Losing hair??

I have a friend of mine who has a bulldog who is losing hair. It is just a spot on her chest. It doesn't smell, itch or look irritated.

The dog is indoor dog but has access to the outside at any time via a pet door. She feeds the dog macaroni mixed w/ kibble (I don't know what kind of kibble). Sometimes she mixes in low grade hamburger or vegetables in w/ the food too.

Oh & the dog is on flea drops too.

Anyone have any idea what this may be? She said she thought it was a hot spot (it's hot as hell here right now) but again, the patch isn't red or irritated & the dog isn't worrying at it. She asked me what I thought it was, but I really don't know yet.

Any ideas???

 

What? 37 views but no replies? Help me out here guys. The owner of this dog is a little old disabled woman who frankly can't afford a vet bill for something trival.

 

How long did this start and have any changes been made around/during that time? How has the spot progressed sizewise?
Honestly, I would adress the dogs diet and make sure it is on a healthy, chemical free diet that is balanced (not just whatever whenever, some thought has to go into when you are adding stuff to kibble). I would also ask about the flea drops, just to be sure. Make sure it is not hartz brand or something.
Also, maybe it friction based. Long term rubbing in the same spot can rub off hair and leave the skin normal. Does the dog wear a harness or rub it's chest against something? Far fetched, but it's worth thinking about.
Dogs are weird creatures, I wish you guys the best in luck in figuring it out.

 

Well it could be any number of things,Maybe she should try to rule out food allergies.Does the dog have fleas?could be a reaction to flea bites.Could be demodectic mange ,which,if caught soon enough is fairly easy and cheap to treat.

 

Take a pic of the site and post it.

 

Okay, just a shot in the dark, but have you thought about demodex? I have a jack russel terrier who had a spot of hair loss about the size of a dime around her shoulder area. Had her at the vet and did a skin scape and it was demodex. It was also not red or irritated and she was not worrying at it.

I admit, I was one who viewed it earlier and did not comment. The diet doesn't seem great but it wouldn't explain a small spot of hair loss. Too bad you couldn't hook up with a cool vet who would do a skin scape for free since she is a senior citizen. It doesn't cost them hardly anything to do one.

 

now i have some white dogs and everyone knows how they are about skin issues,, the best thing i have found to correct such issues is prednizone,, which is a steriod,, i know,, others may have a difference in opinion but hey it works,,, and it dries it right up,, and they look top notch in a matter of 2 or 3 days,,just something that works really well for me

i have a uncle that spent 400 dollars at the vet and still his dog had the same skin issue and i told him and he got some,,and 12.00 later it was gone,, he said why didn't you tell me that before now,,, i said hell you never told me what was going on,,,,but now you know,,, he was surprised it worked so well

 

Well before you start a steriod treatment you HAVE to rule out mange. SO I would not do this without consulting a vet. And How does the dog lay on the carpet. Scrappy's hair on hih chest is thinner from laying on the carpet. It is really hard to say without seing it. Like Simms said see if you can get a pic

 

maybe so,,, cynthia but i was just saying it works well for me,,,
i know my vet on a first name basises but he knows if i come in that i have a serious issue,,,

i was just stating that within2 or 3 days it would show a very noticable difference,,

 

Well since I am a Vet Tech and I also know my boss on a first name basis. You can not automatically give steriods when dealing with a skin issues. The reason why steriod will make mange 10x worse.

It works for you because you consulted your Vet. Thats is the keywords. And I am glad it helped. I had to use them on one of my dogs as well. But I ruled out mange first.

Like Simms said it may help if you post a pic.

 

Steroids wreak havoc on the body and immune system,they are wonderfull drugs in some cases but are not pleasant to be taking do your dogs do okay taking them,I mean in regards to side effects?

 

never had an issue with them,,, but they don't stay on them any period of time,,, just as they need them and when it looks much better i stop the use,,, as far as giving them for any OTHER reason i don't,, i know you a vet tech cynthia ,,, lol,, and hope you know your bosses name,,,lmao( alittle sarcasm),,,lol,,, i'm just pickin at u alittle

 

LOl at times his name changes. LOL Depending on the situation some nice names some not so nice! LOL

I am sure you know this but hey it is the Vet TEch in me. :p But when dealing with pred I hope you ween your dog off. Once you start you can not just stop cold turkey.

With my dog I broke down and gave a steriod shot in the winter and gave him an antihistamines to get him prepared for the spring (he has allergies) it worked wonders

 

I would say food allergies, rarely it is from dog food, but mainly it comes from human food, also make sure the food she feeds isn't cheap, it could be a sort of chemical reaction to the skin too.

 

I myself have stoped taking prednisone abruptly,when i lost the pills and i felt fine so i figured it wouldnt hurt.Thats was one of theworst things to ever happen to me.My joints were giving out,my whole body hurts so bad It was painfull to even wear clothes,i kept getting dizzy to the point of passing out,it was just awfull.

 

i just give them for a few days and in 3 days there is a noticable difference and the maybe the 4 or 5 day i stop but most of the time the 4 is plenty,, it just beats the hell out of anything i've ever used before and with the white ones i have i really won't use anything else now,,

i had one years ago cynthia,, you have to here this,,, after a ton of money and him going plum bald(god awful Ugly)
finally figure out he was allergic to yard grass and he (vet) gave him something and never had anymore problems but took me 6 months to figure it out,, but that was years ago probroly 20 years ago,,,RIP PUG

 

Well if you give them to him taper him off next time. Ask your Vet for the proper doses.

 

oh yea they are really hard on some ppl...i can eat for days if they give me any,, like i'm never full,,,

 

Will do!!!!!! i only use them if needed,, and for medicinal purposes only,,,i know they are hard on them but beats the hell out of them scratching and itchin when in 2 or 3 days its gone,,,

 

LMAO,me too,its just insane you wake up in the night just to shove your face and act like you havent eaten in weeks.I get very phsychotic when i take them also like i get enraged for no reason and want to hit someone or something,it is terrible but it sure beats dying of an asthma attack.