My 3-year-old male has had this for 5 months now, and the vet, who is very familiar with bulldogs, told me about the fact that it could be thyroid, could be treated with melatonin, advised me to wait and see if it cleared up when the seasons changed, but It does not appear to have improved. I have been letting him spend more time sunning himself outside since there are a lot of articles saying that this is a seasonal affective disease and that getting more sunlight helps.

I feed Royal Caanan Bulldog, which seems to be very good for both of my bulldogs' skin, coat and paw-licking issues, and also give fish oil or salmon oil to both. I have not changed the food or the fish oil/salmon oil since the problem started nor had I changed recently before the problem started.

If you have found a food supplement which helps, I'd love to try it.

My 3-year-old male has had this for 5 months now, and the vet, who is very familiar with bulldogs, told me about the fact that it could be thyroid, could be treated with melatonin, advised me to wait and see if it cleared up when the seasons changed, but It does not appear to have improved. I have been letting him spend more time sunning himself outside since there are a lot of articles saying that this is a seasonal affective disease and that getting more sunlight helps.

I feed Royal Caanan Bulldog, which seems to be very good for both of my bulldogs' skin, coat and paw-licking issues, and also give fish oil or salmon oil to both. I have not changed the food or the fish oil/salmon oil since the problem started nor had I changed recently before the problem started.

If you have found a food supplement which helps, I'd love to try it.

This is good advice - thanks.

Based on all the input I've received, I'm slowly switch over to the grain free TOTW food, as well as getting Winston onto some thyroid meds. Hopefully this will do the job.

Thanks to all who replied!

This is good advice - thanks.

Based on all the input I've received, I'm slowly switch over to the grain free TOTW food, as well as getting Winston onto some thyroid meds. Hopefully this will do the job.

Thanks to all who replied!

http://www.hilltopanimalhospital.com/seasonalalopecia.htm

http://www.hilltopanimalhospital.com/seasonalalopecia.htm

Funny thing my repo specialist said it is hormonal. Odd but thats what he said.

Funny thing my repo specialist said it is hormonal. Odd but thats what he said.

Both are grain free, one source of protein, and very good feeds. I tried NB Sweet Potato and Fish, then switched to Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream. Almost identical ingredients, but TOTW is less expensive and easier to come by.

A food change would be my first choice in clearing this up. Meds would be last.

Amy, Sophia and Isabella

Both are grain free, one source of protein, and very good feeds. I tried NB Sweet Potato and Fish, then switched to Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream. Almost identical ingredients, but TOTW is less expensive and easier to come by.

A food change would be my first choice in clearing this up. Meds would be last.

Amy, Sophia and Isabella

My girl was having some skin issues and a long time bulldogger suggested having thyroid checked. We did, but had it checked at different times since the vet explained that the thyroid levels fluctuate throughout the day and it might have been taken during a normally low dip in the level (hope that is making sense). After several readings we did go ahead with the thyroid med and switched to grain free food. We go back in a couple months to have the level checked again to see if the meds have brought it up. The skin issue is gone now so hopefully we can get off the meds or at least decrease it some more and see if the grain free will take care of things.

My girl was having some skin issues and a long time bulldogger suggested having thyroid checked. We did, but had it checked at different times since the vet explained that the thyroid levels fluctuate throughout the day and it might have been taken during a normally low dip in the level (hope that is making sense). After several readings we did go ahead with the thyroid med and switched to grain free food. We go back in a couple months to have the level checked again to see if the meds have brought it up. The skin issue is gone now so hopefully we can get off the meds or at least decrease it some more and see if the grain free will take care of things.

Hi Velo,

Innova is not an ingredient. It's another brand of dog food, and it's a good one.

I too have heard that melatonin helps seasonal flank alopecia. If you Google keywords melatonin and dog and alopecia, you will find case histories and suggested dosages that you can discuss with your vet. Good luck!

