Health Problems
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The collapsed or collapsing trachea is most commonly seen in toy breeds and very small breeds of dogs such as the miniature Poodle, Yorkshire Terrier and the Pomeranian. It is also very common in the short muzzled or brachycephalic dogs such as the Shih Tzu, Pug, Bulldog, Boston Terrier and the Pekingese.
Collapsed tracheas can also be seen in almost any other dog that has an injury to the throat area, has a severe or persistent problem with kennel cough or another upper respiratory infection or disease, is extremely obese or has an enlargement of the heart that pushes against the trachea. In rare cases dogs that have under gone a surgical procedure and have had a breathing tube placed down the throat may have problems with collapse trachea later if the tube was incorrectly inserted or if the dog already had the condition and the insertion of the tube made it more severe. [...]
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Although any breed of dog can potentially develop congestive heart failure it is most commonly known to affect smaller breeds of dogs. To further add to the problem often these dogs exhibit few symptoms or signs to alert their owners to the ongoing, serious health condition that is slowly decreasing the heart's ability to function correctly. Since the signs of congestive heart failure are often very similar to what might be reasonable expected behaviors of an aging dog, often owners miss the first few subtle signs or assume they are just old age setting in.
There are three common and clear signs that owners of small breeds should be carefully monitoring their dogs for. These include decreasing energy and stamina levels, increased problems in breathing and increases in coughing either when exercising or when resting. [...]
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As the name implies, copper toxicosis is literally a poisoning or toxicity due to an over abundance of copper in the blood. Most dogs have a natural mechanism or metabolic process to allow the liver to effectively excrete or store copper in the body to aid in correct body functioning. In dogs with copper toxicosis the liver is either incorrectly secreting excess copper or it is the copper storage in the body is not functioning properly, causing the body to absorb and store copper until it reaches a fatally toxic level.
The pureblood dogs that are most commonly affected by this condition are the Bedlington Terrier, West Highland White Terrier and the Skye Terrier, although other terrier breeds can have the condition. Besides the obvious terrier breeds Doberman Pinschers, which do have a terrier component to their heritage are also known to have problems with copper toxicosis. [...]
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You may have noticed that your dog or puppy appears to have a metallic or opaque look to the outer layer of each eye, either in the middle or to the edges of the eye. In some breeds it may also appear like a crystalline growth in the eyes, or even as a smoky or smudgy area of the cornea. Any type of eye discoloration that is inherited, bilateral (affecting both eyes), and is not swollen or inflamed is known as corneal dystrophy. This condition is common in many different breeds of dogs and can strike at any age from just a few months old up to senior ages. Typically the condition affecting the dog's vision will slowly progress, decreasing sight in both eyes as the dog matures and ages. In some breeds the progression will be relatively slow while in others the condition rapidly leads to vision loss. [...]
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Corneal ulcer is the correct medical term for any type of painful irritation to the corneal or outer protective layer of they eye. Corneal ulcers can happen from a variety of normal circumstances but they can also occur from specific medical conditions and diseases. In dogs the most common forms of corneal ulcers include scrapes and scratches of the eye or eyes from grass, debris or even the dog's own claws, entropion or eyelashes rolled inward to the eyeball, dry eye conditions resulting in abrasion or rubbing of the surface of the eye without lubrication and infections in the eye.
Corneal ulcers are typically noted by increased watering or tearing as the eye tries to soothe the irritated and painful area, refusal to open the eye or squinting, thick discharge from the eye or a red irritated appearance to the eye in mild cases. The dog may try to scratch at his or her eye continually or may rub the side of the head along the ground, on furniture or even against your hand or leg. [...]
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Cushing's disease, more correctly known as hyperadrenocorticism is caused when the adrenal glands produce too much glucocorticoid, a natural steroid hormone. This overproduction can occur when the adrenal glands themselves are not functioning properly or when the pituitary gland overproduces the compound ACTH or adrenocorticotropic hormone, which in turn overstimulates the adrenal glands to produce the glucocorticiod. The adrenal gland malfunctioning type of Cushing's disease only occurs in about 20% of diagnosed cases with the pituitary overproduction of ACTH making up the rest of the 80%. Regardless of which of the two causes occurs, the general symptoms will be the same although the treatment options will be different. [...]
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We have all heard of how excruciatingly painful kidney stones are in humans, imagine how painful and frightening this condition must be to a dog that cannot explain what he or she is feeling. Cystinuria is a congenital genetic defect, which means that puppies are born with the condition but it may not become developed until the puppies mature. That is not to say the puppies may not have trouble with kidney stones even at a young age, it will vary greatly from dog to dog. Factors such as overall health, other presenting genetic or congenital problems or even kidney and bladder infections can make this situation more problematic at younger ages. Breeds that are known to have problems with kidney stones include Scottish Deerhounds, Mastiffs, Newfoundlands, Boxers, Cairn Terriers, Corgis and Labrador Retrievers. [...]
