I heard for the first time this hair loss disease when one of my readers sent me the story of her dog Sophie. After this I became a little curious to know more about Alopecia X . Let me tell you somethings  more about this disease.
Image source: Dogilike

What is Alopecia X ?


Alopecia X affects dogs of both sexes regardless of neuter status. The hair loss can first occur as early as 1 year of age or as late as 10 years of age. The primary  presentation is the symmetrical gradual loss of hair over the trunk and caudal thighs, sparing the head and front limbs. Sometimes the guard hairs are lost first leaving a soft "puppy" coat. The skin may become intensely hyperpigmented. There are no systemic signs associated with this condition. If your dog does not eat or sleep this has nothing to do with Alopecia X . The cause of the hair cycle arrest is unknown at this time. Let's hope that through research the vets  will gain a better understanding of the cause of the hair loss and perhaps develop a truly effective treatment.

Some of the most typical breeds that get affected by this disease are:

  1. American Eskimo 
  2. Pomeranian 
  3. Siberian Husky
  4. Poodle 
  5. Chow Chow  
Image source: Dogilike

Dog hair loss disease treatments

Sterilization
Alopecia X is a cosmetic condition.It may make the dog look funny, but it does not cause harm. This disease seems to be a sex hormone imbalance in at least some cases . For this reason, the first step in treatment is to sterilize the patient; unspayed females should be spayed, intact males should be neutered. There are health benefits to sterilization regardless of whether or not there is a hair loss issue, and many animals will grow their hair back (though possibly not permanently) so this is where we start rather than investing in complex and confusing diagnostics.If the pet is already neutered or if several months have gone by after altering and no hair has regrown, the next simple therapy to try is oral melatonin.Other Alternatives: Lysodren and Trilostane
Have you heard before before of this hair loss disease?