Why is my dog losing hair and has dry, hard skin on his back and legs?
Updated On September 23rd, 2025
Pet's info: Dog | Labrador Retriever | Male | unneutered | 4 years and 8 months old | 99 lbs
Lab dog loses hair from back and legs skin is hard and dry how can we treat him for this not fleas
2 Answers
Most Helpful Answer
Published on February 16th, 2018
Hi. Thanks for the photos. There are a few common things that can cause the dark coloring, hair loss, and even itching. The most common can be allergies. Others would be deep infection, parasitic, low thyroid, and hormonal imbalances. With the photos here and the severity, I am highly suspicious of severe allergies or low thyroid level. I would make an appointment with your veterinarian when you are able and they will do a full exam. They will do some skin testing, bloodwork that will include thyroid levels, and whatever medication may be needed depending on the probable cause after an exam. Good luck
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Related Answers from Veterinarians
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Published on June 4th, 2017
There are many different reasons for hair loss. If the skin is not itchy and has no lesions (no scabs/bumps/discharge), that makes me suspicious of possible endocrine disease such as hypothyroidism in a large middle aged dog. Allergies and parasites (fleas, mites) can also result in hair loss but are often itchy. There are also more rare conditions like zinc responsive dermatosis that can cause hair loss. A visit to your vet to look closely at the skin is needed. They may do some skin testing (skin scrape, cytology) or recommend bloodwork to screen for endocrine disease.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
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