research in advance of a specialist visits.

 

[MeadowCat]

I would have a full thyroid panel run - that means they need to send the bloodwork out to one of the labs like MSU. Thinning hair in a pattern that's bilateral like that can be a sign of thyroid issues. If the full panel comes back normal, I would consult a dermatologist.