# 2" round bald spot on back thigh



## bocacutie (Jul 15, 2008)

My 2 1/2 yr old Maltese seemingly overnight developed a large bald spot on her back above the thigh --- it's not red, itchy or inflamed, and the skin is smooth. Tests for ringworm, mites were negative and I was told it could be either food or environmental allergies, leaving me in total limbo as to which it could be. My vet told me to give her melatonin to restore the hair but it's been over a month and I don't see any new hair growth. Has anyone else had a similar problem??? I've googled every dermatology web site and nothing listed seems to fit her situation...most atrophy begins at the head area or appears on both sides of the body or is more common in different breeds.


----------



## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

I have no idea. Had you seen her scratching there? Could she have rubbed it out there? Was there ever an encounter with another dog where it could have pulled her hair out? Maybe someone else with more experience knows what's up. Sorry about it though :mellow:


----------



## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

Was she given any vaccine injection in that area? I know some dogs get bald spots where their rabies shots are injected but that's usually around the neck area.


----------



## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

Cosy said:


> Was she given any vaccine injection in that area? I know some dogs get bald spots where their rabies shots are injected but that's usually around the neck area.


That's what I first thought too. I did a quick search and since parasites/infections have been ruled out it seems the other causes most common are hormonal imbalance and food allergy.


----------



## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

:thumbsup: You might try something called "Peace & Kindness" (google it) for a while to see if it works---it will take a while if it does, so don't give up. I have a friend who is a medical doctor & he told me they learned about it in med school (he is in his 50s). So that is to say it won't hurt in any case! I use it for lots of things!
Good luck on finding solutions.


----------



## bocacutie (Jul 15, 2008)

*3 year rabies shot was the culprit!*

Thanks so much for your postings! After googling my life away for months I found a post on another website with the exact same problem and the bald spot was caused by a rabies shot. My vet confirmed that was probably it, since they injected her above her right thigh and rabies shots are the vaccines that create the most problems. I got her a 3 year shot (big mistake) and she obviously couldn't handle that much dosage. Something to think about if you're going to do the 3-yr. shots!


----------



## Cosy (Feb 9, 2006)

Actually, the 3 yr shot is the same as the one yr. It's just called by that name since the law in that area allows them to only be vaccinated every three yrs. Yes, rabies injections can cause hair loss at the injection site. The spot can also become larger over time.


----------



## Maidto2Maltese (Oct 19, 2004)

Cosy said:


> Actually, the 3 yr shot is the same as the one yr. It's just called by that name since the law in that area allows them to only be vaccinated every three yrs. Yes, rabies injections can cause hair loss at the injection site. The spot can also become larger over time.


Yes, that's right... 1 yr and 3 yr are actually the same dose.


----------



## revakb2 (Sep 8, 2006)

bocacutie said:


> Thanks so much for your postings! After googling my life away for months I found a post on another website with the exact same problem and the bald spot was caused by a rabies shot. My vet confirmed that was probably it, since they injected her above her right thigh and rabies shots are the vaccines that create the most problems. I got her a 3 year shot (big mistake) and she obviously couldn't handle that much dosage. Something to think about if you're going to do the 3-yr. shots!


Bogie also got a bald spot where he got the rabies shot. He had a terrible reaction with his first rabies shot. We almost lost him. The good news is his hair did grow back, but it took about six months before I could really see it. Bogie now gets a Benedryl shot before the rabies shot, and he does OK with that. He does not get any other shots with the rabies vaccine.


----------



## Silkmalteselover (Apr 1, 2010)

:huh: Just a suggestion.. google "hot spots" and see what comes up. It is common for dogs to get hot spots and they can "grow" big very quickly. Did the vet mention that possiblity?


----------



## munchkn8835 (May 23, 2010)

Ollie has a bald spot where he got a shot.


