Imp and his weird shedding.

[niapet]

Each year, when Imp sheds, he does so in this odd fashion. It tends to form rings around the new hair, and sometimes the skin gets red dots and no hair grows. Some years he has had a bald but until fall. We have discovered, over the last few years, that a tea tree oil balm, applied while he is shedding to the skin, prevents the balding and he grows hair normally. Does anyone have any experience with this? I assume it must be some kind of fungal infection that activates in the spring, like Tinea versicolor (https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/color-problems/tinea-versicolor)

Lexi has Tinea versicolor (https://www.aad.org/public/diseases/color-problems/tinea-versicolor) so maybe he caught it from her? Maybe he has a squirrel skin condition that is similar?
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[HRT4SQRLS]

I don't know what this but I would be very careful with tea tree oil. There is a squirrel on TSB that was treated with tea tree oil for a skin condition and was poisoned. He almost died and has long term health issues associated with it. This was the oil. Maybe your balm is diluted, IDK.

[niapet]

My balm is a few drops of tea tree oil in about 100ml coconut oil. Tea tea oil is a good anti-fungal but I know it can be dangerous internally. I might try treating him with just the coconut oil. For all I know the coconut oil is smothering the fungus or his skin just needs hydration; not too mention when he smells the balm he bolts and I almost never get to put it on anyway. There is always a lot of dander around these areas, so dryness may be the issue, IDK.