In today's issue:

-Meet our adoptable dog of the day

-Enjoy a laugh with our dog meme of the day

-Get great information in our featured article

-Take our action of the week

-Check out our family photo of the day

Join our Facebook group - Post Your Pooch!

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Every pet parent knows that sudden mid-bite panic: your dog swallows something questionable, and a quick emergency vet trip instantly wipes out your savings. We built a smarter fix. The no annual fee Nibbles pet rewards card combines everyday rewards on pet care with quality, built-in pet insurance coverage. No clunky separate policies, no unexpected ER bill shock—just seamless protection sitting right in your wallet.

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Losing Hair, Not Heart: Why Your Dog Might Suddenly Be Shedding Their Coat (and What to Do)

Finding extra fur on the couch is a standard part of dog ownership, but discovering sudden, patchy bald spots or a thinning coat can instantly set off alarm bells. Before you panic, take a deep breath. Sudden hair loss in dogs, sometimes known as alopecia, is a very common issue with a wide variety of manageable causes.

The Common Culprits Behind Sudden Hair Loss

Hair loss is rarely a standalone issue; it is usually a symptom of an underlying trigger. The most frequent causes fall into a few key categories:

• Unwelcome Guests (Parasites): Fleas, mites (Demodex or sarcoptes), and lice love to make themselves at home in your dog’s fur. Parasites cause intense itching, leading your dog to chew, scratch, and lick until the fur comes out in clumps.
• Allergies & Skin Infections: Just like us, dogs can suffer from environmental allergies (pollen, dust mites) or food sensitivities. The constant scratching breaks the skin barrier, often leading to secondary bacterial or yeast infections that cause even more fur to fall out.
• Hormonal Imbalances: Conditions like hypothyroidism (an underactive thyroid) or Cushing’s disease can cause symmetrical hair loss—meaning fur thins evenly on both sides of the body—often without any itching at all.
• Stress and Anxiety: Major lifestyle changes, moving to a new home, or loud environments can trigger stress grooming. Pups sometimes obsessively lick a specific spot (like a paw or flank) to self-soothe, resulting in bare patches.
• Seasonal Shedding vs. Sudden Alopecia: Seasonal "blown coats" affect the entire body evenly. If the hair loss is patchy, inflamed, scabby, or concentrated in specific areas, it goes beyond normal shedding.

How to Help Your Furry Friend

1. Schedule a Vet Visit: Because the causes range from simple fleas to complex endocrine issues, an accurate diagnosis is essential. Your vet can perform skin scrapings, allergy panels, or blood work to target the exact issue.
2. Resist the Urge to Self-Treat: Avoid applying human creams or home remedies until you know the cause. Some topical treatments can be toxic to dogs if licked off, or can make certain skin conditions worse.
3. Prevent the Scratch Cycle: If your dog is chewing themselves raw, use an e-collar (cone) or a soft recovery suit temporarily to let the skin heal.
4. Evaluate Daily Habits: Ensure flea and tick preventatives are up to date, keep bedding clean using unscented detergents, and maintain a high-quality, omega-rich diet to support skin health.

Your dog's coat is a window into their overall health. While sudden fur loss isn't always an emergency, it is good to be aware of changes in your pup's appearance. With some quick action, your pup can be back to their old self in no time.

Dog Food and Supplement Recalls

Here are the recent recalls and advisories:

• FI - Pet Supplements: Potential Salmonella Contamination
• Northwest Naturals - Chicken Recipe: Potential Salmonella and/or Listeria Monocytogenes Contamination
• Fromm - Wet Canned Dog Food: Potential Metal Contamination
• Oma's Pride - Canine Food: Contaminated with Salmonella
• Pedigree - High Protein Chopped Chicken & Duck Flavor Wet Dog Food: Potential Plastic Contaminants

Want to help find lost pets?

Download our RoverAlert app to receive notifications of missing pets in your area.

We want to feature your pup!

We want to share your pup with our pack. Email us your favorite doggy pic or video with your pup’s name, and we'll try to feature it as a family photo in one of our upcoming newsletters or on our Facebook page.

*Sponsored by Nibbles. Nibbles is not a bank. The Nibbles Card is issued by Lead Bank. Other fees and T&Cs apply. Rewards & pet insurance offered by Nibbles, not Lead Bank. Base pet insurance policy paid for one eligible pet by Nibbles. See nibbles.com for details. Nibbles does not operate in CT, NY, MN, WA, CO, HI, MA, or ME.