Do Chinese Crested Dogs Have Health Problems? (Breed Risks)

Yes. Chinese Cresteds have a defined, well-documented set of breed-linked health problems, even though the breed is generally hardy and long-lived for its size. The common Chinese Crested health issues fall into four groups: skin and sun sensitivity in hairless dogs, missing or abnormally formed teeth, inherited eye disease including primary lens luxation and progressive retinal atrophy, and small-breed orthopedic problems such as luxating patellas. Powder puffs, the coated variety, come from the same litters and the same gene pool, so they share most of those risks apart from the skin and dental effects tied to the hairless trait.

That is the honest shape of the breed. Nothing on the list is a reason to avoid a Chinese Crested. All of it is a reason to buy from a breeder who DNA tests, and to build a few simple checking habits into your week.

What the hairless gene actually changes

The hairless coat is not a grooming choice. Research has linked the trait to a variant in the FOXI3 gene, which is involved in the development of ectodermal structures: hair, teeth, nails and glands. That is why hairlessness and dental differences travel together in this breed. One gene, two visible consequences.

Hairless Cresteds carry one copy of the variant. Powder puffs carry none, which is why two hairless parents can produce coated puppies in the same litter. The variant is understood not to be survivable when inherited from both parents, so every living hairless Crested is a carrier of a single copy and every powder puff is genetically coated.

The practical takeaway for an owner is this: when you read about Chinese Crested dog health problems, separate the ones driven by the hairless variant, which are skin and teeth, from the ones carried by the breed as a whole, which are eyes and joints. The second group applies to your dog whether or not it has a coat.

Skin and sun sensitivity in hairless Cresteds

Exposed skin is the defining care task of a hairless dog. Common findings include:

• Sunburn. Pink, thin and unpigmented areas burn quickly. Midday shade, a light shirt and a dog-formulated sun product are the usual approach. Ask your veterinarian which product to use, because some human sunscreens contain zinc oxide or salicylates that are not appropriate for a dog who will lick them.
• Comedones, often called blackheads. Plugged follicles along the back, chest and hindquarters are extremely common in hairless Cresteds. Gentle, vet-advised cleansing is the normal management. Squeezing them is not.
• Bacterial folliculitis and acne. Pustules, crusts and red bumps can follow blocked follicles and need a veterinary look rather than a guess, since treatment depends on what is actually growing.
• Dryness, cracking and cold intolerance. Hairless skin loses heat and moisture fast. Sweaters in winter are function, not fashion.
• Contact and environmental allergies. With no coat as a buffer, irritation from bedding, grass, shampoo and topical products shows up directly on skin.

One more skin rule that applies to every breed: any new lump, bump or growth should be checked by your veterinarian, and only a needle sample or biopsy can tell you what it actually is. Appearance alone does not settle it, and no supplement belongs anywhere near an undiagnosed mass.

Teeth: the most consistent problem in hairless dogs

If you ask long-time owners about common health problems with Chinese Cresteds, dentition comes up immediately. Hairless dogs frequently have missing teeth, especially premolars, and the teeth that are present are often small, conical or peg-shaped with narrow roots and crowded spacing. The same developmental pathway that leaves the skin bare shapes the mouth.

The consequence is not cosmetic. Crowded, irregular teeth trap plaque, and narrow-rooted teeth are easier to lose. Early periodontal disease and tooth loss are realistic for a hairless Crested who gets no dental care, and periodontal disease is painful long before a dog refuses food.

What helps is ordinary and unglamorous: daily brushing started young, veterinary dental examinations at routine visits, and professional cleaning under anesthesia when your vet judges it necessary. Dogs do not tell you their mouth hurts, so the examination is the detection system. A Crested who loses teeth anyway can live comfortably with a reduced dentition, but the tongue may hang out and dry food may need rethinking.

Powder puffs generally have normal dentition. That single difference is the clearest health distinction between the two varieties.

Eye conditions both varieties share

Eye disease is where the breed, not the coat, carries the risk.

