Has anyone come accross this before?

[MrsElle]

I did try to take a photo, but it didn't come out very well.

Our 5 year old Staffy occasionally loses her coat down each side. Initially it seemed to happen after she had been in season and the vet passed it off as hormonal as all skin scrapings came back negative for any skin nibbling nasties or fungal infections.

However, since she was spayed a couple of years ago she hasn't lost her coat, so it did seem that the vet was right in her diagnosis, until now.

She now has two completely bald patches, one each side. She is absolutely fine in herself, not itching or scratching, and not in any discomfort at all.

We rang the vet on friday and explained Poppy's history, the vet said if we wanted to take her in we could, but if previous vet wasn't concerned and no treatment has been necessary, then we didn't really need to.

The hair grows back itself after a few weeks and the only thing I have ever done before is put on sun block on the bald patches in summer as although she has black skin I worry about her getting sunburnt!

As stated, she is in no discomfort at all, but it is just driving us a bit mad not knowing what it is. Anyone got any ideas?

 

[Teaselmeg]

Symmetrical hair loss can be a sign of hypothyroidism, might be worth have a blood test.

 

[MrsElle]

She has absolutely no other symptoms of hypothyroidism, and no symptoms of cushings either. The hair loss is in a different pattern to the two as well.

I do think the vet was right in that it is hormonal, perhaps I will pop her down to get some bloods taken. It would be nice to rule things out, just for my own piece of mind. As said, she isn't off colour, she is running about like her usual lunatic Staffy self, it is just weird that this hair loss crops up every few years.

 

[boxcarhorse]

My old male lab developed a totally bald patch on his tail - which the vet said was hormonal. The only option we were given were steroid injections, but as it was only cosmetic we left it - never bothered him, just looked a bit odd.

 

[ChesnutsRoasting]

Whereabouts on her body does she go bald?

 

[MrsElle]

Whereabouts on her body does she go bald?

Down each side, about 4 inches high by 10 inches wide, symetrical. No hair loss anywhere else, no itching, skin smooth and soft, not thin, no thickening. Eating and drinking normally, very active as is normal, not putting on any weight nor losing any either.