An India-focused guide to canine alopecia covering parasites, infection, allergy, hypothyroidism, Cushing syndrome, pattern baldness, clipping, tests and grooming red flags.

Arrange urgent or prompt assessment for

Rapidly spreading painful or blistering skin
Fever, weakness or refusal of food
Large areas of pus, bleeding or tissue death
Hair loss with severe thirst, vomiting or collapse
A puppy with crusting and poor growth
Possible chemical burn or toxin exposure

The pattern guides the work-up

Pattern	Common possibilities	Useful clues
Itchy, red and irregular	Fleas, mites, allergy, yeast or bacteria	Scratching, odour and crusts
Round scaling patches	Dermatophytosis or folliculitis	Broken hairs and contagious risk
Symmetrical non-itchy trunk loss	Hypothyroidism, Cushing syndrome or hair-cycle disorder	Systemic signs and slow regrowth
Local pressure/friction loss	Collar, harness or lying surface	Matches contact area
Ear-edge or breed pattern	Hereditary alopecia	Young onset and no inflammation

Inflammatory hair loss

MSD notes that itching or pain is a common driver of acquired inflammatory alopecia. The dog damages hairs through scratching, chewing and rubbing, while infection may injure follicles directly.

Flea and tick history
Mite examination
Skin cytology
Fungal culture or PCR when indicated
Ear and paw assessment
Allergy history and diet trial

Hormonal and systemic patterns

Hypothyroidism

Often causes dry coat, slow regrowth and bilateral trunk or tail hair loss, but diagnosis requires appropriate thyroid testing.

Cushing syndrome

May cause thin skin, comedones, pot belly, panting and increased thirst or urination.

Sex-hormone or hair-cycle disorders

Selected breeds develop patterned, non-inflammatory alopecia.

Malnutrition or severe illness

Protein, mineral and systemic disease can impair coat production.

Important: Do not diagnose hypothyroidism from hair loss alone. Illness and medicines can alter thyroid blood results.

Diagnostic tests

Examine the entire skin surface.
Perform scrapings and cytology.
Test for ringworm when appropriate.
Review parasite control and diet.
Order targeted blood and endocrine tests.
Biopsy unusual or non-responsive patterns.

Grooming-related hair loss

Clipper burns, traction from mats, harsh products and repeated close shaving can damage skin or reveal an underlying hair-cycle problem. Friction from a tight collar or harness can create localised loss.

Grooming does not cause hormonal alopecia, but photographs before clipping can preserve the original diagnostic pattern.

Treatment depends on cause

Effective parasite control
Targeted antibacterial or antifungal treatment
Allergy management
Endocrine treatment
Balanced nutrition
Removal of friction or pressure
Time for the hair cycle to recover

India-specific concerns

Monsoon humidity, ticks, fungal exposure, frequent bathing, unlabelled oils and steroid creams can complicate hair loss. Community and rescue dogs may have several causes at once.

Human steroid-antifungal combination creams can mask ringworm and worsen infection. Use veterinary diagnosis rather than cosmetic regrowth tonics.

Dogsvilla practical tip: Dogsvilla grooming should photograph every new bald patch before bathing and record itch, odour, crusting and collar location.

Alopecia in Dogs: Itchy Hair Loss, Hormonal Patterns and Diagnosis