Primary lens luxation (PLL) is the one to know. The fibers suspending the lens weaken and the lens slips out of position, which is painful and can raise pressure inside the eye. It has been associated with a mutation in the ADAMTS17 gene in several terrier-type and related breeds, including the Chinese Crested, and a DNA test is available. A sudden cloudy, red, squinting or obviously painful eye is a same-day veterinary problem, not a wait-and-see one. Ask any breeder for the parents' PLL test status before you ask anything else.

Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) causes gradual retinal degeneration and vision loss, typically beginning with night vision. DNA testing is available for the form documented in the breed, which is why responsible breeders test rather than hope.

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (dry eye) and secondary glaucoma also appear in small breeds and are managed by a veterinarian, often with an eye pressure check and tear testing as part of the workup.

The single most useful habit for a Chinese Crested owner is a weekly two-minute check of skin, mouth and eyes, because nearly every breed-linked problem on this list announces itself early to someone who is actually looking.

Joints, legs and mobility in a toy-sized frame

Chinese Cresteds are built light, and they carry the orthopedic profile of small breeds.

Patellar luxation is the most common of these. The kneecap slips out of its groove, producing the classic skip-step where a back leg is carried for a stride or two and then returns to normal. Grades range from an occasional slip to a kneecap that sits out of place. Mild cases are often monitored and managed conservatively; for higher grades, surgery is frequently the standard of care, and that decision belongs to your veterinarian or a veterinary surgeon after examination and imaging.

Legg-Calve-Perthes disease is also documented in small breeds, where the blood supply to the femoral head is disrupted in a young growing dog, causing hip pain and lameness. Persistent limping in a puppy or adolescent is a radiograph conversation, not a rest-it-and-see one.

Lean body condition does more for a small dog's joints than any other single variable an owner controls. Weight, controlled exercise, traction on slippery floors and ramps off furniture are the daily levers.

Powder puff health: same breed, different coat

Powder puff Chinese Crested health issues are the breed's issues minus the hairless variant's effects. Expect:

• Normal dentition in most dogs, with ordinary dental care still required
• No sunburn or comedone management, and far better cold tolerance
• The same PLL and PRA risk, so the same DNA testing questions apply
• The same patellar luxation and small-breed orthopedic risk
• A soft double coat that mats readily, so regular brushing and ear and skin checks under the coat matter, because problems hide under hair

Concern	Hairless	Powder puff
Sun exposure	High, needs shade, clothing, dog-safe sun product	Low, coat provides cover
Teeth	Often missing, peg-shaped, crowded; early loss possible	Usually normal dentition
Skin care	Comedones, folliculitis, dryness; routine cleansing	Standard care, watch under coat
Grooming load	Low brushing, high skin maintenance	High brushing, mat prevention
Inherited eye risk	PLL and PRA, DNA testable	PLL and PRA, DNA testable
Orthopedic risk	Patellar luxation, Legg-Calve-Perthes	Patellar luxation, Legg-Calve-Perthes
Cold tolerance	Poor, needs layers	Good

Key Takeaways

• Yes, Chinese Cresteds have breed-linked health problems, but the breed is generally long-lived and most issues are manageable when caught early.
• Skin and dental differences in hairless dogs trace back to the same hairless gene variant, so sun protection, follicle care and daily tooth brushing are the core routine.
• Primary lens luxation and progressive retinal atrophy affect both varieties and are DNA testable. Ask any breeder for results.
• A painful, cloudy or red eye is a same-day veterinary problem.
• Patellar luxation and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease drive the orthopedic picture; lean weight and good footing are the owner-controlled levers, and surgical decisions belong to your vet.
• Powder puffs share the eye and joint risks but usually skip the skin and teeth problems.

Where your veterinarian fits

For deeper reading, pawgen covers breed and mobility topics across its conditions library, publishes third-party certificates of analysis for every batch, lists its formulations in the shop, and sets out direct-to-door shipping details.