The best place to start is to get the dog onto a raw food diet, including raw vegetable grated into raw mince (chicken or beef) diced raw beef, or raw chicken wings. If dandelion leaves are available chop these and add to the food as they are high in copper and this is of benefit to skin conditions. About half a teaspoon twice daily would be sufficient for a Chihuahua. Give powdered seaweed daily half a teaspoon. See that the dog has access to plenty of exercise in sunlight. Boil marigold flowers or rosemary leaves in a saucepan and use this as a cooled wash to bathe the hairless areas daily. Get castor oil 250 mil bottle add 1 teaspoon of eucalyptus oil and rub this mix into the affected area daily.

Then ask the following questions the answers may have some relevance in diagnosing the cause of the condition:

* Is the animal a dog or a bitch

* Is it entire

* What is its hormone/season stage

* What age is the animal

* How long has the condition been evident

* Does anything you do improve or worsen the condition

* Does the animal or it's bedding have fleas

* Are there any sores on the bare patches or in the coat

* Has the skin thickened or changed colour on the naked areas

* Is there a particular area that is worse than others

* What area was affected first

* Has there been any reason for stress to be suspected

* How long have you owned the animal

* Have you travelled with the animal outside your usual area

* Are you shampooing too often

* Are you using a dog shampoo or a human shampoo

* What are you feeding the animal

* Is it a long coat or a smooth coat

* Does the animal spend more time inside than outside

* Do you have carpets on the floors where the dog spends time
 
 

As you can see from the list of questions it can be a very complex problem but in most cases relatively easy to effect a cure. Many times the animal has formed the habit of scratching long after the initial cause has been cleared up. Habits are hard to break and careful observation and management are necessary.