BMC Vet Res. 2026 Jul 13. doi: 10.1186/s12917-026-05724-0. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Alopecia X (AX)-also referred to as hair cycle arrest or Alopecia X-like syndrome-is a non-inflammatory disorder common in Pomeranians, though it frequently affects other breeds such as Alaskan Malamutes, Chow Chows, Schipperkes, and Poodles. Historically known by various names including growth hormone-responsive alopecia, castration-responsive alopecia and congenital adrenal hyperplasia-like syndrome, this condition represents a complex follicular arrest of “plush-coated” breeds. The etiopathogenesis remains unclear, and reliable, minimally invasive diagnostic biomarkers are lacking. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is essential for hair follicle cycling, and systemic deficiency has been hypothesized to contribute to canine alopecia. This study aimed to determine if serum IGF-1 concentrations differ between Pomeranian dogs with AX and healthy controls, and to evaluate the effect of neuter status on IGF-1 levels.
RESULTS: Thirty client-owned Pomeranian dogs (11 AX, 19 healthy controls) were enrolled. Serum IGF-1 concentrations were measured via a human competitive ELISA kit validated in-house for canine samples. Data were non-normally distributed and analyzed via Mann-Whitney U tests. No significant difference in serum IGF-1 was detected between alopecic (median: 62.0 ng/mL; range: 7.31-151) and healthy dogs (median: 51.8 ng/mL; range: 7.43-209.76) (U = 74, p = 0.200). Neuter status was significantly imbalanced between groups (63.6% of cases neutered vs. 10.5% of controls, p = 0.002). While neutered dogs exhibited numerically higher mean IGF-1 values than intact dogs within the alopecic group, this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.412). No correlation was found between IGF-1 and age or body weight.
CONCLUSIONS: Serum IGF-1 concentrations are not reduced in Pomeranian dogs with Alopecia X compared to healthy controls. Routine measurement of serum IGF-1 is not recommended as a diagnostic test for AX. The role of gonadectomy in modulating the GH/IGF-1 axis in this breed requires further investigation with larger, balanced cohorts.
PMID:42443886 | DOI:10.1186/s12917-026-05724-0
