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Hair loss around eyes.

Species: Dog
Breed: Maltese
Age: 1-2 years
Recently my maltese is loosing hair around his eyes. I have been feeding him the same food. I read about mites but my vet said if it were mites he would be losing hair in patches all over and instead wants to give him steroids for allergies. Is this true that it has to be all over the body for mites?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

This is one of those questions that is difficult to answer without actually seeing Koko, but I can give you a few ideas.

Do you know if your vet did a skin scraping to look for demodex mites? Sometimes demodex can cause hair loss just around the eyes.

If the skin around the eyes is quite irritated then an allergy is certainly possible.

Another possibility is ringworm which is a fungal infection, but it is not normal to see it just around the eyes.

It certainly won't hurt to try the steroids and see how things go. Otherwise if things are not improving your vet may need to do a few tests to figure out what is going on.

Dr. Marie.

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


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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.

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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.