rescued dog 3 wks ago going bald

Question
i resuced a dog that i know has heart worms. And in the last week he has gotten 6 big bald spots. I understand your no medical questions but is it medical or stress. I spent so much money with the adoption that there is no money for vets. i guess i hoping you'd know some causes of hair loss in patches, and maybe some home remidies, so i won't have to take him back... if i do they will lay him down. what does mange look like?

Answer
Mange is usually patchy all over the place-and also have very oily grayish looking skin

It sounds more like ringworm,which is usually in circles and patches,but the dog does need to see a vet,and you have to be careful as people can catch it as well,but it is cheap to treat-what you may be able to do is to speak to the rescue you got him from,and see if they can offer assistance

It may also be a fungal infection,again a vet would have to see that,as the only treatment is anti-biotics

Sometimes a poor diet will also cause them to lose fur,as well as having scaly,itchy skin-but again that could also be an infection

It may also be hypothyroidism-again a vet will have to test for that(a blood test)and the dog will have to be medication for life,but it is inexpensive to treat

the easiest thing would be either an allergy or as I mentioned,a poor diet-but an allergy usually makes the dog VERY itchy,but all you would need in that case would be an oatmeal bath

The things you have watch for is:red circular bald patches,which would mean ringworm,yellow stinky skin,which would mean infection,or even bald patches on both sides which would mean hypothyroidism,also watch for gray oily skin which is mange,as well as being bald all over-and in those cases can only be treated by a vet

Now if he just seems to have dandruff and dry itchy skin it's either diet or allergy related,and that would only need a special shampoo or a new food

Unfortunately,for all the other possible causes-only a vet can treat those things

I do know a lot about skin problems in dogs-as I had a dog that had skin problems for ten years,as well as having a dog now that suffers through allergies

some breeds are more prone to skin problems then others-terriers are esp prone as well as golden retrievers

If you want to give me more info so I can give you more info(such as his breed and what his skin looks like)so I can help decide if the dog needs to go to the vet or not that may be more helpful,also what kind of condition his coat is in