Is my puppy's hair loss and thinning in spots a normal shedding?

Question

We have a puppy who seems to be experiencing hair loss. He is developing a small spot with very thin hair on his side, his belly and armpit area seem to also be thinning a great deal. He's Irish Terrier mix. We had 2 hypoallergenic dogs in years before (a Bichon and a Cockapoo mix) and neither shed, so we dont know what a healthy amount of shedding is, but we know some should occur before summer. He is not scratching and the skin appears normal (no trauma/abnormalities). Is this normal? Pet's info: Dog | Mixed Breed Medium (23 - 60lb) | Male | neutered | 5 months and 23 days old | 27 lbs

Dr. Strydom, DVM · Accepted Answer

With healthy shedding there is no bald spots. So to me, this looks like either mange or a flea allergy. I know you said he isn’t scratching but some of the areas do look red (could just be photo quality). With the flea allergy they’re actually allergic to the saliva of the flea so it only takes one to bite them for a reaction to happen; but usually they are scratching. I suggest you get him to your vet for an exam so they can give you a diagnosis and he can get the proper treatment.

Is my puppy's hair loss and thinning in spots a normal shedding?

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