Waking up to find your dog losing his hair in patches can be disconcerting for Weimaraner owners. Your first instinct might be to think that your weimaraner has a health problem. While there are some health issues that lead to hair loss in weimaraners, most likely your dog is simply blowing their coat.
Why is My Weimaraner Losing Hair?
Here are some of the most common reasons for Weimaraner hair loss.
Your Weimaraner is Shedding
Even though Weimaraners are a short hair dog breed, they do shed. Compared to other breeds, Weimaraners are considered to be low to moderate shedders. Once a year when the weather starts getting warm, a Weimaraner will blow their coat. This is a brief period of excessive shedding.
Blowing a coat is natural and isn’t a sign of any health problems. The process of coat blowing can last up to two months. During this time your Weimaraner’s coat might look patchy as the old coat falls off and the new one comes in.
Your Weimaraner has Allergies
When Weimaraners suffer from allergies, symptoms often include hair loss and itchy skin. If you think your Weimaraner has allergies it’s best to schedule a visit with your vet to help determine the cause. Common allergy triggers in Weimaraners include fleas, mold, dust mites, and even pollen.
Food allergies are also a common culprit for allergies in Weimaraners. If your vet suspects that your Weimaraner has a food allergy, they may prescribe your dog a diet with limited ingredients. Through the process of elimination a limited ingredient diet can help determine what foods your weimaraner is allergic to.
The best dog food for a Weimaraner with allergies varies from dog to dog. Once you know which foods trigger the allergy, you’ll be able to pick foods that won’t cause an allergic reaction or hair loss.
Yeast or Bacterial Infection
A bacterial or yeast infection on your weimaraner’s skin can lead to hair loss. These infections can also include odors, patches of red or irritated dry skin, and even pustules that look like pimples.
If your Weimaraner is losing his hair in certain places and exhibits any of the other above symptoms then you should consult your veterinarian. Your vet will most likely run an examination and prescribe an antibiotic or antifungal agent if appropriate.
Parasites
Mites and fleas are two of the most common parasites that irritate a weimaraner’s skin and cause hair loss. Mites are too small to be seen by the naked eye. They burrow in your Weimaraner’s hair follicles and skin which causes itchiness and hair loss. Some mites are contagious to humans while others are not.
Fleas don’t cause hair loss directly. However a Weimaraner with fleas might itch so bad that they scratch their own hair off.
My Weimaraner Losing Hair on His Chest
If your weimaraner is losing hair on their chest you want to keep an eye out for other symptoms, just like you would if they were losing hair in their back. If it’s not your dog’s typical shedding season it might be best to consult your vet and rule out any possible health issues.
My Weimaraner is Losing Hair on his Back
If your Weimaraner is losing hair on their back don’t freak out. Look for some of the symptoms we’ve mentioned. If your dog has an infection, parasite, or allergy there will be other signs other than hair loss. It could be that your weimaraner is blowing their coat and is shedding unevenly in some places.
