Any one ever experience seasonal flank hair loss?
Ovaries fine, thyroid fine. Tons of coat, just hair
missing over flank on both sides. Any comments would be helpful.

When I posed the same question on here last year the answer I was given was to give her Wild Alaskan Salmon oil and a melatonin. We were coming out of winter and it was due to lack of sunshine. It helped alot. They look pretty funny with that hair loss.
This year she has so much coat and she has lost a ton of coat. I need to brush her to get rid of the old hair. Last year she had lost it on both sides This year only on one side. She is stil alittle bald on one side.

Someone on here should be able to give you the name.
That age thing is making me not remember it.
Seasonal a.....

Donna

Seasonal alopecia / cyclical alopecia.

How much and where did you get the melatonin? She
spent the winter in a house in the North. She went out to potty and that was probably it. The sunshine
factor is probably at play here. Thank you so much for the info.

I've had experience with it twice in two bitches. The first one confirmed by punch biopsies sent to pathology lab.

Melotonin was mentioned by our vet, but we ruled that out as I don't believe there have been any studies for effects in dogs used or to be used in a breeding program.

When second bitch had the same type pattern hair loss appear 5 months shy of 2 years old (started in late February and hair did not regrow in all patches until mid-June), vet said looks like another one with cyclical alopecia. Now remember, there's a chance it could be a one time occurance, so we figured we'd just wait it out and see what the next year would bring. Sure enough, the next February (now just over 2-1/2 years old), it started again.

After doing some reading and head scratching, we decided to switch to Purina ProPlan Sensitive Skin & Stomach, started adding Grizzly Salmon Oil twice a day (3 squirts each time for a 70# dog, then down to 2 squirts twice a day), and adding Solid Gold SeaMeal (3/4 tsp. twice a day). Made sure the dog got as much time outside as possible, weather permitting during the shorter daylight months. Since we have indoor kennels for when they are not outside in the yard or spending time in the living room with us, we made sure the dog got the kennel in view of one of the windows that had sunlight streaming in a better part of the day.

So February comes this year, now just over 3-1/2 years old. March, April, and now into May and no sign at all of the alopecia. In fact best coat and texture to the coat that we have ever had.

Dog was in for routine wellness check up with vet and I asked if he noticed there was no hair loss patches this year. He was amazed and asked what we did and how did we come up with that "recipe"!

My thinking is going back to the origins of the breed and what might be lacking in the diet, thus the salmon oil. My understanding is that some of the ingredients in the SeaMeal play a helping part with thyroid (thyroid was earlier tested with Michigan State and Normal range) and hormones function, so we added that to give a try, thinking one bodily function probably works in conjunciton with another (forgive my laymen terms in thinking). I just like ProPlan Sensitive Skin and Stomach, although I believe it has added zinc which is supposed to help the coat.

Maybe all a coincidence?? I dunno, but I'm going to continue with it and we'll wait for the next February again!

You guys are great! Thanks so much for the help.

Might be worth the try if you chose not to go the melatonin route. You'd have to be patient for results and stay on it faithfully and see what next year brings. If you try it, be sure to let us know next year what you see, I'd be interested to know if it helped!

They did say not to use melatonin on breeding stock.
The bitch I give it to is spayed.
Thanks for the tip on the sea meal.
I feed my dogs Taste of the Wild, and she's the only one with the peoblem. I have thought about putting just her on sensitive skin.
Her thyroid, also, came back within normal range.
Donna

The melatonin is over the counter. Any grocery store.
I think it is 2 or 3 mg. per tab. I feed my dogs twice a day, give the salmon oil 2x and the melatonin
at night.

Donna

Can you ladies or gentlemen suggest anything for me?

While I have the appropriate skull I have started patterned hairloss near the forehead and brow. In addition, I know it states in the rules we cannot dye, but I am greying at an accelerated rate!

While I am getting older, I am not ready to lay on someone's couch and receive cookies. Although that doesn't sound bad. I have a few good years to gait around the ring!

Thought I would add a little lightness for your day!

Cheers!
Michael

Yes, I have a nice girl who has had this issue for 5+ years now. She's not attractive to look at any longer. she wears a coat in the winter (snowy) months and is basically only a house dog. All her tests/panels are normal she just has huge bald patches.

Well, maybe it's a hormonal problem, Michael.......perhaps neutering would help??

Can't be... My owner already had that done!

You still "got it" Michael :) I love watching you go 'round the ring!

Has anyone ever had the hair loss on the front of both front legs, identical in size and location?

Unfortunately with cyclical allopecia, the hair may or may not come back in.

With the first bitch that gets it, now almost 10 years old, she has a couple quarter size bald patches on her flanks year round now. While it is said to be cosmetic and not cause the dog discomfort, my vet did remind me that those areas of hairless skin can get dried (and we know how we all might feel with dry skin), so I rub one of the Virbec brand lotions on (for moisturizing) once in a while.

Remember "alopecia" means hair loss. There are other types/ causes of alopecia. I don't believe what you are describing would be the typical location for cyclical (seasonal) alopecia.

Only time I've had one with something like you describe was from their licking the legs.

Michael you crack me up! Thank you for the chuckles.
I love it.

I have a question...anyone know the reason why melatonin isn't suitable for dogs being used in breeding stock? I went online to do some research last night and they use it in breeding ferrets and other animals. No problems reported.

I think it's because that there haven't been any studies on using it in canines used in breeding to say whether it's safe or not. I don't know if this is out dated, but on a site re using melatonin for dogs with thunder phobia:
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/melatonin.htm

<

Dr. Aronson's response to Rich follows:
"No, I continue to gather data and continue to find new uses for melatonin, but without research financing, publishing is low on my list of priorities. More and more owners and vets are using melatonin and it is gratifying to know that so many dogs have been helped. No one has done any research to show whether melatonin is safe in pregnant humans, hence the statement on the label, and I have therefore cautioned against its use in pregnant bitches, except in one case where the bitch was absolutely terrified by fireworks being released at the pub next door. Sadly she only had one (very healthy) puppy and he had to be delivered by C-section. However, the owner contacted me after having already gone through a wretched night with a terrified bitch, she feels the fear caused problems with the pregnancy not the melatonin she gave the bitch the next night. >>


Maybe one of the DVMs on this list can comment on news of any studies.