Do you have a Chinese Crested, Sphinx, Mexican Hairless Dog, American Hairless Terrier or any of the other hairless breeds?Let me share tips to prepare them for air travel via cargo.

No matter what breed of dog or cat you may have, making efforts to ensure your pet is prepared and safe during air travel are paramount. Each breed will have commonalities based upon their features. Hairless breeds lack hair, or they are sparsely haired.They have specific needs due to their lack of a haircoat.

Pet owners must make concerted efforts to protect the skin of their hairless breed dog or cat, such as:

1. Limit exposure to direct sunlight.
2. Use pet-safe lotion to prevent dry skin.
3. Use of pet-safe sunscreen when going outside.
4. And during cold weather, they should wear clothing to provide warmth when going outside.

Hairless breeds are purpose bred to be hairless.As a result of the breeding, many of these breeds are genetically prone to developing medical conditions that should be monitored closely.

Such as:

• Chinese Crested- are prone to eye conditions leading to blindness, seizures, orthopedic conditions (luxating patella and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease), and dental disease.
• Sphinx Cats- often have difficulty regulating their body temperature and are prone to ear infections, periodontal disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and hereditary myopathy.
• Mexican Hairless Dogs- are prone to developing orthopedic conditions (hip dysplasia, patellar luxation), obesity, etc.
• American Hairless Terriers- are prone to orthopedic conditions (hip dysplasia, luxating patella, and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease), heart disease (murmurs), seizures, deafness, allergies, diabetes, etc.

As a pet owner of a hairless breed, you need to be mindful of these medical conditions that could impact your pet. Dogs and cats often mask clinical signs of disease; thus, it is recommended that they get a complete blood count (CBC) and internal organ function (IOF) panel to assess their internal organ systems.

• Prior to traveling with your hairless pet, please have your veterinarian review the medical records of your pet to ensure they are medically fit for travel.
• Bring along their essential items (pet-safe lotions/sunscreen, clothing, and food) when you travel.
• NOTE: Many airlines prohibit pets from wearing clothing during travel via cargo-to prevent them from overheating. It is very unlikely that an exception will be made for your hairless breed. Thus, make sure they have adequate bedding in their pet travel crate to provide warmth in the colder months and prevent overheating in warmer months.

If you have further questions regarding traveling with your hairless pet breed, please schedule an appointment with Dr. Nelva J. Bryant on the Contact Page.

References:

1. 6 Common Sphynx Cat Health Problems | Spot (spotpetins.com)
2. Know the Signs: 5 Most Common Health Issues in Chinese Cresteds (iheartdogs.com)
3. 9 Best Hairless Dog Breeds (thesprucepets.com)
4. Xoloitzcuintli: Mexican Hairless Dog breed characteristics & care (betterpet.com)
5. American Hairless Terrier Dog Breed Guide: Facts, Health & Care (alphapaw.com)