Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Bald patches on body.

Species: Dog
Breed: labrador retriever
Age: 2-5 years
I live in Spain. Last Spring my dog had hard white lumps of skin down the sides of her body which came off and the fur came away with it. It left new skin with no fur. These patches were not sore and she did not scratch so were not itchy. Now its December and it has come back again.

The vet tested skin and there was no infestation and blood test was normal.

Do you have any suggestions for treatment and do you know what this is.


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

This is a tough question to answer without being able to see Freya.

It is interesting that she was not itchy. I'm wondering if what you are seeing is something called a seasonal flank alopecia.

Here are some pictures of dogs with seasonal flank alopecia:

flank alopecia


seasonal flank alopecia


cyclical flank alopecia

This is really common in boxers but can happen in other breeds as well. I have seen it in Bulldogs, Labs and Golden Retrievers.

If this is flank alopecia we really don't know what causes it. Some people will treat it with melatonin but usually it goes away on its own within a few weeks.

The way to diagnose this would be to have your vet take a skin biopsy.

I hope this helps!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

White spot on dog's nose. sadie has a white spot below her nose right in the middle of the muzzle i can't tell... (37022 views)

Cat not getting over URTI. Hi, My cat has suffered from flu from approx 8 mths old but these days never seems... (9625 views)

Arthritis medicine for dogs. Zoey recently has been having trouble walking. I think it may be her hips? She does... (9637 views)

Dasuquin causing allergies. About 5 months ago, my dog injured his leg during a walk. I took him to the vet &... (17069 views)

Cloudy eye after an infection hi my dog steve is 8 months old hes a pureb german shepherd, within the last 8weeks... (13326 views)

Excessive drooling Recently my cat, who is a little more than 15 years old, has stared excessively... (8415 views)

Cat's heart rate question. Does the heart-rate depend on the age of the... (10410 views)

Dog shedding like crazy. my dog is shedding like crazy year round what should i do? ... (13667 views)

Thin after back injury. A friend found a dog years ago on the side of the road with an broken back. Break... (13721 views)

Thyroid cancer? Hello, about 10 months ago my dog started heavily panting while playing with her... (14158 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.