Expert: Maliya Clark - 8/15/2009

Question
my dog scratches all the time and digs but has no flea but is losing hair what cause it


Answer
Hi Paul,

As you are aware - I am not a qualified veterinarian and so you must understand that my answer is not to be taken as that from a professional vet.
With that said, there are many reasons why a dog will scratch and no, not only from fleas.

There are many reasons why a dog will scratch and lose hair.
Thick haired dogs tend to shed quite a lot of fur during the summer time by scratching away the thick undercoat they will grow back during the winter time.
This is nothing to be concerned about - however, if you say your dog is losing patches of fur, you really must take a close look at the patches of bare skin.

Is the skin red, flaky or sensitive? If so, that may be caused by parasitic infections, such as mite or skin conditions that may be the result of internal problems such as an under/over-active thyroid.
Whatever it may be, my strongest advice is to take your dog into a trusted veterinarian clinic and the vet will be able to assess the situation.

I apologize for not being able to help further. My Answer is based on the amount of information given.
All the best.