English Bulldogs aren't known as a breed that shed their fur heavily, so if your bulldog starts to loose fur excessively, you might start to worry and ask yourself, why is my English Bulldog loosing hair?
The truth is, there's several reasons that your bulldog may be loosing its hair, but the good news is that the majority of them are treatable.
Symptoms of English Bulldogs starting to loose their hair
There are several symptoms that you should be aware of for English Bulldogs starting to loose their hair - the symptoms vary depending on what the cause of the hair loss might be.
If your bulldog is suffering from Allergy Problems, you'll likely notice Reddening and dryness of the skin as well as excessive itching.
If your bulldog is suffering from Seasonal Flank Alopecia, you'll likely notice that your bulldog will suffer from hair loss in well-demarcated areas during the colder months of the year.
If your bulldog is suffering from black hair follicular dysplasia, you'll likely notice that your bulldog will suffer from hair loss in its black hair spots only, and nowhere else on its body. It'll also have started to loose its hair from a young age as a puppy.
Keep reading this article to read a more in-depth guide on the common reasons your English Bulldog may be loosing it's hair, as well as the systems to look out for, their causes and the treatments for these issues.
Common reasons your English Bulldog may have bald patches
There are several common reasons in why your English Bulldog may have bald patches. The majority of these are completely harmless however some of the reasons should be a cause for concern.
To ensure that you can find the best treatment to help stop your English Bulldog loosing its hair, then we need to understand more about what the common reasons are, and how we can diagnose what the cause of the hair loss is.
Allergy Problems
Allergy problems is one of the most common causes of why an English Bulldog would be loosing it's hair. Allergies in dogs are often passed down from their parents, so it's always a good idea when purchasing your dog to find out more about any potential allergy issues that your dog may end up suffering from.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction in English Bulldogs
As well as your English Bulldog loosing it's fur, other symptoms of an allergic reaction in English Bulldogs are:
Reddening and dryness of the skin
Excessive itching
Incessant scratching and biting
Swelling of the body
Red eyes
Shortness of breath
Causes of an allergic reaction in English Bulldogs
The most common causes of allergic reactions in English Bulldogs are their food, medication or potentially insect venom.
Treatments of allergic reaction in English Bulldogs
If allergy problems are the root cause of why your English Bulldog is loosing it's fur, then you need to find what is causing the allergic reaction in your bulldog. This may mean changing your dogs food, shampoo, skincare treatments or any medications that your bulldog is taking. Changing one thing at a time should allow you to see what is the cause of the allergic reaction and your bulldog loosing its fur.
If, after making these changes, you haven't noticed any changes, then we recommend seeking professional advice from your vet.
Seasonal Flank Alopecia
Seasonal Flank Alopecia is a skin condition in dogs which typically occurs during the winter months. Dogs affected with seasonal flank alopecia suffer from bald patches in their fur, but no other signs of damage to their skin.
Some breeds are more common too suffering from Seasonal Flank Alopecia and English Bulldogs are one of those dog breeds.
Symptoms of Seasonal Flank Alopecia in English Bulldogs
Dogs affected with seasonal flank alopecia will suffer from hair loss in well-demarcated areas, typically on the both sides of the abdomen. In most cases, this hair loss is symmetrical with both sides of the body being equally affected. In the bald patches caused by the hair loss, the visible skin is often darker than usual.
Causes of Seasonal Flank Alopecia in English Bulldogs
Although the cause of seasonal flank alopecia have not been fully determined, it is thought to be caused by an abnormal response of the hair follicles to the normal hormonal changes that occur with changing day length.
It is also thought that the potential cause can be a lack of vitamin D in your English Bulldog. Without your bulldog’s body receiving its essential Vitamin D its hair growth can slow or go dormant. Sunlight exposure can give hair follicles the needed vitamins to grow healthily.
Treatments for Seasonal Flank Alopecia in English Bulldogs
The best treatment for seasonal flank alopecia is to ensure that your English Bulldog is getting enough sun exposure during the winter months.
Black Hair Follicular Dysplasia
Black Hair Follicular Dysplasia is an extremely rare condition which is passed down genetically from parents.
Black Hair Follicular Dysplasia will often show in dogs at an early age. These dogs will show signs of balding in their areas of black hair.
Bulldogs, among a few other breeds, are at high-risk for this disorder. Black Hair Follicular Dysplasia will cause black hairs on your English Bulldogs body to fall out. H
Symptoms of Black Hair Follicular Dysplasia in English Bulldogs
Black hair follicular dysplasia occurs in dogs who have black fur. The symptoms of black hair follicular dysplasia are:
Alopecia, or hair loss of black coloured areas
Dull coat quality in black areas, while white areas remain normal
Dry skin
Scaling skin
Abnormal hair growth
Shorter hairs
Skin infections
Causes of Black Hair Follicular Dysplasia in English Bulldogs
Black hair follicular dysplasia is a condition which is passed on genetically. It is a condition which is more common in some dog breeds than others, English Bulldogs being one of these breads.
Treatments for Black Hair Follicular Dysplasia in English Bulldogs
The changes to a dogs coat from Black Hair Follicular Dysplasia are permanent and there is no treatment for this. The majority of the time, the changes to your bulldog are purely cosmetic, however it may cause a dryness in your dogs skin too.
If the skin does become dry or scaly, then we recommend seeking professional advice from a vet.
Treatments for English Bulldogs loosing their hair
Now we understand more about the common causes of hair loss in English Bulldogs, we can hopefully now diagnose the root cause of the issue and understand more about the treatment.
Depending on the issue that has caused your English Bulldog to start loosing its fur, then the treatments vary. Ensure you use our guides above to correctly treat your bulldog, and wherever necessary seek professional advice from a professional.
Recovery of hair loss in English Bulldogs
Depending on the cause of your English Bulldogs hair loss, then it is most likely that it;'s hair will recover. However some conditions, may mean that your bulldog may never fully recover its lost hair. Always administer treatment according to the veterinarian’s instructions. Follow up appointments may be necessary to ensure the problem is resolving and any infection is clearing. Monitor your bulldogs skin and hair regrowth and communicate any changes or concerns to the veterinarian so they can adjust treatment accordingly.
Conclusion
If your English Bulldog is loosing its fur, then the good news is that the issue is likely not life threatening. If you can accurately diagnose the cause of the hair loss, then with the correct treatments and with the help from a vet, it's likely that your English Bulldog will fully recover its fur.
Whenever you think there's a potential health issue with your bulldog, ensure you act as quickly as possible to treat it. Issues left unattended can deteriorate quickly.