Skin ailments and hairloss

The picture above is of a dog suffering from mange on the face. Mange is one of those nasty hair and skin ailments that dogs can contract through contact with other dogs with mange. Mange is caused by mites burrowing under the surface of the dog's skin.

One of the more common causes of skin problems and hair loss is the presence of fleas. Some dogs are highly allergic to flea bites and even one flea on their body will drive them nuts. A dog that is highly allergic will scratch themselves raw just to combat the allergic reaction they are having. This is a case where hair loss prevention is just a matter of getting rid of the fleas.

Another cause of hair loss and scratching is that the dog is allergic to their food or that their food is lacking in something the dog's body requires for good skin and coat health. This is where you need to read the labels on the dog food bags and cans so you can rule an ingredient that your dog might be allergic to or see if the food has enough nutrition. Some of the cheaper dry dog foods are nothing more than ground corn and bone meal with meat flavoring added. The main ingredient has to be meat for a carnivore.