It can be scary if your fluffy Pomeranian starts to lose its fur and develop a deep pigmentation of the skin. In this article, I give you the quick facts on what is Black Skin Disease in Pomeranians.
Black Skin Disease also known as Alopecia X is a condition that causes a dog to lose some to most of its fur as well as develop deep black pigmentation of its skin. If your Pomeranian has this condition your vet will be able to help you with treatments.
Why Is My Pomeranians Skin Turning Black
Pomeranians can experience a health condition that is referred to as Black Skin Disease or Alopecia.
A Pomeranian will start to lose its beautiful fluffy coat and the pigmentation of the skin may darken.
Your Pomeranians skin during black is not the first sign of Black Skin Disease, you will notice a tremendous amount of fur loss before this occurs.
If your Pomeranians’ skin is turning black but, they haven’t lost any fur it may not be Black Skin Disease.
Either way, if you notice any changes in your dog it’s best to visit your vet.
What Is Black Skin Disease
Black Skin Disease or Alopecia, is a disorder that causes hair loss in Pomeranians and other fluffy breeds.
The hairless is not accompanied by inflammation, itching, or an infection.
Is Black Skin Disease Painful
Although it may appear otherwise, Black Skin Disease is not painful for the dog who experiences this condition.
With Black Skin Disease or Alopecia, the dog will not have itchy or dry skin like many skin conditions have.
What Happens If My Pomeranian Doesn’t Have Fur
The fluffy fur coat of Pomeranians helps protect them from the elements like bright sunshine, cold weather and helps to regulate the dog’s body temperature.
Your dog will be more vulnerable but, there are things you can do to help protect your dog.
- Use canine safe sunscreen to protect your dogs skin from the sun if needed.
- Put a sweater or coat on your dog to help keep him or her warm when it’s cool.
Do Male Pomeranians Get Alopecia More Often Than Females
It is true, there are more male Pomeranians that experience Alopecia or Black Skin Disease when compared to females with the condition.
Does Alopecia Vary In Severness
The amount of hair loss and skin darkening in dogs that have Alopecia or Black Skin Disease can vary.
In mild cases, a Pomeranian may only experience a slight thinning of their fur, and it may even be in patches.
In others, the dog may lose the majority of the fur on their body but, still have plenty of fur on their legs and head.
In the worst cases, the Pomeranian will lose the majority of its fur as well as experience the darkening of the skin’s pigmentation.
How Do I Know If My Pomeranian Have Alopecia
Your dog can lose its fur for many other reasons besides Alopecia, it’s important to speak to your vet about any concerns before jumping to any conclusions.
There are some signs and stages that you will notice if your dog has this condition.
Signs And Stages Of Alopecia In Pomeranians
1. Odd patches of fur that look dull or thinner that the rest of the dogs coat
2. Dry patches of fur
3. Thinning fur on the tail or hind legs
4. Thinning patches of fur increasing over time
5. Expanding bald patches
6. Almost entire body of the dog is bald except for it’s head and legs
7. Darkening of the skins pigmentation
How Do Veternarians Test For Alopecia
The only way to know for sure if your Pomeranian has Alopecia or Black Skin Disease is to visit your vet for a full examination.
Some of the tests you should be prepared for are.
- Blood tests
- Urine test
- Skin biopsy
- Adrenal Hormone Test
- Thyroid testing
Your vet will use these tests to rule out any other health conditions, plus indicate the current status of your dog’s hormones which can assist your vet in determining which treatments may work best for your dog.
Can Alopecia In Pomeranians Occur At Any Time
There are two types of Alopecia onset for Pomeranians.
- Early Onset
- Late Onset
What Is Early Onset Alopecia
Early-onset Alopecia happens to young Pomeranians when they are still puppies.
Puppies that have Alopecia often do not go through the “puppy ugly” stage where their puppy coats transition into their glorious adult double coats.
A puppy with Alopecia may not have any outer guard hair, they may only grow the dense undercoat.
In Early-onset Alopecia a puppy will first start to experience hair loss around fourteen to sixteen months of age.
What Is Late Onset Alopecia
Late-Onset Alopecia can occur at any time but, often start to appear around three to four years of age.
The first stage of adult-onset Alopecia will be the appearance of a dull and lackluster coat of fur.
Is Black Skin Disease In Dogs Curable
Black Skin Disease or Alopecia can be curable in some cases but, may not be in others due to auto-immune and genetic causes.
Is Black Skin Disease Treatable
There are many different ways to treat Black Skin Disease.
Always speak with yout vet and follow their advice when it comes to starting or continuing any treaments.
Some of the treatments often used to treat alopecia or Black Skin Disease are.
- Antibiotics
- Antifungals
- Steriods
- Medicated shampoos and conditioners
- Raw diets
- Home cooked food diets
- Omega 3 oils
- Melatonin
- Sun exposure
- Spay or Neuter
- Dermabrasion
- Microbrasion
- Hormone Medications
- Growth Hormone Treatments
Can A Pomeranians Coat Grow Back After Alopecia
Some Pomeranians who have experienced hair loss due to Alopecia X have had their fur regrow.
Can A Pomeranian Have Alopecia More Than Once
It is possible that a Pomeranian whose fur has regrown after experiencing Alopecia to experience a second bout of the condition a lose its fur once again. `
If My Pomeranians Loses Its Fur Twice Will It Grow Back
It is highly unlikely that once your Pomeranian has experienced hair loss due to Alopecia more than once for it to grow back.
Is Black Skin Disease The Same As Alopecia
Black Skin Disease and Alopecia are the same health condition.
There are additional names including BSD, Castration Responsive Alopecia, Coat Funk, Pseudo-Cushing’s Syndrome, Adrenal Sex Hormone Alopecia, Alopecia X, Biopsy Responsive Alopecia, Hair Cycle Arrest and BSD syndrome that are often used to refer to this condition.
Are Pomeranians Prone To Black Skin Disease
Unfortunately, Pomeranans are prone to Black Skin Disease.
The dog breeds where Black Skin Disease is most prevelent include Chow Chows, Alaskan Malamutes, Siberian Huskies, Norweigan Elkhounds, Toy Poodles, and Miniature Poodles.
FInal Thoughts
Black Skin Disease or Alopecia is a sad-looking condition in a little dog that is known for its fluffy coat.
Luckily, this conditon does not cause pain and suffering for your dog and you amy be able to treat the conditon.
It’s important that you see your vet at the first sign of something not being right.
