Shedding Sverely on sides of my boxer.

Question
My Female Brindle boxer is 3 years old. Last year around the end of winter she started to loose her hair in big patches on both right and left side. Over the summer i noticed she started to grow it back.
We did bring her to the vet and he did not see a bacteria problem or any type of ring worm.
He then took blood for a thyroid test and placed her on thyroid pills for a month. He ran the blood test and did not see the thyroid out of normal.
Now this year starting maybe in January it started again, hair loss alot on both sides, i also noticed it running in almost a line like pattern.
The skin does not look irritated and she does not try scratching at all. i try to use mild puppy shampoo when bathing her. i thought it may be her bedding  but we keep that clean and wash it at least every two weeks.
She from time to time eats human food such as eggs and chicken. I am not sure what i can give her to help the balding on the sides and the shedding. Are there over the counter items i should try? Or if there is something i am doing that is causing this and i could be hurting her health wise in any way.

Answer
It sounds like seasonal flank alopecia - not at all uncommon in Boxers.  What you describe is typical - patches of hair loss on the sides, generally symmetrical, no itching or irritation, the hair grows back after a few months but the baldness may reappear annually, for a few years or for perpetuity.  Often the skin underneath the lost hair turns black, as well.  A good article on SFA is here:

http://www.dermvet.com/caninesfalopecia.htm

Some remedies that people have claimed to use with success include melatonin, kelp, or canned pumpkin.  It has not been determined, as far as I'm aware, whether these products actually helped, or whether the SFA would have cleared up on its own in the same timeframe without the supplements.  However, none are particular harmful at the proper dosage and often do help the owner feel better about the situation.  Many people have also said that after a few cycles of loss and regrowth, the hair doesn't fall out the following year, so it may not be a permanent thing.

Good luck!!