My dog is shedding excessively. What causes it and how can I help?

Question

My dog is suffering from an excessive hairfall, what should I do doc?

Kevin Sanada, DVM · Accepted Answer

I do not see signs of a serious condition with your dog. I would be more concerned if he was getting bald spots and the skin was red and crusty. He may just be going through a normal shedding cycles, or have a mild irritation to the skin. Irritated skin is often due to the following things: 1) Allergies - this can happen suddenly and is usually due to an environmental (i.e pollen) cause. 2) External parasites - fleas, lice and mites can all cause intense itching. It's good to check him for fleas and get treatment if needed. 3) Over-bathing, or using the wrong product for bathing - Bathing too often can cause the skin to get dry and irritated. Dogs should normally be bathed no more than once a month with a shampoo that is labeled for dogs. If you bathe more than that, or use a shampoo or soap that is meant for people, then you could be damaging the normal protective barrier of the skin and causing the hair to fall. One thing you can do for itchy skin, is give a bath with cool water using an oatmeal or aloe shampoo. You can get these shampoos at the pet store. I hope this helps you to identify the problem. If not, then it would be worth taking him to the vet. We can usually discover the cause quickly and provide the most effective treatment.

My dog is shedding excessively. What causes it and how can I help?

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