Alopecia is a medical term describing full or partial hair or fur loss. Your dog will be considered to have alopecia if there is missing hair or fur.

Alopecia is often not purely a cosmetic concern, but a symptom of an underlying disease or condition. Thus, if your dog is suffering from alopecia, it is important to seek veterinary attention for your dog.

Your dog will be missing fur or hair. Alopecia is categorized in different ways depending on how and where the hair or fur loss occurs. Localized alopecia means that the hair or fur loss is only in one area on your dog. Symmetrical alopecia is when alopecia occurs in the same area on both sides of your dog’s body. Multifocal alopecia means that the alopecia is found in multiple distinct regions on your dog. Generalized alopecia, also known as diffuse alopecia, is when the hair loss or fur loss occurs all over your dog’s body. There is also a type of alopecia called coat funk or alopecia x that appears to have a genetic link. Alopecia x impacts male dogs with double coats such as Alaskan Malamutes. Females may be carriers of the gene, but they do not develop symptoms. Finally there is an inherited condition called color-dilution alopecia which causes bilateral hair loss generally on your dog's trunk. Color-dilution alopecia tends to impact dogs with fawn or blue coats, and is actually a type of follicular dysplasia.