Why is my German Shepherds hair falling out?

I believe it is some kind of skin disorder or something but it happens over and over again.

Why is my German Shepherds hair falling out?
sounds like it could be stress, or bad food. if your using s good quality food ( IAM, Nutro, etc) and it still happens, the i would think its stress or a skin disorder. please contact your vet, it could be mange!








Sarcoptic mange, also known as scabies, is caused by a microscopic mite. The female mite causes the characteristic intense itching as they burrow under the skin to lay their eggs. The eggs hatch in a few days, develop into adults, and begin laying their own eggs in less than three weeks.





Dogs with scabies dig and bite at themselves with great ferocity. Their skin reacts with oozing sores, and secondary infection may set in, requiring treatment with an antibiotic in addition to treatment for the mites. Unfortunately, the sarcoptic mange mite can be difficult to find in skin scrapings, and unless the veterinarian parts the hair and carefully examines the bare skin for the characteristic pin-point bite marks, diagnosis is difficult. Furthermore, the presence of a secondary skin infection can hamper the search for the mite bite marks.





Telltale signs of sarcoptic mange are crusty ear tips, fierce itching, and hair loss, particularly on the ears, elbows, legs, and face in the early stages. Later on, the hair loss spreads throughout the body.





Sarcoptic mange is contagious to canines and humans. If the dogs share sleeping places or if the infected dog sleeps on beds or furniture, everyone will begin scratching. It is not unheard of for the family dog to infest the kids, the kids to infest their playmates, and the playmates to infest their pets and parents with scabies. Fortunately scabies in humans is self-limiting, that is the mite can burrow under the skin and cause itching, but cannot complete its life cycle on humans and dies within a few weeks.





Veterinarians now use Ivermectin in two doses, two weeks apart, to kill the mites. They may also prescribe steroids for short-term use to relieve the itching until the mites begin to die off and give the dog some relief. Itching usually begins to subside within a few days of the first dose of Ivermectin.





Canine skin damaged by sarcoptic mange and secondary skin infections can take weeks or months to recover, depending on the scope of the problems. Frequent medicated baths may be necessary to soothe irritated skin.





Mange damage can mimic that caused by other skin conditions, including autoimmune diseases, bacterial infections secondary to flea allergies, and contact dermatitis, making it impossible for the pet owner to diagnose with any success. If your dog suffers from irritated, itchy skin, make an appointment with the veterinarian. Early diagnosis of any of these problems will give you a head start on a cure and will be less uncomfortable for the dog and your wallet.
Reply:Regardless of what food you are feeding,you need to see a Vet.Food can cause dry skin allergic reactions,etc,but it should not be causing hair to fall out beyond normal shedding. Report It

Reply:Is it going bald from this or is it just the fluffy undercoat hairs?





German Shepherds actually have an undercoat and an outercoat. The outercoat shouldn't ever come out in handfuls, but the undercoat periodically can. Around twice a year or so, you can expect your dog to lose entire clumps of fur at a time.
Reply:my sister has a German Shepherd and she asked her veterinarian why this happens and he said that all German shepherds shed about every six months. So relax--there is nothing wrong.
Reply:that is normal.


change of temperature would trigger the coats to fall.


dont worry about it.


just like humans it is normal to 100 hairs to fall.


just groom your dog.


massage or combing would keep you dog's coat shiny and clean. that will also keep coat from falling since you are picking it right from your dog's body. so it wont fall on the floor or furniture.
Reply:for the past five years since i've came here my german sheppard had little hair if any on her tail.well first guess is fleas,then dermatology-skin disorder.but we couldn't ever find them.but they were there,the vet gave us the capstar pill to start then frontline.the pill is 3 dolllars but works right away.the fleas start retreating immediately then die.also try virbac-etiderm shampoo from your vet.now she's got hair on her tail and now doesn't mind going outside now long periods of tome without getting cold.her hair has got alot thicker.so bathe them first before you give them the medicine so it won't get washed off.or bathe after 3to 4 days after medicine.
Reply:If not normal seasonal shedding, it's possible that your dog could have some kind of allergy that is causing the hair loss. When we expreience allergies, we sneeze, when dogs experience them, they itch and lose their hair. If the dog is not itchy in addition to the hair loss, it could be a thyroid problem. It's really hard to say without seeing the dog, but those are a couple possibilities.