Hair loss and inflamed, itchy skin can be a very common issue for dogs. It can affect all breeds, shapes and sizes, but some can be more susceptible than others.
Skin and coat problems can manifest in your dog for a multitude of reasons, including allergies, stress, and many other underlying health issues. But did you know that if your dog struggles with hair loss and itchy skin, it can also be down to dysbiosis and inflammation of the gut?
Here, we’re going to explore skin and coat health in dogs, how exactly their gut and microbiome health can impact it, and what we can do as dog owners to help alleviate their symptoms.
As we know, your dog’s gut microbiome is full to the brim with different types of bacteria and fungi that, when rich and balanced, successfully aid functions and processes around the body - and keep things ticking on as they should.
The gut microbiome is linked to the majority of crucial processes in your dog’s body that are responsible for their general health and wellbeing, including but not limited to their digestion, gut health, and immunological function.
When their gut microbiome is unbalanced, or in a state of dysbiosis, these vital processes cannot perform as they should, meaning things like immunological function are disrupted.
With dysbiosis leading to a weaker gut wall and immunity, this can cause what is referred to as ‘leaky gut syndrome’, where bacteria and other harmful things can easily permeate the gut wall and travel around the rest of the body. This can cause their body to react with a myriad of symptoms, including skin irritation and hair loss.
If your dog’s suffering from dysbiosis, when left untreated, it can lead to a breakdown of the gut’s permeability and the strength of their gut wall.
This ‘leaky gut’ syndrome is what can lead to inflammation, and not just of the gut, but other areas of the body too.
As harmful bacteria, toxins, and other things that shouldn’t be let loose from the gut make their way around the body via the bloodstream, alarm bells start to go off in your dog’s body and fight off the nasties. Not only does this bring out allergy-like symptoms, but it can exacerbate existing allergies and symptoms, including skin irritation and hair loss.
No matter how luscious their locks, all dogs can unfortunately suffer from hair loss or alopecia. Some breeds are more prone to hair loss than others, including Daschunds, Chihuahuas, Bulldog breeds, Poodles, Labradors, Huskies, and bigger dogs like Great Danes and Newfoundlands.
Hair loss in dogs is different to moulting or shedding, where longer-haired breeds will lose the under layer of their ‘double coat’ in alignment with the season. This can be managed through regular grooming and will grow back.
When a dog is experiencing hair loss, typically in its early stages, it is isolated to one area of the body and doesn’t seem to fully grow back.
Common areas that dogs experience hair loss include:
In some dogs, hair loss can occur seasonally, either in the summer or winter and often grows back. However, in some cases, hair loss in dogs can begin with thinning and get progressively worse over time. Hair loss and excessive shedding can indicate underlying conditions, and can come hand-in-hand with itching and other skin issues.
If your dog seems to be losing their hair, and you often notice them licking, nibbling and scratching the area, be sure to contact your vet for further advice.
Skin irritation usually accompanies hair loss, but they can happen separately. Irritated, inflamed and itchy skin on your dog can happen in a variety of ways, and can affect many areas of the body. Your dog can experience skin irritation from head to toe, including inside the ear canal.
Signs of skin irritation in dogs include:
Skin irritation can affect all dogs, but some breeds are more susceptible to it. Breeds with shorter coats, like Shar-Pei’s and French Bulldogs, are prone to skin issues, but longer-haired breeds like Labradors, Retrievers, Cocker Spaniels and Bichon Frise can also suffer.
Whilst hair loss and skin irritation in dogs can be directly linked to the health of their gut microbiome, it isn’t the only reason why your pooch might be feeling a little itchy. This is what makes a dog Gut Health Test crucial in your investigation into their health. It can indicate or rule out dysbiosis, and guide the next steps in their treatment. Other causes of hair loss and skin irritation in dogs include:
The best way to diagnose or rule out dysbiosis is with a dog Gut Health Test.
Here at Pooch & Mutt, we offer Gut Health Tests powered by microbiologists and dog gut health specialists, to provide an easy and accessible way to really get to know your dog from the inside out.
By analysing a sample of your dog’s poo, a representation of the bacteria in their gut microbiome and how diverse their microbiota is can be gathered. Alongside this, their breed, age, size, medical and genetic history, general lifestyle, and living environment are taken into account to build a comprehensive picture of their gut health, and how it may be impacting the rest of their body.
From this, we can create a diet and supplement plan, strictly tailored to their needs and backed by science, that includes natural ingredients, probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics. This will help you help your dog to alleviate symptoms stemming from dysbiosis and help provide them with a healthy future.
To find out more about our dog Gut Health Test and products, explore what we have to offer here.
A Gut Health Test for your dog is the first step in truly getting to know your dog, and starting the journey towards great gut health and overall wellbeing. To find out more about our Gut Health Test and what exactly it can do for your dog, check out our blog! Any questions, whether about their gut health or how to perfect their diet, reach out to our expert Pooch & Mutt team.
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