Hi Velo,

Innova is not an ingredient. It's another brand of dog food, and it's a good one.

I too have heard that melatonin helps seasonal flank alopecia. If you Google keywords melatonin and dog and alopecia, you will find case histories and suggested dosages that you can discuss with your vet. Good luck!

She had seasonal flank alopecia and I swithched to Taste of the Wild, a grain free food. The condition has cleared on its own. I heard the best way to treat this condition is with melatonin. Hope this helps.

She had seasonal flank alopecia and I swithched to Taste of the Wild, a grain free food. The condition has cleared on its own. I heard the best way to treat this condition is with melatonin. Hope this helps.

BTW - we use royal canin bulldog formula - does anyone know if that contains innova?

BTW - we use royal canin bulldog formula - does anyone know if that contains innova?

Thanks to everyone who responded so quickly. Assuming it's seasonal flank alopecia - how is that treated? Topically from what I gather. Would it be wise to do one of the medications at a time, or cover all bases and do the topical, diet change, and thyroid meds at the same time?

Thanks to everyone who responded so quickly. Assuming it's seasonal flank alopecia - how is that treated? Topically from what I gather. Would it be wise to do one of the medications at a time, or cover all bases and do the topical, diet change, and thyroid meds at the same time?

treating it topically and with a food supplement. The thyroid Rx did not seem to make any difference for her even though she registered low thyroid.

treating it topically and with a food supplement. The thyroid Rx did not seem to make any difference for her even though she registered low thyroid.

Vicky,
Bosco, Bella, Breve' & Holly

http://langagerbulldogs.tripod.com

PHOTOS ARE PROPERTY OF LANGAGER BULLDOGS, YOU MUST HAVE WRITTEN PERMISSION FOR ANY USE OF THESE PHOTOS FROM LANGAGERBULLDOG.

i think a friend of mines dog had something similar..i never saw him, but what was told to me....it ended up being a food allergy...he was eating innova (which is what mine are on w/no issues at all), now he's on a medicated food.....

Vicky,
Bosco, Bella, Breve' & Holly

http://langagerbulldogs.tripod.com

PHOTOS ARE PROPERTY OF LANGAGER BULLDOGS, YOU MUST HAVE WRITTEN PERMISSION FOR ANY USE OF THESE PHOTOS FROM LANGAGERBULLDOG.

i think a friend of mines dog had something similar..i never saw him, but what was told to me....it ended up being a food allergy...he was eating innova (which is what mine are on w/no issues at all), now he's on a medicated food.....

put him on thyroid, that is way to low for a bulldog, you like to see a bulldog in the higher range of the scale.

You will prob need to do 4mg twice a day for life, get an rx from your vet and send it in to mail order like dr fosters and smith its much cheaper.

Vicky

Vicky,
Bosco, Bella, Breve' & Holly

http://langagerbulldogs.tripod.com

PHOTOS ARE PROPERTY OF LANGAGER BULLDOGS, YOU MUST HAVE WRITTEN PERMISSION FOR ANY USE OF THESE PHOTOS FROM LANGAGERBULLDOG.

put him on thyroid, that is way to low for a bulldog, you like to see a bulldog in the higher range of the scale.

You will prob need to do 4mg twice a day for life, get an rx from your vet and send it in to mail order like dr fosters and smith its much cheaper.

Vicky

Vicky,
Bosco, Bella, Breve' & Holly

http://langagerbulldogs.tripod.com

PHOTOS ARE PROPERTY OF LANGAGER BULLDOGS, YOU MUST HAVE WRITTEN PERMISSION FOR ANY USE OF THESE PHOTOS FROM LANGAGERBULLDOG.

s6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/velocity111/?action=view&current=winston2001a-2.jpg

sorry - photobucket doesn't seem to like me~

s6.photobucket.com/albums/y217/velocity111/?action=view&current=winston2001a-2.jpg

sorry - photobucket doesn't seem to like me~