Your Spitz is losing hair on its back, thighs or tail, and it isn't growing back. The skin is darkening. Yet your dog seems neither ill nor bothered. It may be alopecia X.
This condition particularly affects the Pomeranian and other Spitz breeds. It's still poorly understood, and a lot of inaccurate things are written about it. Here's what veterinary sources say, what to do, and what not to do.
This article is for information only. It does not replace a consultation: only a vet can make a diagnosis and suggest treatment.
What is alopecia X?
Alopecia X is a gradual hair loss, without itching or inflammation, that mainly affects breeds with a thick double coat: Pomeranian, German Spitz, Chow Chow, Samoyed, Husky, Malamute, Keeshond…
In Pomeranians, owners and breeders often call it "black skin disease", because the skin darkens on the bare areas. It also goes by other names: coat funk, pseudo-Cushing's, castration-responsive alopecia… The "X" means precisely that its exact cause remains unknown.
The most important point, stressed by veterinary sources: it's a cosmetic condition. The dog isn't ill in the sense of suffering. However, bare skin is less protected from sun, cold and small injuries.
Symptoms
- The coat changes first: the hair becomes dry, dull, cottony. The topcoat thins out, leaving only fluff.
- Then bare patches, usually symmetrical: back of the thighs (the "trousers"), tail, back, sides, neck. The head and legs are generally spared.
- Darkening skin (hyperpigmentation), sometimes dry or flaky.
- No itching, no redness, and a dog that's otherwise in great shape.
- Often starting in young adults, although it can appear at any age. Males seem to be affected more often.
- Hair that doesn't grow back, or grows back poorly, after a shave can be an early sign.
Causes: what we know (and what we don't)
Vets point to a hormonal imbalance affecting the hair growth cycle: the follicles stay "stuck" in the resting phase and stop producing new hair. Sex hormones and growth hormones are being studied, but not all affected dogs have the same abnormalities.
A genetic component is strongly suspected in Pomeranians, given how common it is in some lines and the higher proportion of affected males. Research is ongoing.
Diagnosis: rule everything else out first
There is no single test for alopecia X. It's a diagnosis of exclusion: the vet must first rule out other causes of hair loss which, unlike it, may need treatment:
- hypothyroidism;
- Cushing's disease (hyperadrenocorticism);
- parasites, skin infections and allergies;
- other hormonal disorders.
To do this, they rely on a clinical exam, blood tests (hormone panels) and sometimes skin biopsies. That's why you should never conclude for yourself that it's alopecia X: hair loss that looks like it can hide an illness that can, and must, be treated.
Treatments
Since the condition is cosmetic, treatment isn't a medical necessity. Many owners choose to do nothing, and simply protect their dog's skin. If you want to try to make the hair grow back, your vet may suggest several options, with results that vary from dog to dog:
- Spaying or neutering, in intact dogs: often the first step. Some dogs regain their coat, sometimes temporarily.
- Melatonin, given on prescription: regrowth, when it happens, is slow, over several weeks to several months. It's the subject of recent studies in Pomeranians and German Spitz.
- Hormonal treatments, such as trilostane, reserved for certain cases because of their possible side effects.
- Microneedling, offered by some veterinary dermatology teams to dogs that haven't responded to other options.
None of these treatments works in every dog, and the hair loss can come back years later. Never give a supplement or medication without your vet's advice, melatonin included: the dose and whether it's worthwhile depend on your dog.
Living with a dog with alopecia X
- Protect the skin from the sun: avoid long exposure during the hottest hours. Ask your vet what protection to use.
- Protect your dog from the cold: a little coat in winter is no longer an accessory, it's real protection.
- Look after the skin: gentle shampoos and, if needed, moisturising care recommended by your vet.
- Keep brushing the remaining hair, gently: it's still fragile and can tangle. Use a fine-pin brush without pressing, and avoid rubbing bare skin.
- Avoid shaving in the hope of restarting growth: in these dogs, a shave can actually make the problem worse.
Alopecia X or simple shedding?
Shedding is diffuse, the dog keeps a coat that covers the body, and everything comes back within a few weeks. Alopecia X progresses slowly, leaves bare, often symmetrical patches, and the hair doesn't come back. To tell them apart day to day, read our article Pomeranian shedding: normal or a warning sign?
Frequently asked questions
Is alopecia X painful for the dog?
No, it isn't described as painful and doesn't usually cause itching. The bare skin simply needs protecting.
Can alopecia X be cured?
Some dogs regain their coat after treatment, others don't, and the loss can come back. It's more a matter of management than cure.
Does neutering make the hair grow back?
It's one of the most frequently suggested options, and it works in some dogs, not all. It's a decision to make with your vet.
Can shaving cause alopecia X?
Shaving doesn't cause it directly, but hair that doesn't grow back after a shave can reveal a predisposition, or correspond to post-clipping alopecia, a related phenomenon. See should you shave a Pomeranian?
Can my puppy have alopecia X?
It usually appears in young adults or later. In a puppy aged 4 to 7 months, hair loss is most often the normal coat change. If in doubt, see your vet.
Sources: VCA Animal Hospitals, Alopecia X in Dogs; American Kennel Club, Alopecia X in Dogs; Canadian Veterinary Medical Association, Black Skin Disease; Colorado State University, Microneedling in Pomeranian patients.