Why is my labs fur falling out?

Question

i have a 6year old lab named ollie, he has begun to eat his hair away from his bum and tail. he also scratches allot at his neck..... so my first thought was dry skin.... i started to add a little oil to his food.... did not work

flees.... so i went spent 60 bucks on front line hasn't worked!

I bought a flee comb and to start coming them out..... only to my eye's there wasn't a single flee or egg any where!

now about 3 years ago he got flees for the first and only time and he lost almost all his hair on his but, tail and tummy we took him to the vet had him dipped they gave him a cortisone shot and he was good too go.

He has an apt on sept 3rd.... the soonest i could get

but if not flees what is going on with him??

any idea's I hate waiting much longer he is going to loose all his fur again!

Answer 1

he could have what is called a hot spot. I forgot what causes it but the  vet give you some cream to put on it and a cone to put around his head to keep him from biting it.

Answer 2

Have you changed his diet? My lab was allergic to flea bites and the same thing happened to her. The vet told me that it happens if they have an allergic reaction to something.

I got rid of the fleas and she was fine.

Maybe yours is allergic to something he ate, or if you have put fertilizer on the yard and he rolled around in it before it dried?

There are many factors to why this could be happening.

Until your appointment, just give him an oatmeal bath to soothe the itching. Maybe try a little hydrocortisone cream. It will help.

Answer 3

he may just have a simple allergy that he has just developed later in life.  i have a lab mix    he has long hair and is about 12 years old now.  there are times when he does the same.  i use a derm oil that i get from the vet and it helps alot.  generally his hair will grow back in.  also i have found it helpful to give him canned food mixed with his dry.  i used to just feed dry food.  hope this is helpful.

Answer 4

it sounds like mange to me

Answer 5

I think your dog is allergic to flea bites.  It only takes one tiny flea bite to kick the whole allergy thing into motion, with the terrible itching and the hair loss.  It's time to go back to the vet for a cortisone shot to stop the itching.  Whenever he starts itching like that, and it will happen again, don't wait so long before going to the vet so your dog won't have to suffer so much.

Answer 6

if it's a long haired lab it might be dead under hair, so comb backwards this also helps to oxygenate the skin.

A bath, some dogs are very lazy (cleaning wise) So this could refresh you dog if not anything else.

Front-line and de fleeers should be used 2 a month, to keep the buggers at bay. And may be think about adding a defleeing collar.

if it's a short haired lab, it could be many things- old age or health problems. A skin problem may be. I would just to be on the safe side get a vets opinion.

But keep up with the regular grooming sessions, and the oil on the food, but don't over do it or put it on every meal.

I love how much you want to care and helpp your lab i can clearly see that your a loving owner, i hope i helped and good luck.

Answer 7

If I was to hazard a guess I would say your lab is allergic to flea bites! He would only need to be biten once for him to react this way if this is an allergy to flea bites! Sure your vet will know whats best though!

Answer 8

it is a flea.....we have a lab who is doing the same thing....it gets so bad that he actually chews the hide from the top of his paw or right above his tail.....he is treated and we cant ever find any on him but the vet says its a flea

Answer 9

It sounds like hot spots.  My dog had those and we went to the pet store and got hot spot spray.  We sprayed it on once or twice a day until the spots cleared up.  If they start again, we just spray and they go away.  She is much happier; maybe that will help your dog too.

Answer 10

my german shepard has this same problem i buy him special crem for his skin to soothe the itching ask a vet

Answer 11

he's getting old

Answer 12

I agree about the hot spots. My old dog Petey had those, and to get rid of them, we bought some tee tree oil gel and put it on the affected spots. It tastes gross to them, so they don't l**k it, and it has anti bacterial properties.

Answer 13

It could possibly be fleas again, maybe ticks, you don't always see those. Also, with winter coming up, your lab might be shedding and itches so he yanks it out himself. But, like you said with the naked tail and such last time, it could be fleas, so it's good that you're taking him to the vet soon.

=)