Disease Description: Dogs with this condition have hair loss at birth or by a few months of age, due to faulty development or a complete absence of some or all of the hair follicles from which the hairs normally grow. In some dogs other structures such as the sweat glands or the teeth are affected as well. The hair loss is not linked to coat colour as with colour dilution alopecia. See also ectodermal defect.

Inherit Mode: The mode of inheritance has not been established and probably varies, as does the condition itself, between breeds. Most cases have been seen in male dogs, suggesting a sex-linked inheritance.Some breeds have been intentionally bred to produce hairlessness, including the Mexican hairless dog and the Chinese crested dog.

Disease Symptom: The hairless (or alopecic) areas are commonlythe head, ears andabdomen. Where hair loss is more general, there is usually onlyminimal hair remaining onthe very top of the head, and at the end of the tail and legs. This issimilar to thepattern of hair growth in dogs that are bred to be hairless. This condition does not affect your dog'sgeneral health. Over time,the skin often becomes darkened and seborrheic (greasy, scaly andmalodorous). Dogs withpale skin will be more susceptible to environmental damage,particularly frostbite orsunburn.

Disease Cause: -

Disease Diagnose: Congenital hypotrichosis is suspected when a dog hasareas of hairloss (that do not worsen) from birth or shortly thereafter. Thediagnosis is confirmedthrough a skin biopsy, a simple procedure done with local anestheticin which yourveterinarian removes a small sample of your dog's skin for examinationby a veterinarypathologist. The biopsy will show the absence or severeunderdevelopment of hair folliclescharacteristic of this condition.

Treat Method: The hair loss is permanent. If seborrhea develops itcan be managed with anti-seborrheic shampoos.

Breeder Advice: Do not breed affected dogs or their parents. Wherethe conditionappears to be sex-linked (occurring only in males), the mothers arecarriers of the traitand should not be used for breeding.

Disease Description Source: Link