Alopecia and dermatosis are skin and hair disorders related to an imbalance of reproductive hormones. Alopecia is loss of hair leading to baldness, and dermatosis is a diseased condition of the skin. There could be a lot of causes for these conditions; however imbalance of hormones is a major reason and the conditions tend to resolve with the use of reproductive hormone therapy.
Common symptoms would include soft, or dry brittle fur, dandruff, itching, darkening of the skin, blackheads, abnormal skin or shape of nipples, mammary glands, vulva, prepuce, testicles, ovaries and prostate gland, bacterial infection, inflammation of the outer ear with wax build-up, and wetting the floor.
Alopecia can be classified as early stage hair loss characterized by loss of hair in the perineum, stomach, thighs or the back of the neck or late stage hair loss characterized by rump and flank. Dogs with testicular tumors will have enlargement of the tail gland and perianal glands.
