Laurie's Blogs.

Have you seen dogs with a strange pattern of hair loss, typically over their back, unilateral or sometimes symmetrical.  Often there is nothing odd about the skin (i.e. no infection, redness, bumps, or other signs of irritation).  Just hair loss.  

Various pet and vet resources will point to hair loss being attributable to allergies, fleas, stress, or a vitamin deficiency (lack of zinc, excess calcium, deficiency in omega-3 fatty acids or an imbalance of the protein to fat ratio).  Cushing’s should also be taken into account, as this is a condition that causes this type of hair loss pattern as well.

One other thing that I feel canine rehab therapists need to put on their radar is nerve root irritation and a dermatomal pattern of hair loss.  

A well respected resource on the subject of spinal evaluation discusses evaluating the spine for  increases in temperature and sweating.  While we are aware that dogs do not sweat through the skin over their back, they can have a variation of temperature.  This along with the demonstration of pain on palpation, and the presence of hair loss might make the examine thing that all three things could be correlated.

I’ve seen a few cases where the hair loss along the back, correlated with a painful back (multiple segments or just one).  Treating the spine and nerve root inflammation had a positive effect on the hair growth.   I’ve also seen a few cases of hot spots correlated with spinal issues also.

All in all, this is just a short and sweet blog to put this phenomenon on your radar.  Have you found this as well?  Let me know!

Until next time, 

Cheers!  Laurie

References:

1.  Dermatomes. (2023, June 23). Physiopedia, . Retrieved 04:14, April 13, 2025 from https://www.physio-pedia.com/index.php?title=Dermatomes&oldid=337195. 

2.  Castleberry E. Dog Hair Loss: Home Remedies, Causes, and Diagnosis.  Paw CBD.  Retrieved April 13, 2025 from https://www.pawcbd.com/blogs/posts/dog-hair-loss-home-remedies-causes-and-diagnosis?_pos=1&_sid=c26e79917&_ss=r 

3.  Maitland G, Hengeveld E, Banks K, English K.  Maitland’s Vertebral Manipulation.  Elsevier. 2005