Hair Fragility (Trichorrhexis Nodosa) in Alopecic Pomeranian Dogs

September 2024 in “ Veterinary Dermatology ”

Erin Brennan, Jonna Juhola, E. A. Ferguson, Anette Loeffler, Rosario Cerundolo, Anke Hendricks, R. Bond

trichorrhexis nodosa hair cycle arrest trichography hair fragility

TLDR Trichography is important for diagnosing hair fragility in Pomeranian dogs with hair cycle issues.

The study examined hair fragility in alopecic Pomeranian dogs with hair cycle arrest (HCA), focusing on trichorrhexis nodosa (TN). It involved 8 affected and 36 unaffected dogs, revealing that alopecic dogs had a significantly higher median of 66 fragility events per 10 mg of hair compared to 9.75 in unaffected dogs. This suggests that TN and other hair abnormalities may contribute to poor coat quality in these dogs. The study recommends routine trichography for Pomeranians with HCA and calls for further research to understand the pathophysiology and treatment of hair fragility events.

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