Bald Patches (Demodectic mange)

Hi All.

My 5 month old Patterdale Terrier "Sparky" lately developed a bald spot about an inch diameter on the top of his skull. After a 'belt & braces' treatment of antibiotics, shampoo and creams from the local vet, the condition seems to have manifested itself on his back albeit not as severe. Hair samples/lab culture and skin scraping have proved inconclusive and he's an appointment with a skin specialist 2nd November.

Apart from the obvious baldness the condition has had no other detrimental effects on Sparky, i.e itching or poor appetite etc and he larks about as happy as a Patterdale with portfolio for high jinks can be.

Has anyone experienced a similar condition (the dog I mean) where the usual tests reach no particular conclusion?

I don't think I can help much. Are the bald areas of skin normal, or is the skin scabby, red, weepy, etc.? Any sign of hair loss on the flanks? If so perhaps it is seasonal flank alopecia.

Have you searched "idiopathic alopecia"+dog or "focal alopecia"+dog on Google?

Hope you can get it sorted out. Do let us know the results of your consultation with the skin specialist.

Hi Shadowboxer!

His scalp seems normal, with no sores, redness, weeping or dry scaley bits. The only anomaly I've noticed is after the application of the cream, tiny pin head sized red spots around some of the affected folicles. Nothing noticeable on the flanks. From what I've read up to this point it could be anything i.e. diet, stress, mange, teething, etc etc. Clearly I'll not find out for sure until the specialist has a gander. Anyway, I'll be sure to to post the results. In the meantime I'm just hoping the condition disappears as spontaneously as it appeared. Oh yes...and that I don't get it too!

im probably waaaaaaaaaay out but could it be a stress related thing, i know one of our old SBT's suffered from a form of alepeschia (sp) when my parents were getting divorced.
I'm probably wrong but just a thought

my pup developed demodetic mange at the age of 5 months,he started with one little bald patch on the top of his head and then more over his body.beings as your vet has done skin scrapes that proved inconclusive it is probably not mange.delaney is now about10 months old and he has developed more bald patches down on his back by his back legs,he is being treated with advocate (what we used for the mange before)i have an appointment at the vets in 2 weeks(my vet is on holiday)i will be asking about seasonal alopecia perhaps your dog could have a food intolerance/allergy?
hope you find an answer at the specialist

Hi. Sorry about your dog's problem. I agree with Luke that stress could be a cause, but I also believe that Patterdales can be prone to allergies. My bitch had an ear problem for years and cost me a fortune at the vets. Vet said it was just infection and cleaned them out regularly under anaesthetic. I read up and got advice from breeders and was told to check for allergies. I started to feed an elimination diet of Lamb and Rice (allergies to these are very rare apparently) and the ear problem cleared up within weeks. It is not just food they can be allergic to, household cleaning products, dust mite and pollen also cause problems.

When I discussed this with my vet he said it couldn't be an allergy because it would be more widespread than just the ears, but when we went on holiday this year I ran out of Lamb and Rice and fed Midge on the food which my other dog eats and the problem was back within 2 days. Allergies are certainly worth considering.

Hi Peeps,

thank you for the opinions; looks like it could be bascially almost anything.
I'm trying hard to think of any event that might have induced stress but coming up blank, I know he's caused some tho'....

Diet...I think I might give that a try pending the Doc's prognosis. My God, he'll be eating better than me - what I'd give for some lamb & rice right now. If I see another bowl of lime soup I'll die.

Hi All, ***UPDATE***

well, "Sparky" went to the skin specialist on 2nd November and after asking some questions on Sparky's diet, where he slept, if we'd been away anywhere of late etc some skin scrapings were taken and put under the microscope. Via an attached monitor the Vet pointed out a number of squirming little varmints ( the name of which now escapes me ) and stated that here was the root ( forgive the pun) of the baldness problem. Apparently
there are three types of this animal living in dog hair all the time, bieng inherited from the mother. Occasionaly there is a population explosion of these things and the result is the bald patches which "Sparky" was exhibiting - apparently they eat away at the base of the folicles.

He advised us to keep the problem under observation and to come back in a month - if no change then the problem will eventually go away on it's own and failing that, he'll start a dosing treatment which is to be continued for 6 weeks until brought under control.

Well, since then, the original bald patch on the head has all but disappeared and the remaining two on his back are improving very gradually so all's well that endeth well...

Sounds very good and positive then that you have a diagnosis I would make sure Sparkie is fed a good diet and would try adding some Fish body oil to the diet or salmon oil which fish 4 dogs now supply It may help to boost his overall condition

Sounds like Demodectic Mange (demodex)?

If so, Teagan had this too