MINIATURE POODLE SCAB HAIR LOSS

Question
MINIATURE FEMALE POODLE ADULT HAD SCAB ON MID/LOWER BACK AND SEEMS
LIKE SHE'S LOSING HER HAIR IN THAT AREA. TOOK HER A BATH AND LOST A LOT
OF HAIR.SHE'S A HOUSE DOG. IS THIS HAIR LOSS NORMAL . . HOLIDAY WEEKEND
NOWHERE TO TAKE HER UNTIL TUESDAY

Answer
Hello Mark,
I recently answered a question like yours and here is the answer I gave them.
Your dog could have several things going on that could be the cause of his hair-loss. It sounds most like your dog has recently had a Hot Spot that has since healed and is now leaving the flaky aftermath behind.  It could also be caused by an infection or by internal parasites.  If his hair-loss continues for more than 6 weeks or if you notice that your dog is losing weight, please go ahead and contact your Vet, or take him a stool sample.  You might even just give your Vet a call to ask him about your dogs condition to see if he has any over-the-counter advice.  
With changing his food, you will need to give the food change about a month for it to get into his system before you see results.  Do not bathe your dog more than once every week and a half so that you don't dry his skin out.  The natural oils in his coat are beneficial to his hair and you don't want to strip these by over-bathing.  You can apply the Baby Oil or Conditioner in between baths, and that will help.

I would keep brushing your dog regularly to remove any dead hair that has already been shed out, to keep the hairballs from getting all over your house.  You should also supplement his food with Vitamins and Minerals that will help with hair growth and regrowth.  I went on a search and found these Vitamins and Minerals listed below that will help your dog.  These are for people, but dogs do good on them as well.  Just stay away from the Onions as they are toxic to dogs, but everything else is ok.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Taking omega-3 has proven to be good for your health in many different areas, but it also aids in feeding hair roots. Think of it as fertilizer so to speak. Your scalp will also benefit from omega-3. You'll find gel caps of omega-3 wherever vitamins are sold. They make an excellent supplement. Natural sources that provide omega-3 fatty acids include Tuna, Sardines and Salmon.

Protein
Your hair is made up in a large part, from protein. So, in order to continue having a healthy head of hair, you need to eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, brown rice, and other foods containing protein. This will go a long way in preventing your hair from falling out.

Cysteine
A big ingredient of protein is the amino acid, cysteine. It does good things for your hair, as well as detoxify your entire body. You can get cysteine from eating foods such as nuts, meat, fish, egg yolks, and even garlic.

Vitamin A and C
Both of these important vitamins can help in preventing hair loss. They can be found in green vegetables, fruits, carrots, broccoli as well as melons.

Vitamin B
All of your B complex vitamins can aid in growing hair and keeping it healthy. You can find vitamin B in milk, meats, and some fish.
All of these vitamins and minerals can be found in different foods, but you can also take them in pill form. By using a combination of both you may discover that hair loss is becoming a thing of the past.

Your best bet would be to make up a "topping" for your dogs dry kibble that consists of:
1 lb Hamburger or Turkey Burger (70-30 because of higher fat content)
1/2 lb Spinach
1 can Sardines in Olive Oil (use the oil of the sardines and blend it with the Spinach to make a juice
2 eggs scrambled
1 Apple Blended (or you can use 1/2 cup of Applesauce)
1/4 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 cup brown rice, cooked using chicken broth for better flavor
1 grated carrot
1/2 package of Knox unflavored Gelatin will also help as it contains Keratin, which is what hair and nails are made out of.

This recipe is for a large dog so if you want to 1/2 it, feel free.
Mix these ingredients together and add to your dogs food.  She will most likely love it and think she is getting a treat.  This mixture should last you about a week in a sealed container.  If your dog isn't interested in eating this mixture, try lowering the amount of or removing the greens.  Some dogs don't like the taste.
You can add a Tbs of Cottage Cheese every other day to help if he doesn't like the taste of the veggies.

Be sure to give your dog at least 6 weeks on this diet to see if its helping or not.  If not, go ahead and take your dog to the Vet so he can find out what is going on with your dogs skin.  There are some medical conditions that will cause hair-loss and it will be beneficial to rule these out if your dog isn't getting better.

I hope this helps you some.  If you have other questions, please feel free to ask.

Thanks for using AllExperts.com,
Kim