Why is my dog losing hair on its body? Melatonin isn't helping.

Question

My dog is 3 y.o. schnauzer poodle mix. Has hair loss on both sides of body. Vet did Cushings test which was negative. Put on melatonin but not helping. What can be done about hair growth. Pet's info: Dog | Schnoodle | Male | 4 years and 2 months old | 20 lbs

Andrea M. Brodie, DVM · Accepted Answer

There is a possibility that your dog is suffering from hypothyroidism, so your vet should also do a thyroid test. Hypothyroidism can also cause hair loss as you describe. Another possibility could be seasonal alopecia, also called cyclic follicular dysplasia which causes hair loss on the flanks and back, just as you describe. The treatment is melatonin. It will not be a remedy showing success within a few days, so the melatonin will have to be given over several months, if not life-long. In some dogs the hair will never grow back. Your vet may want to take a skin biopsy and send it in to a pathology lab. This can also give valuable information about the cause of the alopecia.

Why is my dog losing hair on its body? Melatonin isn't helping.

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