Alopecia, Allergies, Nerves?! Help!

Food, Fitness and how to keep them healthy.

Postby LaylaMommy » February 17th, 2009, 11:24 pm

Hi All! It's been a while, shame on me! I'm trying to start working on my posts, I was sad we couldn't participate in PBT's Secret Santa this year. :D

In any case, my little Layla has been battling some hair loss for a few months now (Pics at the end of the post). We've done 3 separate skin scrapings to see if she is having a Demodex flair up, everything looks perfect there. She's not itching or chewing at herself anymore. She just starting losing hair on both back legs a few months ago and it won't grow back. I don't know what to do. She's was on antibiotics for a secondary skin infection, some antihistamines, and a steroid spray. Pred was the last resort this past visit. Since she had Demodex as a pup, my vet doesn't want to do anything that may compromise her immune system in any way. I just can't figure out why her hair won't grow back. She honestly never scratches at herself. If it was skin issues, would she be scratching a lot? She has been Med free for at least a week. Is it coincidence that it may have started when the weather turned cold?

Is it silly for me to question nerves and the effect her crate is having on her? She HATES being crated and left alone. She completely loses it. Crying, hysterics, a complete fit. My neighbor has comments that he hears her when he's outside and she's is hysterical. She actually chewed and broke the "shatter proof" ABS pan on the bottom of the crate. She is in a Midwest, Life Stages crate. Link Here: http://www.midwesthomesforpets.com/images/filemanager/lifestages/1648DD-Lifestylesweb.jpg We actually have to put padlocks on the latches because she figured out how to open them and got out twice. Do you think she might do better in a Closed-in type like this: http://www.petco.com/product/6227/Petmate-Traditional-Vari-Kennel-Portable-Kennels.aspx I just have a feeling she could and would destroy a Vari Kennel.

She is eating Natural Balance Venison and Sweet Potato. This is the only food that has agreed with her digestive system and the muzzle and foot "redness" has completely disappeared.

Layla's Butt (The two darker, off-colored, circular patches are from the skin scraping. That hair grew back):
Image
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Postby pitbullmamaliz » February 18th, 2009, 10:51 am

I would absolutely think nerves could cause hair loss...hopefully somebody a bit more knowledgeable will chime in here, but check out the other recent threads (going on right now) about hair loss and allergies and all that good stuff.

:)
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Postby BigDogBuford » February 18th, 2009, 3:46 pm

Might be winter coat. You could always talk to your vet about some vitamin D supplements.
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