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Ask the Veterinarian/is it normal or is it mange?

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Expert: - 2/12/2011


Question

nemos skin
My 7 month old Chihuahua puppy, Nemo, is losing her hair on her legs and her belly and a small patch on her shoulder. there is also some bumps on her head and by her right eye and on her right elbow. she does not scratch at the bumps and i heard hair loss is normal for Chihuahuas this age but instead of paying $80 to find out its nothing i would like to hear someone elses opinion about the bumps. i originally thought it was mange but wouldn't she be scratching? the images below are of nemo. keep in mind nemo didnt have much hair on her head when we got her.

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l60/softballfreek002/nemos%20skin/2011-02-1213...

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l60/softballfreek002/nemos%20skin/2011-02-1213...

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l60/softballfreek002/nemos%20skin/2011-02-1213...

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l60/softballfreek002/nemos%20skin/2011-02-1213...

Answer
There is no way to know if it's mange unless you take her in and have her skin scraped in a few places on her body. It has the appearance of either mange or a hormonal problem but your vet will be able to know once they do a skin scraping. If she isn't spayed you should have this done once she is treated as this will bring on cases of mange sometimes or could be the cause of a hormonal imbalance.

There are so many things that can cause this type of hair loss, mange of course, scabies, hormones, Cushings (rare in younger dogs but anything is possible).

That is why you need the vet to look her over and soon!
Don't let this continue or it could get out of hand very quickly.  

Jana Connell RVT, CVT

Expertise

PLEASE READ BEFORE SUBMITTING TO ME: I am NOT a vet and do NOT diagnose diseases. That is only for a licensed Veterinarian to do. I will give you suggestions and steer you toward calling your vet for help. You can call the vet's office and talk to the technician there or the vet at times. Don't be afraid to call them! If you have a serious issue with your pet please post it to one of the veterinarians in here- I will tell you the same thing in my answer. IF your pet is injured or in an emergency situation, CALL YOUR VET- Do not wait and post in here. Just call the vet's office and get them in to see the vet right away. Critical treatment time is lost if you seek answers here when you should have your precious pet at the vets!! Don't sit at home waiting for an answer when your pet is critically ill or injured!! I can answer most questions about small animal and wildlife care as well as small animal nutrition. I can also answer questions about all phases of dental care for small animals. I DO NOT answer questions about birds (unless it is wildlife or songbirds) or HAMSTERS/GERBILS/CHINS/GUINEA PIGS/REPTILES/FROGS/RABBITS/PET BIRDS OF ANY KIND so please submit these questions to the appropriate sections. I, as well as other experts in here, do NOT do homework questions- that is for YOU to do! Please respect these rules for all of us. Thanks!

Experience

I have over 35 years experience in the field of veterinary medicine. I specialized in small animals and did wildlife rehab for over 25 years, mostly raptors, squirrels and opossums. I am a Small Animal Nutritional Consultant with 6 certificates from Hills Pet Foods, CNM and Purina. I also specialized in Small Animal Dentistry which is a field I truly love.

Organizations
Audubon,World Wildlife Federation, American Society of Veterinary Dental Technicians.

Education/Credentials
Licensed with California and Oregon, RVT and CVT. Certified Veterinary Dental Technician Have over 500 logged hours of Continuing Education Credits(that means I keep up to date!).

Awards and Honors
Nominated for Expert of the Month for the last 5 years.

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