Why is my dog bald after surgery? How can I regrow his hair?

Question

dog had a knee operation about 4 months back. he had a transdermal fentanyl patch to manage the pain above the base of his tail. when the hair has grown back he has been left with a bald patch. is this normal? is there anything i can do to make the hair regrow?

Dr. Strydom, DVM · Accepted Answer

There is something called post-clipping alopecia that is most likely the problem. Happens quite frequently after shaving for a fentanyl patch. The reason the hair fails to regrow is unknown. Total hair regrowth may take 6 to 24 months, although most animals regrow hair within 12 months. Some things that may help the hair to grow back faster would be: * vigorous brushing of the area * massage * hydrotherapy with warm water * covering the bald area with a sweater to increase skin temperature All of those things increase blood flow to the skin and may stimulate hair regrowth in some cases. So, give it some more time and if after about 10-12 months the hair has not grown back then speak to your vet about testing for underlying diseases like a low thyroid, cushing's disease, etc. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Why is my dog bald after surgery? How can I regrow his hair?

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