Dachshund/Dog Aging Question.

[Barbara!]

Penny, my almost 12 year old dachshund, has never really showed a lot of her age. I've had Dachshunds before start to turn grey at 5-6 years old, but she is 12 and is only a little lighter, with no grey, around her muzzle.

But recently I have been noticing a serious decline in the amount of hair on her ears. My dogs get fish oil, and she gets bathed every month in an exfoliating wash because she occasionally has break outs of dandruff. But she has never really had a problem with hair loss. For the past I'd say..6 months, the hair on her ears has been looking thin and in the past 1 1/2-2 months I have noticed a lot of hair loss on her ears.

Is this normal when a dog ages? It doesn't seem to be bothering her, just wondering what may cause this.

 

[sassafras]

It can be normal. Some dogs seem to get something akin to pattern baldness in people as they age, it can affect different places on the body but the ears aren't that uncommon especially in hounds for whatever reason.

Can't say that's what's going on here, but it's possible.

 

[Kilter]

Could be genetics, or could be health related. At her age a blood panel would be a good idea to rule out thyroid or other issues.

 

[Tazwell]

Older dachshunds often lose hair on their ears as they age, and Gina did even when she was younger. Through the years she has lost hair on her ears, but then it's filled back in. It seems to happen in waves, sort of... My vet told me that I only need to be concerned if her ears feel cold, as poor circulation can cause the hair loss also.

 

[Kayota]

I had a cat and a rat who both lost hair when they were elderly... /shrug Seems like it happens sometimes in animals as well as people!

 

[Ratboy]

A family friend had Dachshunds and mixes for like 40+ years, and it seemed to be common. One of them who lived to almost 15 had little hair on the outside of their ears, just an odd triangular patch in the center. It was like you took a ruler and shaved off the outside 1/2" border of his ears. He was very healthy otherwise until just before he died.