Why is my dog's fur thinning on her back legs in patches?

Question

My dog has a patch on each of her hind legs where she is missing fur. It's not to the point where you can see the skin, it's just thinner. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 3 years and 8 months old

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Patches of thinning hair could be caused by a number of different things. If the underlying skin appears normal (no redness or irritation), she doesn't scratch or bite at the areas, and they've been present for a long time without getting larger then this may be normal for her - dogs can have different hair patterns just like people, and some may have areas that are a bit thinner than others. If this is a new problem, or if you see her scratching or chewing at these areas, then some possible causes would include a skin allergy, a bacterial or fungal skin infection, skin mites (mange), or fleas. If the areas are bothering her, then I would recommend having her examined by a vet - he/she can do some simple skin tests if needed to determine the problem and get her started on appropriate medication to treat it.

Why is my dog's fur thinning on her back legs in patches?

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