Alopecia in Huskies

What IS this condition called alopecia?

Quite common in Nordic plush-coated dogs such as Siberian Huskies, alopecia is the partial or total lack of hair in areas where hair is normally present.

Hair loss can be either congenital or acquired. Congenital hair loss is caused by the failure of hair follicles to develop and is obvious shortly after a puppy is born. In some cases, puppies can be born with a normal coat only to suffer local or generalized hair loss as young adults.

Acquired hair loss, on the other hand, occurs in puppies born with normal hair coats, only to lose it because of a condition that destroys the hair follicles or shafts or interferes with the hair’s growth. These conditions range from inflammation in a dog’s bladder, kidneys, gastrointestinal system or anal sacs, hyperthyroidism, recent metabolic stress such as pregnancy, nursing or fever to cancers, including cutaneous lymphoma, thymoma, pancreatic carcinoma and bile duct carcinoma. While acquired hair loss can be inflammatory or noninflammatory, the most common cause of alopecia is an inflammatory disorder.

Capable of damaging or destroying a dog’s hair shafts and/or follicles and causing itching or pain are bacterial, fungal or parasitic infections and allergies such as flea allergy dermatitis; deep skin infections and skin trauma such as burns or radiation. Culprits that either slow or inhibit the growth of hair follicles include nutritional deficiencies -- especially protein deficiencies -- or hormonal imbalances.

Congenital hair loss can either be symmetrical in nature or localized to one region on a dog’s head and body and isn’t usually accompanied by inflammation. Signs of acquired hair loss are varied and include change in a dog’s skin color, excessive shedding, inflammation, itching and redness or thickening of the skin. In some cases, secondary skin conditions may develop such as an infection or fluid discharge. Alopecia caused by hormonal disorders isn’t usually itchy at first unless a secondary skin infection is involved.

Should your Husky be suffering from alopecia, bring him to the vet who will take a detailed history and perform a thorough physical examination of his skin. But for a more precise diagnosis, your vet will, in all likelihood, order lab tests to check for bacterial, fungal or yeast infections, do a flea combing, collect skin cultures, and do skin scrapes to look for parasites. If your vet suspects a hormonal problem, blood and urine tests will be ordered. A skin biopsy may be performed, and an elimination diet trial recommended using prescription food for eight to 12 weeks to test for food allergies.

Because a successful treatment plan depends on a specific diagnosis and may take some time, your vet will either provide or prescribe medication(s) to relieve some of your Husky’s discomfort, including any itching and scratching. Once the underlying cause of his alopecia is identified and appropriate treatment pursued, his hair will probably grow back. But it’s essential that you work closely with your vet, follow instructions and schedule regular follow-up visits to achieve the best outcome paws-ible.