ChowChow.org

My chow chow has never had an allergy issue but occasionally gets what has been told to me as "hot spots." He licks or chews the hair until it is all gone usually on his paws and legs. I noticed this week that a lot of hair is falling out. The bald patches are red and about the size of a fist on his back, stomach, hind quarters. We just moved into a new place and I am not sure how well a vet could diagnosis what is wrong not knowing the dog well. I have been applying topical hot spot medication and today gave him a baby bennadryl to alive the itching.I switched him to Natural Balance food recently just in case it is an allergy. What could be a cause? Can houses be hosts to mites even if he has never met the previous residents? How do I know if it is a hot spot caused by the dry winter? Please help!

It could be mange. See http://chowchow.org/mange-problem/

Take him to the vet for skin scraping. Make sure he has not bathed for at least 48 hours so there will be no false reading. Have him tested for mange or yeast. Most likely it's mange caused by compromised immune system. My dog got full blown demo des mange when my hubby and I went on a three week vacation. She thought she was abandoned, got stressed and mange population went on overdrive and started eating her skin cells. Poor thing started balding in the face first then the rest of the body.

If you moved houses the unfamiliar surroundings may be stressing your baby out. Have it treated ASAP before your dog gets sepsis. Mine was so swollen, bald and could hardly walk. She itched like crazy and smelled like rotten fish due to bacteria caused by open sores

Turns out it was just a hot spot. Shaved and recovered no problem. I was a lot more upset than he was