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Hind leg paralysis, commonly known as Dachshund paralysis is most common in the long backed breeds. The Dachshund has been bred for centuries to have a disproportionately long back with short little legs to support his or her weight on either end. This results in a huge problem for the long spine, especially close to the middle where there is little support and the bulk of the weight. For Dachshunds that are obese this problem can become even more pronounced, however even very fit Dachshunds can have this problem if they injure their back jumping up or down or twisting. [...]
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Nothing is as horrible for a dog owner as to see their beloved pet slowly lose the ability to move without being able to do anything about it. Unfortunately for those dogs diagnosed with degenerative myelopathy this is just the case. The disease causes a malfunction in the signals between the brain and the hindquarters, resulting in gradual loss of functioning of the back legs that is similar to a paralysis.
The breeds most often associated with degenerative myelopathy are not typically the long backed breeds, although it would be logical to assume these breeds would have the most problems. German Shepherds, Irish Setters, Chesapeake Bay Retrievers and the Welsh Corgis are the breeds most commonly diagnosed with the condition. Since it is more prevalent in specific breeds there is likely a genetic component to the condition although it has not been isolated at this time. [...]
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Many breeds of dogs have brown, hazel or even yellow eyes, but there are also some breeds that are more prone to blue eyes, commonly referred to as glass eyes. The breeds most commonly associated with glass eyes include Australian Shepherds, Blue Heelers, Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldogs, Catahoulas, Siberian Huskies, Corgies, Dachshunds and Shetland Sheepdogs. Any other dog breed could potentially have a blue eye or glass eye, but in many breeds the rare blue color is considered a disqualification in the show ring, but does not mean that the dog cannot be registered. Glass eyes do not indicate damage to the eye and there is no indication that the dog is not able to see equally well through any colored eye, despite many myths to the contrary. There is no breed standard that only allows for blue eyes, but it is favored in many of the breeds by breeders looking for flash in their breeding line. [...]
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Growing pains are normal in any type of mammal and occur where there are growth spurts or rapid development in the long bones of the skeleton. In dogs this is typically in the front leg or humerus bones or the hind leg tibia or femur bones. While some growing pains are to be expected, especially since the giant and large breeds of dogs mature and grow so rapidly, there are also several different conditions that can occur that are serious medical conditions and are not average growth related issues.
One of the most common of these growing pain disorders is known as Panosteitis. This condition is noted by intermittent lameness in all the legs or just in the front or back legs, sometimes at different times or occasionally in all four legs at the same time. The greatest problem is that the condition will come and go, sometimes lasting only a few days or even up to two or more weeks. [...]
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When it comes to dogs that like to swim, ear care becomes of utmost importance. This is especially true for the American Water Spaniel. The ear canal of a dog has a much different shape than a humans. Furthermore, with the American Water Spaniel's ears covering the canal's opening, air flow is greatly reduced. Even in dogs that don't swim, this can provide a warm moist place where bacteria easily flourish. With dogs that do like to swim, adding water to the equation can make things even worse. Ear infections are known to be a very common problem for water dogs. Those who opt for an American Water Spaniel should expect to make ear care a weekly routine. [...]
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You know how much it hurts when your lips are dry and chapped, well now imagine how it would feel to have the end or part of your tongue always dry and cracked. That is exactly what dogs with hanging tongue syndrome have to deal with every day. Although many smaller breeds such as the Mexican Hairless, Chihuahua, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and some of the brachycephalic breeds such as Pugs are most prone to the condition it can also be seen in larger breeds such as the German Shepherd.
The condition is caused by an injury or trauma to the jaw or muzzle, a neurological problem or an anatomical malformation that prevents the dog from pulling his or her tongue back into the mouth. Normally dogs will pant and even sit with their tongues hanging out to stay cool, but they do pull the tongue back in to swallow and to moisten the surface. [...]
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There are several different kinds of heart diseases that can affect puppies and dogs. Just like with people, some dogs appear more likely to get these disease based on their genetic make-up as well as their lifestyle and nutrition. In some cases heart disease are more problematic within the breed as a whole and reputable breeders continue to carefully select breeding pairs to avoid any problems with passing on the condition to future generations.
One type of heart disease that can happen in almost any breed of dog is a congenital heart condition. This is a heart malformation or disease that is present when the puppy is born. It can be genetic or be caused by a birth defect or injury or trauma when the puppy was developing. Often females that are stressed through disease, poor nutrition or injury during pregnancy are far more likely to have puppies with congenital conditions. [...]
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Heat prostration, more commonly known as heat stroke, is a potentially fatal disease for any breed of dog, even those that are used to hot climates. Heat stroke in dogs is very similar to the condition seen in humans and occurs when the dog's internal cooling system is not able to sufficiently regulate the body temperature, leading to heart failure and death.
The breeds that are at the greatest risk for heat stroke are very active large or giant breeds and breeds that have the pug-type nose known as brachycephalic dogs. In the pug-nosed breeds the air passages that cool the air in the nose are too short to allow for proper temperature changes, resulting in breathing problems and extra stress on the body in extreme heat conditions. In the larger, active breeds the dogs simply don't realize that they are overheating until it is too late and they have begun to have problems in functioning. [...]
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Health Problems
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