This article will discuss five of the medical conditions and diseases affecting large breed dogs.

There are many ailments and conditions that are more prevalent in large breed dogs. Until further medical studies can be conducted and a pattern of inheritance established for these ailments and conditions, dogs that have a risk for these diseases will be said to have breed predisposition. If a breed of dog is known to have an inherited condition each animal should be tested before breeding with another. The only way to prevent the spread of known ailments or condition is to not breed a carrier of the disease. Since some ailments or conditions may skip a generation or two before appearing in the breed, there is no fool proof way to stop a genetic disorder from being passed on.

One of the most common heart defects found in large breed dogs is congenital aortic stenosis. With aortic stenosis the heart must work harder to pump an adequate blood supply because of an obstruction to the flow of blood. Just as in humans, dogs can have mild to severe aortic stenosis. With mild stenosis a dog will most likely show no signs of the disease and have a normal life expectancy. If the dog suffers from moderate to severe stenosis, their activity level will be greatly reduced due to the heart not pumping enough blood to the rest of the body. Over time the disease leads to the thickening of the heart muscle and this can eventually lead to an early death.

Getting medical check ups for your pet and catching aortic stenosis in the early stages may aid in the treatment.

Gastric Dilation Volvulus (GDV) or as it is commonly known as bloat, is predisposed to the deep-chested large breed dogs. Be aware that any dog can fall victim to this condition and unfortunately it is usually fatal. There is no definitive cause of GDV but over eating or drinking has been linked to some cases in predisposed breeds. During GDV, the stomach rotates (the stomach of a dog is securely fixed at the top in one spot) making the stomach distension painful and stretching the blood vessels reducing circulation to the stomach. This can damage the lining of the stomach which may lead to bacteria entering the bloodstream. Also the blood flow to the heart may be interrupted due to the pressure of major veins from the distended stomach. Receiving immediate medical attention is imperative as surgery is the only hope of the dog surviving.

Feeding your dog smaller meals three times a day instead of one big meal and limiting the amount of water they drink at one time may help prevent GDV. Also, placing their water and food dishes on an elevated food stand may aid in the digestion of their food.

Hypothyroidism is a common condition usually found in mid to large breed middle age dogs. This condition is caused when the thyroid gland is damaged or destroyed and not enough thyroid hormone is produced. The resulting effects of low thyroid production can be:

Page 1 of 2 :: First | Last :: Prev | 1 2 | Next