Can anyone help with advise or experience on this condition please ? My poor girl looks dreadful , two thirds of her torso is all blackened and she has lost lots of hair.The vet after 4 months , several blood tests and skin bioposies has confirmed that she is suffering from season affected alopecia. Although not unwell with this condition as it's purely cosmetic , I'm wondering if anyone has any advise on how to encourge the skin to return to normal pigmentation and hopefully the hair to regrow! Advise from the vet is 6mg Melatonin daily and more exposure to the sunlight. I have ordered some on the internet as not available over the counter in the UK. Can anyone recommend any other treatment that may help ?

My sisters 3 year old boxer bitch has been having similar problems. It started with hair loss on her side which spread to quite a large area, she had blood tests & biopsies, the vet said it was a form of alopecia. Then the front paws started to get itchy, (anal glands checked, not the cause), which got worse & worse despite daily washes in Malesab (I think). Next the bitch got itchy around her face and her scratching it caused scabs. The poor thing, she had pink itchy paws, scabby & bleedng face and a huge bald patch with big black blotches on it.

She had been on an exclusion diet to try to find the route of the problem, the vet suspects it's an alergy to something so has started with food. The dog is looking much better now, her itching has nearly gone and her big baldy patch is starting to slowly grow back, so hopefully they will get to the bottom of it.

In in all, I've probably been not much help here!! but I can sympatise with you as I know how much of a worry it has been for my sister.

ETA, my sisters boxer is white, so the black in the bald patch and the scabs on her face really show up, she looks like shes recovering from horrific injuries :(

My yellow lab has a small patch of it on her flank.The bald skin is very dark and i'm a bit paranoid about it spreading.As you say in your post about your girl it doesn't bother her at all.It looks strange though.I'm hoping that the summer will be a good one and the sun will do her good.She has been laying in the sun today and really enjoying it.Your girl is affected a lot,isn't she?Thank goodness it doesn't cause pain or suffering.I'll be interested to read what others have to say about it.Good luck with the treatment for her.

When I had boxers back in the eighties/nineties 2 of mine developed these patches after they were speyed.Vet said it was hormonal and told me to add vitapet to their diet.The hair came back and they never developed it again.

That's interesting,my poppy developed her patch the week before her first season,about six weeks ago.She is due to be spayed in about a months time,so you never know it might fix it.Meanwhile i'll have to do a mini comb over!:)

Thanks everyone for the info.It's interesting that dogsbody10 said her girls were affected after being speyed.Bella was speyed in Dec and I think that it's not a coincidence that the alopecia started soon after, however the vet disagrees. As Bella is red and white she does look awful , poor thing.Good job she's not vain unlike her mum.
I have been giving her Yumega supplement ( similar to vitapet ) and as she's feed on Royal Canin boxer I don't belive she's missing any nutrients.I have seen on a dog rescue site that they use a natural cream called Dermacton, ordering some today.So now the waiting for the Melotonin and Dermacton cream to see if any improvement.I 'll update you all.

Taking her out is interesting and seeing peoples reaction to her. I suppose alot of folk thing that she is suffering from a contagious condition or just neglected! I can't tell you how many times I have had to explain that it's hormonal and I really do care.

People could try vitamin B complex same as what you get for us humans.
If your dogs aren't allergic most of the B vits are in Brewers yeast.

Evening primrose oil and shampoo can also be beneficial.

Have the vet's tested for hypothyroidism too?
As this can also occur after spaying.

My boxer cassey who is now 10 years old  has suffered on and off for over 6 years with seasonal alopecia. The hair would come in winter and fall out in the summer, the hair colour has changed dramatically from a lovely bridle to a light brown colour it looks really odd, She now does not grow in any hair leaving the bald patches with a leathery / Tough feel to them along both her sides ( full length ) many people have stared at her through the years with nasty comments being said, she has been on 300mg Forthyron for years trying to control it, without and luck . I wish you all the best in finding some help for her.