suggestions please
Submitted by rbthibod on April 29, 2011 - 7:34amDiesel when i got him as a rescue had a beautiful coat. then slowly as the past year has progressed he is loosing his hair. Some people said it may have been SFA the vet even did special lab work and said his thyroid was a little low. They put diesel on thyrexine i think thats what it is called. he has been on it for a month and it has actually accelerated his hair loss. The symptoms are loosing hair on both sides of his body, the skin underneath is very dark grey to black. it doesnt seem to itch it is just falling out and not growing back. i was thinking stress but the dog has the lap of luxury eats sleeps and farts, gets up only to use the bathroom or chase the ball, or to bring me a big sloppy slimey tug rope that he loves. i need to find a good bulldog vet in the hampton rds area of virginia and have him looked at. it just makes no since to me why he would keep loosing hair. thanx anyone for any help
SFA? not sure vet i go to doesnt seem to think so?
what else should i try? just bothers me my little guy is loosing his hair. its not MANGE. nor Ring worm
It sounds like, to me....
SFA. It's on the sides and the skin underneath turns black/dark. My executive director at the rescue has a bully with SFA and that is exactly how I would describe it to you....I heard melatonin is great for that but since I don't have that problem I cannot suggest a dosage.
See what other's respond.
Have a skin scraping done
Sounds to me like mange.
If his thyroid
was low it probably is SFA. I'm guessing that the meds didn't accelerate the hair loss. Its just typical that with SFA it happens in Spring and Fall. Which happens to be right now. I agree with the melatonin suggestion.
I doubt its mange. Mites go for the warm moist areas like their armpits under tails etc. and mange is more common in young pups, He would also be itching himself bloody.
More than likely SFA
Farley and our Boxer Ida are both going through the same thing. Vet said for sure SFA, you can use Melatonin, but they get it every other year and I just let it run it course. It's ugly but not painful or contagious.
SFA
From your description, I'd guess the SFA. Two of my girls have had this on their sides in the past. The 12-1/2 yr. old hasn't had it for several years, but developed it again this year. According to Dr. Jean Dodds, who I've had blood sent to in the past for thyroid testing, it's either normal or not....on the low side of normal is still normal!
One of my boys had a seasonal hairloss issue this year for the first time....he's 4-12, and his wasn't on the sides as usual. He lost the hair on his nose wrinkle, the other facial wrinkles and behind his ears. It was suggested we use Melatonex (Melatonin with B) twice daily and daily 1/2 tsp. of a supplement called Bodybuilder for 6 weeks. I don't know how good this would work with hairloss on the sides, but it worked beautifully for his issues. Of course, as the weather improved, he got more natural daylight, too.
The season hairloss is not a health issue, just not pretty. It should already start growing back, but since the follicles were also lost, it takes some time. Perhaps starting supplements in the fall will prevent recurrence.
Good luck!