Recently, one of my dogs, Tyson, mysteriously lost fur on his back in random, irregular patches. Of course, the first thing I did was take Tyson straight to the vet. When pets suffer from skin problems, there are a variety of things that can be the cause, from genetic disorders, like Charlie has, to mange, to dermatitis and “hot spots.”
Some of these skin issues can be treated with over-the-counter solutions and some cannot. Mange, for example, needs to be carefully treated by a veterinarian, while hot spots take a two-prong approach – one part being antibiotics prescribed by the vet and the other part handled at home by removing or reducing exposure to the allergen or irritant and topical solutions to help reduce itching. Then again, some pets just have sensitive skin. Soothing shampoos, like and oatmeal and aloe blend, can help if your dog or cat has itchy, dry and irritated skin. But your first line of defense is always to consult a veterinarian to determine the cause of your pet’s problem.
The vet tested Tyson’s skin to rule out mange, a highly contagious skin parasite that causes red, raw skin sores and hair loss. Lucky, it was not mange. So, next we tested his blood and his thyroid, as hair loss can be a sign of various infections or autoimmune disorders. Again, his blood work came back with great news; he was healthy as a horse…er…you know what I mean.
So, after ruling out all serious health threats, the vet determined that he was likely suffering from severe dermatitis. But what was causing it? Turns out we had a small brush with fleas this summer and Tyson is highly allergic to the pesky parasites. We washed the dog beds to kill any flea eggs that might have been there, treated the yard with diatomaceous earth to drive the fleas from our surroundings, and gave Tyson a nice long wash with flea and tick shampoo. We also kept a natural flea and tick spray on hand to protect him on our walks and hikes.
A few weeks later, with the flea invasion quelled, Tyson’s fur grew back – in an entirely different color! All is well that ends well. And colorful.