Debunking Hair Loss Myths

Debunking Hair Loss Myths

Pet hair loss is perplexing, especially when you have no idea what the cause is. There are many myths circulating about regarding the reasons. Some say that it occurs only in older pets. Frequent shampooing is also blamed for hair loss problems in both cats and dogs. Clogged pores are often blamed for hair follicle malfunction. While some believe that emotional problems result in hair loss, others believe that this isn’t true.

Cats and Hair Loss

Cat Hair Loss (alopecia) is a common problem. The hair loss can be partial or complete, and the patterns varied or symmetrical. There are some treatment options, but not many.

Cats can experience alopecia when they’re older and diagnosed with cancer. Over grooming is another cause, as are hormonal diseases. Parasitic diseases and even heredity can be a problem. Standard diagnosis techniques are blood count or skin tissue biopsy.

Alopecia in Dogs

Your dog may experience partial or complete hair loss no matter the breed or age. Hair loss can be symmetric or varied.

Diagnosis of Alopecia Leads to the Best Treatment Plan

Alopecia can first be assessed by severity and by its pattern:

Hair loss in several areas - When there’re multiple areas of hair loss accompanied by reddening of skin and some scaling, there are two likely culprits. One is a fungus such as ringworm. The other is a bacterial infection generally associated with hair loss of this type.

Hair loss that is symmetric — Among the known causes for this are an excess of steroids in the dog's body generated by the adrenal glands, increased levels of estrogen, low thyroid levels, low levels of female hormone secretion, or hair loss related to testosterone.

Patchy hair loss and more general hair loss — Bacterial infections and ringworm may cause this pattern of hair loss. Mange is one of the most familiar causes. It is accompanied by redness of the skin and inflammation.

To learn more about pet health, please contact us at New Hope Animal Hospital. We’re your dog and cat veterinarian serving Durham and Chapel Hill.