PLEASE NOTE A NEW 4TH EDITION HAS BEEN PUBLISHED AND IS AVAILABLE IN THE LIBRARY AND IN PRINT

The causes of alopecia in dogs are numerous and include infections, self-inflicted hair loss, endocrinopathies and follicular dysplasias. This chapter is restricted to cases of non-pruritic canine symmetrical alopecia. Hair growth is influenced by, amongst other factors, gonadal, adrenal, thyroid, pituitary and pineal hormones. Excesses, deficiencies and hormonal imbalances have been incriminated in a myriad of clinical syndromes in dogs. In some endocrinopathies (e.g. hypothyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism, hyperoestrogenism and pituitary dwarfism) the hormonal mechanisms are understood and these disorders are relatively well characterized clinically. Many other alopecic disorders may resemble endocrinopathies clinically (e.g. canine recurrent (seasonal) flank alopecia, alopecia X, colour dilution alopecia and other follicular dysplasias) but, in many instances, the final diagnosis can be more difficult to establish. The chapter looks at Clinical approach; Congenital alopecia; Endocrinopathies; Follicular dysplasias; and Miscellaneous conditions.