hair-loss

Question
Hi Jennifer,
I have a 3-year-old boxer that has been having hair-loss on the rear end of her
trunk.  There is no signs of missing hair on her stomach, just her sides and
back.  The hair-loss isn't in patches however, its major thinning.  the skin that is
visible is not raised, red, or scaly.  Any suggestions?

Answer
Hi Alexis,

It's a good idea to have a full thyroid panel run (the one they use for OFA certification) to rule out hypothyroidism, which is common in Boxers.  From what you describe, however, it might be something called seasonal flank alopecia, which is benign and of unknown cause.  The skin underneath the area of hair loss may turn dark.  Alopecia generally resolves spontaneously in a few months; some people swear by supplementation, typically with melatonin, kelp, or canned pumpkin, but it's not clear whether the supplements have helped the alopecia resolve, or if it would have resolved in the same amount of time on its own.  

Here is a brief article about alopecia, which also mentions other possible causes of hair loss:
http://www.dermvet.com/caninesfalopecia.htm

Good luck!