Spitz is a cute dog that has a stunning character and amazing appearance. Like any other animal, periodically they have health problems. Since this decorative breed was bred by crossing, it is not surprising that there are a number of diseases that are found in these four-legged pets.
If the owner of the animal noticed that the Spitz is beginning to bald, most likely he has alopecia. Such baldness is often called black skin, follicular dysplasia. However, the meaning of the pathology remains the same: the animal begins to lose hair, and its owner simply does not know what to do with it.
If you notice that the Spitz is bald, do not panic. A similar pathology is treatable. The main thing is to seek veterinary care on time. In order not to miss the development of this unpleasant disease, you need to pay attention to the symptoms, as well as the behavior of a small fluffy patient. Let us consider these issues in more detail.
What a typical patient looks like with alopecia
It is worth noting that this pathology affects not only Spitz, but also Chow Chow, poodles and other small dogs. As a rule, the first signs of baldness begin to appear not at an early, but at a more mature age, when the dog is 3 years old.
First of all, the owners pay attention to the fact that the animal begins to lose a long hairline. As a result, he remains with a very short fluff or undercoat. If you look at the photo, bald Spitz do not completely lose their hair. Basically, the pathology begins with bald patches.
At the same time, there are no ulcers, inflammations or other unpleasant phenomena on the bald areas of the skin. As a rule, the skin remains smooth and does not even itch. It seems that animals are not at all worried. However, when looking at pictures of bald Spitz, involuntarily a feeling of hostility arises. This is more of an aesthetic problem. Therefore, I want to fix this situation as soon as possible. In order to accurately establish the reason why the Spitz is bald, it is worth paying attention to the symptoms and behavior of the pet.
Why does alopecia appear
Sometimes a hormonal malfunction occurs in the animal’s body. In this case, the baldness of the Spitz will be temporary. However, it will be difficult to distinguish it from standard alopecia yourself, so you will have to consult a specialist. And it’s better not to hesitate.
Unfortunately, doctors still cannot clearly name certain circumstances that lead to baldness in this breed of dogs. However, there are several theories that make it easier to understand why this happens.
First of all, veterinarians are inclined to the idea that the genetic predisposition of a particular type of dog is to blame. If a malfunction occurs in the animal’s body, then in this case the hair follicle cells change their structure and, accordingly, begin to function not as required.
The second theory suggests that the causes of baldness in Spitz lie in poor heredity. If the puppy’s parents had similar defects and their hair growth cycle is broken, then in this case it is likely that the puppy will also suffer from this pathology.
Almost all doctors believe that alopecia cannot be the only disease. As a rule, it is a consequence of a particular pathology. This leads to the fact that the diagnosis is difficult. It is more difficult for a specialist to identify the exact causes of the ailment, respectively, and to prescribe the correct treatment.
How to prevent the development of the disease
Baldness is a Spitz disease that is known too little. Therefore, veterinarians can not advise effective preventive measures.
Of course, for the acquisition of a young puppy, it is worthwhile to turn exclusively to trusted breeders who can provide all the necessary documents for the four-legged pet. It is also necessary to obtain information about what diseases his parents suffered. However, if the documents were forged, then in this case it is almost impossible to protect the baby from the development of the disease. And it is likely that in adulthood the dog will suffer the same fate.
Many say that with proper nutrition and care for animals, the risk of developing such pathologies is significantly reduced. However, this statement applies to most ailments. If the dog’s diet is not balanced, it can cause problems with the stomach, heart, and many other systems in the body. That is why it is so important to ensure that the animal receives all the necessary vitamins and minerals. The quality of nutrition, of course, affects the condition of the coat and skin of both a young and an older dog.
Diagnostics
The bald Pomeranian presents a rather sad sight. Despite the fact that the pet does not suffer from discomfort, you should not close your eyes to such manifestations.
You need to understand that hair loss is a sign of various diseases. In this case, the pet may have, or, conversely, no additional symptoms. Unfortunately, alopecia is not diagnosed today with a 100 percent guarantee.
