Dog Community

Fur on ears missing in patches

Posted : 8/19/2006 12:51:49 PM

That's the best way I could describe it in the subject line.

Ash's fur is thinning and/or missing in patches on her ears. When I get home later, I will try and post pictures. It's not a lot, but it's noticeable. The top right ear almost looks nicked, like someone took a little bite out of her, but upon closer inspection you see that the fur is missing completely on that little patch. Then a few days later I noticed that the fur on the rim of her left ear is thinning so much that it looks like it's gone.

They don't seem to be bothering her. I don't see her messing with her ears. When I touch them, she tries to get away, but she doesn't whine. Eventually, she just lays there as I inspect them. What could this be?

Jeffrey Feldman

Posted : 8/19/2006 4:54:20 PM

Could be ringworm. I had a cat that had ringworm once and that's what it looked like. I'd get it checked out soon because my girlfriend and I both caught it from the cat.

calliecritturs

Posted : 8/20/2006 11:03:06 AM

I was going to say the exact same thing -- ringworm OFTEN will make bare patches on the EDGE and tips of the ears -- and no, you won't necessarily see 'red rings' at all. The vet may be able to look at it with a special light and diagnose it that way. Ringworm can be tough to diagnose because there are a bunch of different kinds of fungi that make up the ringworm family.

ashland

Posted : 8/21/2006 2:10:13 PM

Ringworm? Really? I wasn't even thinking about that. I wish I had seen this post sooner! I could've got her in the vet today. Oh well. I'll take her in tomorrow. Yeah, it's like the fur is gone all along the edge of one ear and then a little, TINY patch on the tip of the other. How do dogs get ringworm? I'll have to research this online. Thank you!

calliecritturs

Posted : 8/21/2006 10:34:47 PM

Ringworm is pretty contagious -- it's a fungus, so even rubbing on something at PetSmart could do it.

ashland

Posted : 8/22/2006 1:12:12 PM

Well, you all were right. At least I'm assuming so because I have a little round patch on left forearm. So my mom is taking Ash in to the vet for me today because I couldn't get the time off of work. I don't know what to do about me though. I had ringworm when I a little girl once, but not since then. If she has it and I have it, then what? =) I should probably make a dr appt for me too. Wonderful.

cakana

Posted : 8/22/2006 1:19:07 PM

You don't need to go to the Dr. and it'd just be a waste of time anyway. I had it a few years ago, went to Kaiser and they told me to use one of the antifungal creams for athletes feet. It took about 2 weeks to clear up, but it did work.

ashland

Posted : 8/22/2006 3:40:02 PM

Great! Thanks. I hate going to the doctor. I'll go to the store tonight.

calliecritturs

Posted : 8/22/2006 7:41:40 PM

I hope it's one of the easy ones -- but if it doesn't respond get the vet to look at it.