I have a daschund who is 1 year and about 7 months. He is very eager and friendly and in really good shape. I switched him from Iams to Nutro a while ago, and the dandruff he used to have has completely gone away because his skin is of course better moistened. But just recently, I have begun to notice little bald spots on his tail. I thought at first that it was just dirt stuck there, but when it wouldn't come off I looked closer to discover the balding. He is also experiencing some balding on the backs of his ears. But everywhere else is fine. We live in Utah which is extremely dry, and for that reason we do not have any fleas. I use people shampoo on him from time to time, but I am very careful to wash it off entirely, I have also used it on my English pointer who hasn't had any reaction whatsoever, and in the past I used it on ferrets who were fine. One experienced balding, but she had a very serious thyroid disorder and the balding was evident everywhere. Otherwise than the balding, he is acting fine. I was just wondering if anyone could tell me what might be going on.

kittykeedy

I also have a doxie he is 1 and a half yrs. Black/tan 12 lbs. happy, healthy, playful but balding! Took him to 2 vets for help and second vet brought out the doggie medical answer book and it said that he is suffering from pattern baldness. It's more common in female doxies but not limited to. Its similar to male pattern baldness in men, so its not hazardous to their health, just have to watch for sunburn. My Doxie is balding on his belly, temples, back of thighs, behind ears and chest, it started when he was 6 mos. We feed him Solid Gold for small breed, wash him with baby puppy shampoo and it all makes no difference. Anyway I hope that helps. I have never met his parents, but the vet said they are likely to be balding in the same places.

linnealand

i'm imagining that you're looking for any possible solution at this point, and something i've been hearing about came to mind. now, i haven't used it on my puppy yet, but you might want to look into warren eckstein's 'hugs and kisses' supplements for skin and fur problems. he's the host of "the pet show," and he is usually really good about answering all kinds of questions like this one. you might even give him a call on his radio show, and he might even offer to send you some for free.

well, you can check it out here:

Warren Eckstein - The Pet Show - www.worradionet.com - America's Most Trusted Pet Expert and Pet Humorist
Warren Eckstein's Hugs and Kisses Vitamin and Mineral Supplement and Treat for Pets - Cats and Dogs

are you sure that he's not biting there on a regular basis? if so, i can give you another idea i heard about recently. if it's only a compulsive thing (not an underlying issue), you can even apply a little bitter yuck, which isn't made with alcohol so it won't irritate the skin, to the places that he's chewing. let me know if any of this helped! we're thinking about you.