Q. Ceasar (my Black Lab) has a loss of hair – rash like around his eys. Not red but noticabley irritation. Any idea what this is?

ANSWER : A. Redness or irritation can be caused by a number of things including yeast infections as you mentioned, but can also be caused by allergies to the environment, or even cold or hot weather. Dogs with short fur can often get sunburns on the skin, and the cold may also irritate or cause redness when outdoors. Allergies to pollens or other outdoor allergens may also cause redness on the body or nose. An allergy medication from your vet is usually all that is needed to clear this up.

If the redness is happening just when outside, it may also be that your dog is digging or nosing around in something that is irritating. It may be a good idea to watch your dog a few times while he is outside to see if there is anything he enjoys exploring. The redness could just be irritation from that.

However, if you are concerned about the redness, it is always a good idea to bring it up with your veterinarian to make sure there is not a more serious cause behind it.

ANSWER : A. It may be due to infection or something irritating around the eye. Also, these symptoms could be related to Demodecosis which is skin parasite infestation. I would suggest you to take your dog to your vets to find out what is going on.

ANSWER : A. Has hormonal disease like hypothyroidism been ruled out? That is a hormonal disease that is common causes of symmetrical hair loss, and it can be genetic, so you would see it in a dog that’s very young like yours. I agree that treating for mange was also a good idea, since that can cause hair loss as well and sometimes we can’ actually find the mites on a skin scraping.

Was a biopsy performed on the testicle? Because intra-abdominal testicles frequently turn into Sertoli cell tumors, which also cause symmetrical hair loss. If a biopsy was performed you should know for sure whether that was the cause of the hair loss or not. If the testicle wasn’t cancerous and removing it did not resolve the hair loss then the next step is a skin biopsy, unfortunately. Sounds frustrating – good luck.

ANSWER : A. Skin problems can have a variety of causes, sometimes more than one. It is important to have the problem checked by your vet to determine if there is a medical cause for your pet’s skin issues and treat accordingly.

In pets of all ages, fleas, food allergies and exposure to chemical irritants such as cleaners and soaps can be a cause. Any one of these may not be enough to trigger the breakouts, depending on how sensitive your pet is, but a combination can be enough to start the itch-scratch cycle. Finding out the cause and eliminating it is the best course of action. With flea allergies, if your pet is sensitive enough, a single bite can cause them to break out scratch enough to tear their skin.

Check for fleas with a flea comb. Look for fleas and/or tiny black granules, like coarse black pepper. This is flea feces, consisting of digested, dried blood. You may find tiny white particles, like salt, which are the flea eggs. Applying a good topical monthly flea treatment and aggressively treating your house and yard will help break the flea life cycle.

If you use plastic bowls, this is a possible cause for hair loss, though this tends to be on the chin, where their skin touches the bowl while they eat. If you suspect this to be the culprit, try changing the bowls to glass, metal or ceramic.

Food allergies are often caused by sensitivity to a protein in the food. Hill’s Science Diet offers some non-prescription options for sensitive skin as well as prescription hypoallergenic foods for more severe cases. Royal Canin carries limited protein diets that may also offer some relief. Your vet can recommend a specific diet that will help.

ANSWER : A. If you live in a brushy or wooded area it is possible that your dog may have come into contact with an irritant such as poison oak or poison ivy. These can spread to people, so care should be taken when handling the area by using gloves and washing hands. You should also prevent your dog from licking or scratching at the area to prevent the spread of irritation. Topical ointments for pets can be used to treat oak/ivy infections.

Other causes such as allergies, cuts and scrapes, or even external parasites can cause redness as well. Ticks and fleas are common in wooded and brushy areas, so making sure your pet is on a preventative for these is important.

If the rash appears to have any cuts, scrapes, open sores, hair loss or spreads, then making an appointment with your vet is best. Your vet can take a sample of the area to look for any more serious infections causing the redness.

ANSWER : A. Changes in coat appearance can be caused by a number of things. In older cats, hair loss or changes in coat and skin confirmation may indicate a metabolic issue such as thyroid problems. Cats can begin to lose hair and may also show other changes such as weight changes or appetite changes. Blood work is usually done to check for this, and most pets do very well with a daily medication treatment.

Hair loss can also be caused by mites on the skin, external parasites or even skin and fungal infections. These may cause red bumps or sores to appear on the skin in addition to the hair loss and coat changes. Your vet can take a skin scraping of the area to check for mites and infections, and a preventive flea treatment can remove any external parasites. If an infection or mites are present, your vet can also prescribe an antibiotic or topical cream to treat.

After any treatment it may take a month or two for completely bald patches to grow back in. This is normal as the skin and follicles need some time to heal prior to beginning the hair growth cycle again.

ANSWER : A. Skin problems can have a variety of causes, sometimes more than one. It is important to have the problem checked by your vet to determine if there is a medical cause for your pet’s skin issues and treat accordingly.

In pets of all ages, fleas, food allergies and exposure to chemical irritants such as cleaners and soaps can be a cause. Any one of these may not be enough to trigger the breakouts, depending on how sensitive your pet is, but a combination can be enough to start the itch-scratch cycle. Finding out the cause and eliminating it is the best course of action. With flea allergies, if your pet is sensitive enough, a single bite can cause them to break out scratch enough to tear their skin.

Check for fleas with a flea comb. Look for fleas and/or tiny black granules, like coarse black pepper. This is flea feces, consisting of digested, dried blood. You may find tiny white particles, like salt, which are the flea eggs. Applying a good topical monthly flea treatment and aggressively treating your house and yard will help break the flea life cycle.

If you use plastic bowls, this is a possible cause for hair loss, though this tends to be on the chin, where their skin touches the bowl while they eat. If you suspect this to be the culprit, try changing the bowls to glass, metal or ceramic.

Food allergies are often caused by sensitivity to a protein in the food. Hill’s Science Diet offers some non-prescription options for sensitive skin as well as prescription hypoallergenic foods for more severe cases. Royal Canin carries limited protein diets that may also offer some relief. Your vet can recommend a specific diet that will help.

If there is no relief or not enough, consider getting your pet checked by a veterinary dermatologist and having allergy testing done.

ANSWER : A. This could be a bacterial conjunctivitis. Dogs can pass these infections around, just like people can. The fact that it started in one eye and moved to the other suggests infection, but I can’t rule out something more serious like glaucoma. I feel like anytime a dog’s eye gets acutely red like this it’s cause for alarm, and needs to be checked out as soon as possible. Like I said above, it’s likely a simple eye infection, but get it checked out to be sure.