Balding

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Postby JCleve86 » February 7th, 2006, 8:22 pm

I just noticed, as both of the Boxers have pooped out after our walk, that Bosco is...balding? From his armpit straight back to hind leg and below is very sparse in fur...almost bald. Same thing with the insides of his back legs. Molly has the same pattern but to a lesser degree. Is that normal? Am I just a freak show who just NOW noticed?

I just bathed them but the skin looks good, and they aren't crated so irritation isn't an issue...like I said the skin looks great, it's just the...baldness?

What the heezy?
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Postby msvette2u » February 7th, 2006, 8:27 pm

Just off the top of my head, a thyroid condition can do that. Maybe some bloodwork is in order?
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Postby Jesseca » February 7th, 2006, 8:30 pm

I've had short haired dogs do that, for no particular reason. You might want to take him in though, just to be safe
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Postby JCleve86 » February 7th, 2006, 8:31 pm

No Yvette, see, your supposed to say "No stupid, it's normal," not make me worry. Good for nothin....lol

Their wieght is good, and I believe generally thyroid conditions affect weight? Everything else is great...good condition, nice coat (aside from the odd thinning of the hair...or it could have always been that way and I didn't notice), nice skin, healthy...just...bald on the underside.

Hmmm...I'll have to research...thanks for the idea... :(
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Postby Jesseca » February 7th, 2006, 8:32 pm

did they come from the same litter?
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Postby msvette2u » February 7th, 2006, 8:39 pm

Low thyroid can cause thinning hair and weight gain. Hyperthyroidism cause them mto be underweight.

BTW Copper is a doxie, they have REAL short hair like a boxer, and his buns and underside are pretty much bald. The vet talked me into a danged blood test that showed his hair loss (he has a condition known as "rat tail"!) was not due to a thyroid problem, well they said his thyroid whatever, was "low normal"...okayyyyy...

But, in order to really get you going, here's a link to some possible explanations of hair loss! :D

http://www.vetinfo.com/dhairloss.html
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Postby JCleve86 » February 7th, 2006, 8:45 pm

Thanks Yvette...

Yeah Jesseca, we bought them from my dad's friend who had a litter. But we won't get into that...I've got some new opinions of that fellow...and of course about breeding in general. But yeah, long story short they are littermates.
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Postby Jesseca » February 7th, 2006, 8:47 pm

I was just wondering if it was something genetic :|
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Postby JCleve86 » February 7th, 2006, 8:55 pm

After reading some of that website, it sounds like Boxers are very prone to "seasonal flank alopecia," which pretty much sounds exactly like what my dogs have, only it is accompanied by darkened skin, which I haven't noticed. Most folks notice that it occurs either at the onset of winter or the onset of spring...weather changes, I gather.

It sounds like there's not really a readily available treatment or a reason to be especially concerned...looks like I might just have doggys who have seasonally bald bellies. :|

I'll talk to our vet about it. Thanks for the info Yvette...and I'll say it now for the mods: "google."
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Postby SisMorphine » February 7th, 2006, 11:37 pm

My Grey has no hair on his stomach at all. I love his nekked belly.
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Postby mnp13 » February 7th, 2006, 11:42 pm

Ruby's hair is really thin on her underside, Connor is almost bald.
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Postby msvette2u » February 7th, 2006, 11:52 pm

JCleve86 wrote:and I'll say it now for the mods: "google."


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Postby cheekymunkee » February 7th, 2006, 11:53 pm

Mine are bald from the belly down. Ollie is a fuzz butt & has hair EVERY where
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Postby JCleve86 » February 8th, 2006, 12:19 am

Okay...I'm glad to hear it's not just my dogs. They are smooshed together snugglin' on the recliner right now... :loveU:


(Off topic, I know...they are just too cute, even in all of their hairless glory)
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Postby turtle » February 8th, 2006, 12:41 am

My pooch also is pretty bald underneath. I knew about the seasonal aspect of losing hair there and on the flanks, but I've never really noticed if she has more hair in summer. :|
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Postby pLaurent » February 9th, 2006, 3:56 pm

My Chloe had "seasonal alopecia" which is characterized by symmetrical hair loss on both sides.

There was no itching or irritation of any kind, but the exposed skin did turn black from the difference in temperature.

Her hair grew back just fine when spring came.:)
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