Expert: Jannie Balliett - 5/21/2011

Question
Hi, I have a 15 month old boxer that has little bumps on his body that looks like little bites (no itching) also his hair is thinning on his head and legs and side...skin looks pink under his thinning spots. He doesn't seem sick to me in any way "pure puppy" eating,playing,barking,biting,goin outside...everything is good except his coat.Thank you for any info you can give us.

Answer
It sounds like an allergy-- probably a food allergy.

Bath the puppy in an Aveeno oatmeal bath, or oatmeal shampoo for puppies, to relieve the itch and discomfort.

Buy an all natural puppy food that does not contain corn, corn glutens, or any glutens and additives. You might begin with a selection for sensitive skin first.

If it show no improvement within a few weeks, take the puppy to your vet for skin scraping testing.