[Zayne’s Mom]

My 3 yr old GSDs ears turned white and then he started losing all the hair on his muzzle and ears. It’s now up around his eyes also. The hair loss happened fairly quickly. Photos from Oct 16th he looks normal. His ears turned white around November 12th and he started losing fur in December. He doesn’t scratch himself alot. He acts like his usual self. His diet has stayed the same and he hasn’t had a loss of appetite. Nothing concerning other than the hair loss.

He came down with a cough, sneeze, and a runny nose in October, when I took him to the vet the said it was nothing serious and gave him antibiotics.

We have been to the vet multiple times for the hair loss. They have tried supplements, antibiotics, skin scrapes (which came back clear), and we are waiting on biopsy results to come back.

He is a very anxious dog and I asked the vet if that could lead to hair loss and he doesn’t think so and believes Zayne is no more anxious than any other GSD. The vet did state the fur comes out very easily and the entire follicle is still attached.

Has anyone experienced this or anything similar? Any ideas of what I could ask my vet to check for?

I have included photos with dates above them. The photos from today have scabs from the skin scrapes and stitches from the biopsies, he also looks very unhappy as he just came home from the vet.

Oct 16th

Nov 12th

Nov 16th

Dec 14

Today Jan 10th

 

[Sunflowers]

Could it be vitiligo?
Sometimes, the reason your dog’s fur is turning white is a condition called
vitiligo. Vitiligo is a rare skin condition that can cause pigment loss in certain patches of skin and fur. While the causes of vitiligo are unknown, many scientists believe that the condition is hereditary. However, it is clear that vitiligo occurs when something happens to the melanin-producing cells in your dog’s body.

Vitiligo affects all dogs a little differently. Some dogs will lose pigmentation on their entire body, while others will only be affected in certain spots. Depigmentation can also spread over the first few months of the condition’s appearance. Vitiligo can also cause skin lesions and dandruff. Fortunately, all of the symptoms of vitiligo are painless for your pooch.

While vitiligo is very rare, the following breeds are the most likely to have vitiligo:

• Rottweiler
• Old English Sheepdog
• German Shepherd
• Belgian Tervuren
• Dachshund

Vitiligo is also more common in purebred dogs due to the hereditary nature of the condition.

 

[Zayne’s Mom]

Could it be vitiligo?
Sometimes, the reason your dog’s fur is turning white is a condition called
vitiligo. Vitiligo is a rare skin condition that can cause pigment loss in certain patches of skin and fur. While the causes of vitiligo are unknown, many scientists believe that the condition is hereditary. However, it is clear that vitiligo occurs when something happens to the melanin-producing cells in your dog’s body.

Vitiligo affects all dogs a little differently. Some dogs will lose pigmentation on their entire body, while others will only be affected in certain spots. Depigmentation can also spread over the first few months of the condition’s appearance. Vitiligo can also cause skin lesions and dandruff. Fortunately, all of the symptoms of vitiligo are painless for your pooch.

While vitiligo is very rare, the following breeds are the most likely to have vitiligo:

• Rottweiler
• Old English Sheepdog
• German Shepherd
• Belgian Tervuren
• Dachshund

Vitiligo is also more common in purebred dogs due to the hereditary nature of the condition.

I’m not sure, as when I look up Vitiligo it doesn’t have hair loss as a symptom. Thank you so much for the idea. I will discuss it with my vet at our next visit.

 

[Pawsed]

My first thought was alopecia. I didn't know if dogs could have that or not, so I looked it up. Seems they can and there are treatments available.

Sorry you and your dog are going through this. He does look very unhappy.

Hope you find some answers and solutions very soon.

 

[Zeppy]

Our Rottweiler had similar issues. Turns out she has a thyroid problem, diagnosed with a blood test. She now takes a small amount of thyroid medication 2x a day and her hair all grew back! Might be something to consider.

 

[wolfy dog]

He does look sick. Alopecia shouldn't make him sickly looking. I would have another vet take a closer look at him. I can't believe the vet saying that it isn't anything serious and then send you home with antibiotics or did he diagnose him with a bacterial infection?