If he is scratching the hair out, it may be allergy related. If the skin in the bald areas is normal looking it is unlikely that it is ringworm, but still possible. Other causes of hairloss are usually from excessive grooming or hormone related. Mostly the affected areas are on the belly and inside the thighs and is fairly symmetrical. If the hair does not grow back and/or the hairloss spreads, your vet may need to sort out what the problem could be. This could involve a skin scraping to rule out skin infection or parasites. The skin will be examined very closely to determine whether the hair is falling out intact from the follicle or is being shorn off at skin level by excessive licking. A general blood test panel should be run to rule out underlying diseases that may cause poor haircoat. Also diet may need to be evaluated. He should be on a high quality senior food, with maybe a supplement of fish oil for good skin health. Any other dietary adjustments can be made after evaluation of the bloodwork.
Edited by harmonyvet on October 23 2005 at 9:21pm
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Holistic Wellness Care
