VET Q&A; : Hairy Problems

Q: Our American water spaniel had a litter of 10 puppies eight weeks ago. One of the male puppies has no hair on the underside of his body, starting from under his chin. Our veterinarian couldn’t find anything wrong and suggested that it might be genetic. We talked to the breeder, who said that he had never seen one without hair. Do you have any ideas?--K.A. A: There are several classifications applied to defects of the skin and hair coat. The term hereditary suggests that the trait is derived from ancestry or obtained by inheritance. The term congenital means existing at birth, regardless of cause. An abnormality can be present at birth but not be hereditary; similarly, not all inherited defects are present at birth but may develop as the animal grows and matures.

The term for total baldness is alopecia. Partial hair loss or distribution is called hypotrichosis. Hypotrichosis has been reported in the miniature poodle, cocker spaniel, whippet, beagle and Labrador retriever, among others.

When hypotrichosis is present at birth, the chance of hair growth is very slight, and thus the management of the dog will depend on special care on the part of its owners. Skin without hair is predisposed to increased risk of injury and infection and requires frequent bathing and special grooming.