Excessive shedding in dogs: 6 causes and tips

Is your four-legged friend losing a lot of hair in a short period? Do you have to vacuum more often and feel like you could keep brushing forever? Sometimes it seems endless… Excessive shedding in a dog can have many different causes. Think of the usual shedding periods, but also poor quality food and stress or anxiety can cause excessive shedding. You can't completely stop a dog from shedding, but with the right (coat) care, shedding can be reduced. In this blog, we give you tips!

Why does a dog shed?

It is very normal for a dog to shed. Twice a year, during spring and autumn, animals go through a shedding period. This is a natural process where the summer and winter coats are exchanged under the influence of temperature and daylight, and the old hairs loosen to make room for new hairs. The shedding period lasts on average about 6 to 10 weeks. In animals that live outside all year round, you can clearly see this: for a few weeks, the entire coat sheds and makes way for a new coat. Because most of our pets live mainly indoors, this natural process is disrupted. This is because the indoor temperature is much more consistent, causing most dogs to shed all year round. Nevertheless, you will notice that the dog loses more hair than usual in spring and autumn.

The difference between shedding and hair loss

It is important to distinguish between normal shedding and hair loss. As mentioned above, most dogs lose hair throughout the year, but when a dog loses an excessive amount of hair in a short time, this is called hair loss. Hair loss always has an underlying cause. Also, a healthy dog in a normal shedding period does not develop bald spots, whereas hair loss can cause this.

Causes of hair loss in dogs

There are many different causes that can lead to excessive hair loss in a dog. Below we list the most common causes for you:

1. Poor quality dog food
Good dog food is important for the overall health of a dog. You can imagine that poor quality food has a big impact on (among other things) the skin and coat of the dog. Therefore, always ensure your dog receives a complete diet that contains all nutrients (proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and trace elements) in the right balance and is tailored to the animal's life stage. You can read more about what good dog food should meet in this blog.

2. Food allergy or intolerance
One of the most common symptoms of a food allergy or intolerance in a dog is itching, causing the dog to scratch, bite, or lick its coat. The result is excessive hair loss or even bald spots.

In case of a food allergy or intolerance, it is important that the dog receives hypoallergenic food. The hypoallergenic dog kibbles from Riverwood are very suitable for this. These foods are made with three unique protein sources and are completely grain- and gluten-free. This greatly reduces the chance of an allergic reaction to the food. If you prefer food with only one protein source, take a look at the Mono-protein canned foods from Riverwood. These canned foods are made with one animal protein source and are also completely grain-free.

3. Parasites
Parasites such as fleas or lice cause irritated skin and a lot of itching. Itching causes the dog to scratch, which leads to—you guessed it—excessive shedding. Typical spots for hair loss due to fleas or lice are the neck or the base of the tail. Therefore, it is important to regularly check your dog for parasites and treat them (preventively) if necessary.

4. Fungi, mites, and other (bacterial) infections
If your dog has excessive hair loss, bald spots, dandruff, and itching that is not clearly caused by shedding or parasites, have your dog checked by a vet for fungi, mites, or other (bacterial) infections.

5. Stress or anxiety
Excessive hair loss in a dog can also be caused by stress or anxiety. A stressed or anxious dog expresses this by licking and scratching its coat. This causes hair loss and can eventually lead to bald spots in the coat.

6. Hormonal disorder
A hormonal disorder, for example caused by a tumor, can also cause hair loss in dogs. A tumor secretes a certain hormone that can disrupt the growth of healthy hair. Cushing's disease also causes hair loss, where a tumor causes the adrenal gland to produce an excess of cortisol. Finally, thyroid problems can also lead to excessive hair loss. This is because a slow-working thyroid results in delayed hormone production.