5 MONTH CAVALIER PUPPY

We have had a 5 month old cavalier puppy. He has a tiny bald spot on his head.

Now we noticed his hair on his back is thinning and getting a bald spot. on the back of both ears he is bald.

He scratching behind his ears a lot. What kind of skin problem is this? Vet office is not open till Monday.

Thank you




Hi
There are a few possible reasons for your puppys' hair loss. None of them are emergencies, so I would advise you to take your pup to your veterinarian next week for a definitive diagnosis.

The possibilities include a skin condition such as Mange. This is caused by tiny skin mites (too small to see with the naked eye), itching and hair loss are usually the first signs, and are often noticeable on the head/muzzle to begin with.

Allergies are the next possibilities. Either an allergy to fleas, or dog food allergies, or even contact or seasonal allergies. No matter what triggers the allergy, the result is often a skin reaction/irritation, such as excessive itching, hot spots, hair loss, rashes and so on.

Over bathing, especially if you use scented products or those designed for humans can cause skin problems too.

Your vet would be able to make a more accurate diagnosis by taking skin scrapings (to test for mange), or doing some allergy testing.

Until your puppy gets to the vet, you can relieve his itching symptoms using some of the many products on the market. Those containing hydrocortisone are usually very effective. You can find some of the products I recommend on my Canine Skin Allergies page.

Best of luck!