Why is my dog losing weight, hair, and has skin infections?

Question

our malamute mix has been suffering with bad acne and infections. our vet put him on antibiotics and we are giving him zinc supplements and grain free food. He is losing weight and isn't his usually happy self this last week. He doesn't seem interested in eating. He has been done with his antibiotics for a few weeks now. His hair seems to be falling out too. Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | unneutered | 12 years and 7 months old | 50 lbs

Makenzie Kurth, DVM · Accepted Answer

I’m so sorry to hear about Sargeant. Though your question focuses on the skin, I must insert that weight loss in any dog - but an older dog particularly- is very concerning. Liver, kidney, and heart disease, as well as cancer are the things I would want to rule out first. If you have not yet run a basic blood panel on Sargeant, I would highly encourage it. In terms of the skin, underlying allergies can cause repeated skin infections and hair loss. If Sargeant is itchy, talk to your vet about possibly pursuing allergy treatments. A trial treatment for mites is also a good idea. Finally ringworm, auto-immune disease, and others are possibilities. Best of luck to you and Sargeant!

Why is my dog losing weight, hair, and has skin infections?

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