I’m a young, frisky, adolescent dog leading a perfect life up till now. All of a sudden, a couple of ugly round patches of thinning hair have appeared on my chest and around my right eye. My family is concerned, and so am I as I have lost all my appeal to Freddy, the Schnauzer next door. (Marjie, 8 months, Jack Russell, Narooma)

Dr Alan

Marjie, you probably have demodectic mange caused by a very small mite. These tiny creatures live and breed in the hair follicles causing hair loss. The vet needs to confirm the diagnosis. There are various types of mange, some of which would require a skin scraping and further tests. After the correct diagnosis, the treatment is quite straightforward. Your vet may recommend a medicated rinse. Oral or injected medications are also often used. Within a few weeks your beauty will return, and so will your attractiveness to Freddy!