Does your dog suffer Black Skin Disease (Alopecia X)?
The term “Alopecia” is nothing more mysterious than the medical word for “hair loss,” originally from the Latin via Greek “Alopekia,” meaning “fox mange.” The disease itself, however, is little understood. This condition in animals is called “Alopecia X” because the cause(s) of this condition are still relatively unknown and the treatments tend to be by trial and error (or, as some would suggest, random).
The disease manifests initially as thinning hair, sometimes accompanied by itchy skin and sometimes not, followed by bald patches, followed by blackened or dark gray skin. Eventually, the dog can become completely bald with deep charcoal-gray skin. Often, the dog will smell really bad.
The Pomeranian on the right was suffering Alopecia X. For many dogs with this disease, there appear to be no other symptoms, and the disease can be regarded as “cosmetic.” This is actually the approach many vets will take, suggesting that the dog wear a sweater to prevent getting a chill. The disease could be genetic, however, or rather, the tendency or susceptibility to contracting this disease may be part of the dog’s genetic makeup. And it is true that some breeds seem more prone to Alopecia X than others, with Pomeranians leading the pack.
Black Skin Disease can manifest in other ways and other places also, often beginning on the belly and inside the back legs, as shown on the right. Generally, this type of disease is associated with overall itchiness and skin eruptions. A bad odor might be present, causing the owner to bathe the dog more and more frequently, making the disease worse and the dog even more itchy. When itching is present, veterinarians will often prescribe steroids (cortisone or prednisone) to reduce the inflammation. Please note that we never recommend steroids, as they disrupt the dog’s natural immune system and the disease will become worse. Further, the use of steroids will encourage mange mites and bacteria to move in, with grave results.
For more information on the causes and treatments for this disease or just to get your questions answered, email us at info@DERMagic.com, or visit us at www.DERMagic.com, or call us toll-free at 877.814.7497
