Hairless Pets (and other animals).

Hairless pets are popular as novelties and for people with allergies to hair. However they have special needs that should be carefully considered before acquiring a hairless animal.

Cats

Hairless cats are referred to as Sphynx cats or the Canadian Hairless. They are not a pedigree breed per se as outcrossing is allowed so long as the very sparse fine coat is retained. Sphynx cats are bought mainly as a curiousity or fashion statement, and in some cases owners have even had their hairless cats adorned with tattoos.

Dogs

Hairless dog breeds include:

• The American Hairless Terrier: developed from rat terriers in the 1970s.
• Chinese Crested (which comes in haired and hairless forms)
• Hairless Khala: Khala translates as "with no clothing" and this general tyoe exists in variation in cluding the terrier-like Khala Medio and the longer legged Khala Grande.
• Peruvian Inca Orchid
• and Xoloitzcuintle.

Horses

Hairless horses are very rare and often die before reaching maturity. Historical examples include Blue Bell and Wild Nell. Some more recent hairless foals are documented here.

Nude lines were developed from a spontaneous mutant discovered in 1962. These mice are used in research because they readily development of cancers, and so are useful for cancer research. The 'nude mouse' is interesting not only because it lacks hair, but also because it does not have a thymus. This means it does not produce T-cells and so has an impaired immune system. The nude mouse is an albino, as can be seen by its red eye color.

Rats

Hairless rats were developed from curly-hair 'rex' rats. Hairlesness is a recessive trait and so must be carried by both parents. Hence hairless rats are sometimes refered to as 'double-rex'.

The hairless guinea pig is relatively rare on the pet trade. This line was developed for laboratory use.  However there are two general varieties of hairless guinea pig that can be purchased as a pet.  One is sparsely haired and sometimes called the 'skinny' pig. It was developed in the 1970s and usd in skin research.  The other is fully hairless, sometimes called the Baldwin guinea pig (pictured) and which was developed from the white crested cavy.  Baldwin guinea pigs are born with hair but shed it until the become completely hairless.

Fox

Several foxes have been sighted that seem to be genetically hairless. These foxes have been sighted in several locations and seem to lack hair follicles rather than having lost their hair due to a condition such as mange.One particular hairless fox in Steamboat Springs became somewhat famous as a golf-ball thief.

Squirrel

A hairless squirrel was cared for at St Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital in the United Kingdom in 2008. The male squirrel was named "Smoothie". The cause of his condition was unknown. Hair loss in squirrels typically has the rather mundane cause of mite infestation.

Coyotes

Coyotes often suffer from mange which will cause hair loss. This can cause them to be mistaken for mythical chupacabras.

Mysterious hair loss sometimes occurs in zoo animals. Ashes the chimpanzee lost his hair by the time he turned one year old. A German zoo had several bears that lost their hair.

In humans, complete absence or loss of hair is referred to as Alopecia universalis. It is an automimmune disorder when the the body attacks the hair follicles.

This condition also occurs in other primates such as the chimpanzee.