In this case, the doctor first evaluates what the bald Spitz looks like, and then he has to exclude all diseases in turn to try to determine the one that caused the unpleasant symptoms.
As a rule, the veterinarian first checks whether the pet has hypothyroidism, Cushing's disease, functional tumors in the genital glands, functional adrenal cancer, infectious pathologies or dysplasia.
Each of these pathologies requires separate diagnostic measures, so you have to be patient and wait for the results.
Features of the symptoms of alopecia in dogs
If the Spitz is bald, this did not happen in one day. If we talk about how this pathology manifests itself, then most often animal owners list a standard list of signals.
As a rule, dogs of a young age are most prone to baldness, so special attention should be paid to a pet at the age of about 3 years.
With alopecia in the four-legged, the hair begins to fall out symmetrically. If one side of the body bald, then the second should also be naked. Otherwise, we are talking about the symptoms of another disease.
What to consider
With alopecia, there is no itching, the skin does not look inflamed. The animal does not suffer from pain or any discomfort. First, the loss of long, hard hair occurs. After this, the undercoat is exposed, which later also disappears.
If the pathology is started and the owner of the animal does not take any measures, then after a while the skin of the dog will begin to coarsen and gradually darken. If it comes to the very last stage, then the hair can only remain on the head.
When temporary baldness is considered normal
It is worth paying attention to the fact that animals as they grow older may have some problems with their coat. For example, with improper nutrition or during a change in temperature conditions. If we are talking about vitamin deficiency and other frequent conditions, then identifying this pathology is much easier. To do this, you need to pay attention to the fact that the dog’s coat has become too thin, has lost its luster and elasticity.
After baldness begins on the back, gradually the bald patches appear on the sides, on the hips, tail and neck. The skin is completely exposed, it begins to darken, its pigmentation rises, and in some situations the animals become simply black. The skin is covered with small spots, which gradually grow and occupy an increasingly large area. In this case, it is not about molting, but more serious health problems.
A number of studies are being carried out (scraping, trichogram, clinical and biochemical blood tests, tests to determine hormone levels, ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, sometimes a skin biopsy, etc.).
If the specialist nevertheless succeeded in determining through diagnostic measures what exactly caused this disease, treatment is prescribed.
Spitz baldness: treatment
As a rule, specialists prefer not to use an integrated approach, but a consistent one. This means that first they use one drug or method of treatment, after which the doctor pays attention to the results.
If all is unsuccessful, the specialist chooses the following set of therapeutic measures.
Sterilization and castration
There is a theory that this pathology does not develop in animals that have undergone these procedures. Therefore, first of all, the specialist will offer the pet owner to perform this type of operation.
As a rule, such events often help stop the subsequent pet baldness. Gradually, on the skin, which was completely naked, the undercoat will begin to appear first, and then a full cover.
You need to be patient, because the restoration takes a rather long period of time, sometimes several months.
Melatonin
Doctors use this hormone to rid the animal of alopecia. As a rule, they resort to this medication if other therapeutic measures have not had the desired effect.
If more than 4 months have passed after castration or sterilization, and the pet still suffers from baldness, then melatonin is used. It is administered subcutaneously. The course of treatment is quite long, it can take up to 3 months. Typically, the hormone is administered until the doctor notices that the coat has begun to grow again. It is very important in no case to interrupt the course of treatment, since in this case all injections will be useless.
Methyltestosterone
In this case, it is a synthetic hormone. However, it should never be used if the animal suffers from Cushing's disease or hypothyroidism. In this case, there is a risk of aggravating the condition of the skin. In all other respects, this drug is quite effective and helps to restore the coat.
If this remedy also does not help, then the doctor may prescribe "Lizodren" (the drug destroys the secretory cells located in the adrenal glands of the animal) or other drugs.
As a rule, hormonal drugs that are most often administered subcutaneously are used to treat such pathologies. With this treatment, the skin and coat often recover in a few months.