Question: My 4-month-old Pomeranian has begun shedding a lot. I started brushing her and huge patches of hair are coming out, to the point of it being very thin in places. Is this a natural shedding of the baby hair or is there a problem? — Joby
Answer: Puppies normally loose their soft ?puppy coat ? and the firmer adult hair grows in to replace it. This happens almost simultaneously and bald spots or thin patches should not be visible. It is never normal for large clumps of hair to come out.
When a puppy looses a large amount of hair it is time to take her to the veterinarian. Hair loss in a puppy is often caused by mange. Mange is a condition where a microscopic mite, called demodex, destroys the hair follicle and causes the puppy to loose hair. The skin may get a secondary bacterial infection. The condition can be very mild and confined to one or two spots, or it can be severe and cover the whole body.
There are several different treatment options for puppies with demodex mange.The treatment approach depends on the size and age of the puppy, the breed of dog, and how severe the infection is. Treatment may consist of applying a cream called Goodwinol in mild cases, or using a medicated shampoo and mitaban dip. Some dogs have reactions to these products and may be treated with ivermectin by mouth. Ivermectin is not approved for this use, but became the mainstay drug when mitaban dip became unavailable in the past. At the present time these products all are available as well as some other medications.
The demodex mite is passed to puppies at birth. Most puppies develop a good immune system and this keeps the mite in check and no disease develops. However, if the immune system is compromised, the mites can spread quickly and cause extensive lesions. You can help your puppy by feeding her the best-quality puppy food available, giving her clean, fresh water daily, and keeping her free of fleas and ticks. Have a fecal sample checked for internal parasites and make sure she is dewormed. Be sure to keep up with her vaccinations and heartworm prevention. Keep stress to a minimum and provide lots of stability and love.
It may take a couple of months to kill the mites and let the hair regrow. Dogs that have demodex mange should not be used for breeding; the tendency to develop the infection tends to be passed on to the offspring.
Dr. Baker
Baker Veterinary Clinic
1801 S. Congress Ave.
West Palm Beach, FL 33406
Read more articles by Dr. Baker | Ask her a question
Source: http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/pawshere/2010/11/15/pomeranian-losing-hair-may-mean-mange/
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