What causes hair loss on my dog's nose and how can I treat it?

Related Answers from Veterinarians

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  Answered By Debi Matlack

  Veterinary Technician

  Published on

  Skin problems can have a variety of causes, sometimes more than one. Allergies, bacterial or fungal infections, even contact with some surfaces or substances will cause itching, rash and/or hair loss. It is important to have the problem checked by your vet to determine if there is a medical cause for your pet’s skin issues and treat accordingly. In pets of all ages, fleas, food allergies and exposure to chemical irritants such as cleaners and soaps can be a cause. Any one of these may not be enough to trigger the breakouts, depending on how sensitive your pet is, but a combination can be enough to start the itch-scratch cycle. Finding out the cause and eliminating it is the best course of action. With flea allergies, if your pet is sensitive enough, a single bite can cause them to break out scratch enough to tear their skin. If you use plastic bowls, this is a possible cause for hair loss, though this tends to be on the chin, where their skin touches the bowl while they eat. If you suspect this to be the culprit, try changing the bowls to glass, metal or ceramic. Food allergies are often caused by sensitivity to a protein in the food. Hill's Science Diet offers some non-prescription options for sensitive skin as well as prescription hypoallergenic foods for more severe cases. Royal Canin carries limited protein diets that may also offer some relief. Your vet can recommend a specific diet that will help. If there is no relief or not enough, consider getting your pet checked by a veterinary dermatologist and having allergy testing done.

  

  5Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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  Answered By Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS

  Veterinarian

  Published on

  There are many causes to hair loss in your dog. She could have rubbed it against something repeatedly, causing the hair loss. She could have allergies, mange, or ringworm. The possible treatments depend on the cause. Ringworm would require an anti-fungal treatment, mange would require dips of ivermectin, and there are a variety of treatment for allergies depending on the cause of the allergies. The only way to know for sure what is causing the hair loss is to have your vet examine it. Your vet will be best to diagnose the problem and prescribe the correct treatment.

  

  3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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  Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

  Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

  Published on September 15th, 2016

  Allergies are a very common cause of hair loss and flaky skin with bumps - so yes, this is a strong possibility :) Other possible causes of these symptoms would include fleas, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, or skin mites (mange). In dogs, effective treatment for allergies or any other skin condition like this normally requires prescription medication, so I would recommend having him examined by a vet when you're able to - he/she can do a simple test called a skin scrape if needed to help diagnose the problem and get him started on appropriate medication to treat it.

  

  19Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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  Answered By Dr. Strydom, DVM

  Veterinarian

  Published on May 9th, 2019

  It is difficult to determine much from the photo - when I try to enlarge it the photo become grainy and it is difficult to tell what is going on. Things that can cause hair loss and discoloration around the nose area are: * fungal infection * bacterial infection * autoimmune disorder * contact dermatitis * hormonal disorder * drug reaction * vitiligo * lupus (SLE or DLE) * pemphigus * uveodermatologic syndrome I suggest you have her examined by your vet so you can get a diagnosis and the proper treatment started.

  

  1Pet Parents found this answer helpful