Why do Young Dogs Develop Bald Spots?
My eight-month-old female English Mastiff has spots of
hair loss on several places on her body. Our vet
tested her for mites. She doesn’t have any.
Tested her thyroid, it’s normal. He thinks it
might be a food allergy to chicken and corn, so he
changed her food from [a major commercial brand
to a hypoallergenic formula]. I add a little
canned food to her dry food and also use the
canned food to make her treats. She doesn’t
scratch herself excessively. Do you think we’re
on the right track to resolve this problem? I
would appreciate any advice you can give us.
Thank you,
Betty
TX
Based on your description of the spots (multiple spots, not itchy or inflamed), my first guess would have been puppy mange (also known as demodectic mange) is to blame. I wrote a somewhat extensive article on the topic a while back. You can read it by clicking here.
The test for puppy mange (called skin scraping) is pretty reliable. Nonetheless, in rare instances the test does fail to detect the mites involved in the syndrome. So one thing I recommend is that you keep puppy mange in the back of your mind as a possibility.
Certainly allergies (to food, pollen, fleas, or other environmental stimuli) can cause hair loss. But they usually cause itching and red skin as well. Thyroid problems can cause hair loss, but they are extremely rare in young dogs.
In my opinion, you have a couple of choices. The most aggressive tactic would be to perform biopsies of the affected areas. Samples of affected skin can be removed and sent to a laboratory for analysis. Biopsies are highly likely to lead to a diagnosis.
However, I’m not sure it’s necessary to go that far. If the bald spots are small and aren’t causing any irritation, it may be reasonable to take a wait-and-see approach.
Consider your dog’s age. An eight-month-old Mastiff is roughly equivalent to a 13-year-old person. Many 13-year-olds have acne. The blemishes associated with acne occur because the immune system is not fully matured. At this age, the immune system has a habit of over-reacting to some problems and under-reacting to others. The result is acne.
Your dog does not have acne per se. However, there is a very good chance that her patchy baldness is related to her immature immune system. If you wait a few months, the problem may resolve as her immune system matures.
You have questions. 
I have bulldogs and have done a lot of research on this topic and it is most definitely related to diet! no corn, no wheat, no soy – get a high quality dog food and add Omega 3 supplements. You are on the right track.
Jan
Hi….I just saw your post and me tell you we had the exact same thing when our Francesca was from about 6 to 9 mths. It was her diet….they did all tests you refer to and they (vet) couldnt tell me what it was…we were looking for another dog to add to the family and by chance met up with this woman who runs a dog camp and she is into the raw diet…and yes Omega 3 is included in their diet as well as other suppliments for dogs (Udo’s!) Her spots (she had 3 big ones) have since grown in and she has the most amazing coat and the vet was skeptical at first but in the end agreed it was a food alergy.
I have a 4 month old pitbull anf I’m having a similar problem. He’s got a couple of bald spots about the size of a thumbtack. He’s not scratching or biting. He’s acting normal and the skin underneath is white or normal looking. If anyone has any advice please let me know.
Shelly-
I also have a pitbull who is almost 5 yrs old. Every year at this same time she gets the bald spots on her back. After going through it for 4 years, I have come to realize it’s just going to happen. I have been told that because she is an indoor dog her coat is confused (so to say) about shedding from winter to summer; therefore, shedding quicker in spots (leaving bald spots). The patches always grow back in about a month to a perfect and healthy coat. If there is no itching, bumps or redness then you shouldn’t be too alarmed.
What if there is itching and biting? And a bump or two?
I have two boston terriers..they are both healthy but they are losing hair in many patches on there booties…
We just moved..and I was told it could be the stress but they dont scratch like crazy just an occasional scratch or two during the day.
my youngest is a little lathargic.. I also thought it was because they went from being indoor to outdoor dogs..(they didnt like that at all just brought them back in today).
I just dont want them to be sick…but need to know what to do.
BTW they didnt start shedding alot till I let them outside..could it be the heat?
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