My healthy dog is losing hair on his belly and legs. What's the cause?

Question

My 1 1/2 year old terrior mix male dog is losing his hair on his belly and legs. Also just above his eyes. Saw our vet, said to remove new pet bed, throw rug. Did this. I can literally pull hair off of his belly. Vet said no fleas, ticks, mange. Other wise completely healthy. No vomiting or diarrhea. Eats well and is active. What could it be? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Small (up to 22lb) | Male | 23 lbs

Ricardo Fernandez, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There is a variety of reasons that can explain alopecia or hair loss. The causes can be differentiated by the clinical signs associated with it and the physical exam findings. If Wally is only showing some hair loss without scratching or overgrooming then it could conditions such as alopecia areata that can affect dogs and usually resolves on its own. If there is evidence of scratching and you start noticing some redness or irritation associated with it, then other conditions such as allergies are possible. If you notice him overgrooming himself in that area then it could be something like psychogenic alopecia which is more of a behavioral issue. I think that since he is not having overt clinical signs and it is mostly hair loss, I think it is possibly transient and could resolve on its own. You can monitor this closely and if it does not resolve or it worsens then have him examined by your veterinarian. Good luck!

My healthy dog is losing hair on his belly and legs. What's the cause?

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