Hair Loss

Whether we own a Guinea Pig, Gerbil, Rat, Mouse or Hamster, we always want to keep them in tip top condition.

One of the most obvious issues you could spot if your small rodent is sick is hair loss as it’s obviously visible and can look quite alarming too!

Hair loss can occur in a number of places on our small animals – it can be localised to just one area, or more generalised (all over their body). Hair loss is characterised by the loss of hair or fur from the skin leaving bald areas – sometimes the skin may appear normal and other times the skin may also be irritated, red, scabby or itchy.

Hair loss in our small rodents can be down to a large number of factors.

Many small rodents can suffer from ectoparasites such as mites and lice and fungal infections such as Dermatophytosis (ringworm). This can cause hair loss but may also be accompanied by very itchy, red and inflamed skin too! It is one of the most common causes for hair loss, but far from the only one.

Some of our little patients may also have hair loss due to self-trauma or trauma via other companions they are living with. This can be seen particularly in rats in a condition sometimes called “barbering”, a grooming behaviour seen in male and female rats. Specifically, this occurs when a dominant rat chews the hair and whiskers of less dominant rats. Sadly, fighting can also sometimes be seen and can cause hair loss if they pull at each other's fur while fighting or as part of bullying behaviour.

In Guinea Pigs we may also see alopecia (hair loss) or poor skin/hair condition due to insufficient vitamin C in their diet (hypovitaminosis C), and even cysts on females’ ovaries. With ovarian cysts we may see progressive hair loss in the flank region and abdomen, without itching or abnormal appearance of the skin - it is thought to be the result of increased levels of oestrogen produced by the ovarian cyst.

Some small animals, like hamsters, can also experience hair loss as a result of Cushing's Syndrome. Cushing's Syndrome (hyperadrenocorticism) occurs when the adrenal glands produce too much cortisol, a stress hormone – a common side effect of this is hair loss among other clinical signs.

The risk of hair loss depends on the reason for it – animals may be more prone to certain conditions if they are already immunocompromised and feeling under the weather. Other times it's an unavoidable occurrence.

Although ectoparasites may be associated with unhygienic living conditions, they can actually be picked up anywhere and even if your pet's accommodation is spotless and clean, they may still be able to catch little mites from their environment or bedding.

In some instances where animals are getting hair loss down to behavioural issues or issues within the group dynamic or dominance, such as barbering in rats or fighting, then these issues need to be dealt with by behaviour modification or changing the resources, accommodation, space etc.

Clinical signs and symptoms depend on the root cause. You may notice general hair thinning, or total hair loss alongside changes to the skin. The skin may appear normal, or may look red and irritated or have dandruff present. You may also notice your pet is itchy and scratching or nibbling their hair or skin – although this won't happen in every case.

To get a diagnosis your veterinary team will take a clinical history as this may help guide their decision on the cause of the hair loss. They may also like to ask you about your pet's diet and their accommodation too.

They may need to run some tests such as a hair pluck, skin scrape or sellotape impression to check for any ectoparasites – they will look at these under a microscope to check for any creepy crawlies. If your pet has lesions that are round and irritated or crusty plaques, they may take a swab or hair sample to check for ringworm too, a fungal infection.

For other issues, like ovarian cysts in Guinea Pigs, they may need to do an abdominal examination or an ultrasound, or in some cases of other diseases that can cause hairlessness, your pet may require a little blood or urine sample too.

Treatment and management will depend on that cause.

Ectoparasites can be treated – sometimes with a spot on or injection – if your pet is also scratching a lot and uncomfortable the vet may also prescribe something to help with that like a cream, ointment and even pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication.

Cushing's Syndrome and other diseases that cause alopecia can also be managed with medicine for your little pet – often given orally with their food or a treat. Your veterinary team will help guide you on the best way to get the appropriate medication and dose into your pet.

In some cases, surgery may be necessary, for example in cases of large ovarian cysts in Guinea Pigs. Once again, your veterinary team will be best placed to talk you through procedures or illnesses that require surgical intervention - don’t worry, your pet will be in great hands.

In many instances there really isn't much you can do to prevent these issues but some top tips are:

• Regularly check your little pet for signs of illness or disease
• Keep their accommodation clean and tidy
• Provide the appropriate diet and husbandry to keep them in tip top condition
• Visit your wonderful veterinary team if you are worried about your little pet's health
• Keep up to date with preventative care suggested by your veterinary team