The process of temporary shedding in dogs (commonly known as moulting) is a physiological process which regularly takes place twice a year (in spring and autumn). It is connected with outside temperature and daylight length changes (the amount of light reaching). Before winter, your dog’s coat becomes thicker, and before summer, it is replaced by a lighter one. However, it sometimes happens that the process of shedding becomes exacerbated and manifests with visible thinning or total baldness of a given part of your dog’s body. This may be a result of a medical problem. Therefore, each and every incident of excessive shedding should motivate you to find an answer to the question: why is my dog shedding? This should also make you alert and should be definitely consulted with a veterinarian.
There are various reasons behind the excessive shedding and worse appearance of your dog’s coat. Allergy or atopic dermatitis are common causes, and due to skin infections, they increase shedding and make the coat noticeably weaker. Skin infections caused by skin parasites (demodicosis, fleas, and itch mites) also result in shedding and changes in your dog’s coat appearance. Other reasons of worse condition of your dog’s coat and intensified shedding may be: bacterial and mycotic infections, various hormone-related diseases (e.g., hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism, Cushing’s syndrome), skin itching, unbalanced diet, stress or application of some drugs (e.g., steroids).