----------



## bocacutie (Jul 15, 2008)

It's been 9 months and no new hair is coming in yet, but thankfully the bald spot isn't growing. Here's what's really funny...I confronted my vet yesterday and she agreed that it was probably the rabies shot and THEN she said "as a protocol in our practice, we don't recommend the 3 year shots. And therefore we noted on your chart that "owner requested it." WHAT???? I said "You are the Vet! I am not! Why in the world, when I read that 3 year shots were available, didn't you tell me they aren't recommended by you???" Sheepishly, she could do nothing but agree with me. Please everyone out there, rabies shots (as she told me) are the most troublesome to dogs and if the one year shot works for yours (as it did for mine) then don't do the 3 year shot! One person wrote that the ingredients (potency) are the same as the one year shot and my vet said that's true. So let's pursue this further...if that's true, then why the difference between 1 year and the 3 year shots? I don't get it. Do you?


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

The difference is legal requirements. The vaccine must be labeled for 3 years for your rabies certificate to be valid for 3 years. It is one vaccine with 2 different labels.


----------



## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

I don't understand how they can be the same potency but labeled differently. Then aren't we overdosing our pups if we get the yearly vaccine? Is it all about the money? We pay more money for the 3 year that way our pup doesn't have to get the rabie vaccine yearly when in essence it's the same dose as the yearly. Some people can't afford to pay the price for the 3 year and opt for the yearly thinking that they are doing right by their pup by making sure they are up to date on the rabies vaccine since it is a state requirement. How can we go about getting this changed? 

I hope that this post comes across as i have meant it. I'm not very articulate and have the hardest time writing in words what i want to say.


----------



## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

Well, we're overdosing it every 3 years, too...which is why we should be supporting challenge studies for vaccines.


----------



## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

jmm said:


> Well, we're overdosing it every 3 years, too...which is why we should be supporting challenge studies for vaccines.


 
I just saw the challenge studies in a post that Marj posted the link too. I'm going to support the challenge. Duration of Immunity Study for Rabies Vaccine - Rabies Challenge Fund I never knew something like this existed. Thank you Marj and Jmm for bringing this to my attention.


----------



## Ladysmom (Oct 19, 2004)

jmm said:


> Well, we're overdosing it every 3 years, too...which is why we should be supporting challenge studies for vaccines.


:thumbsup: I just posted the link in Boca's other thread!

Duration of Immunity Study for Rabies Vaccine - Rabies Challenge Fund

Debbie, have you ever seen this article from the Wall Street Journal? 

*One company, Pfizer Inc., decided to test its one-year rabies vaccine on live animals and discovered it lasted for at least three years. It sells the identical formula simply packaged under different labels Defensor 1 and Defensor 3 to satisfy different state vaccination requirements. *

Wall Street Journal: Are Annual Shots Overkill?


----------



## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

Ladysmom said:


> :thumbsup: I just posted the link in Boca's other thread!
> 
> Duration of Immunity Study for Rabies Vaccine - Rabies Challenge Fund
> 
> ...


 
No i haven't Marj, thank you again for posting the link to this article. I'm going to go read it now. I have learned so much from you ladies on here.


----------



## lydiatug (Feb 21, 2012)

I have the same problem with my yorkie, and the spot keeps getting bigger. She is no longer able to be vaccinated for anything, due to increasing reactions and anaphylactic. It isn't increasing in size quickly...it has been about 2 years and has increased by about half again. Please let me know if you find out additional info, as I'm looking into this as well.


----------



## TwinkieQ56 (Jul 5, 2012)

Have any of your dogs got lumps or growths under their skin around the area where they have the bald spots? I just took my Maltese in to the vet because of a bald spot on his shoulder where he had had his shot. There is a growth under it. The vet did a biopsy on it.


----------



## ckanen2n (Jan 2, 2012)

I think there should be a class action suit over vaccines - Rabies in particular. I still have not given it to Gio (8 mod) and our new vet does not advocate for rabies. He told me the only reason in Gio's case would be liability if he bites someone.. He weighs 4 1/2 lbs and is never outdoors out of my sight!


----------

