8 Dog Breeds with the Most Health Issues
Few things are as hard on pet owners as watching their beloved pets struggle with pain and illness. Pets — dogs in particular, with their empathetic personalities and loyal dispositions — become essential members of our family, and we’re willing to go to great lengths to keep them healthy and thriving.
Which breeds have the most health complications?
Even though some breeds are more prone to health conditions than others, there’s no guarantee that any dog will, or won’t, develop common health complications. However, there are some perennial truths that seem to play a factor — like mutts are often healthier than purebreds or smaller dogs tend to live longer than large dogs. Still, overall, there’s a lot still to learn about which pets will and won’t be susceptible to certain illnesses.
With that said, here are eight breeds that are commonly considered to be at risk for illness, injury, and in some cases, a shorter lifespan:
1. Cocker Spaniel
These pups, with their sweet faces and long, soft ears will tug at your heart. Unfortunately, they’re also known for having a tendency toward many different health problems, including eye, joint, thyroid, or heart conditions.
2. German Shepherd
These dogs can be wonderful additions to the family — loving, protective, playful, obedient. But they’re also prone to a host of complications. Like the Cocker Spaniel, German Shepherds can run the gamut on health disorders, including everything from allergies and nose infections to bladder, joint complications(especially hip dysplasia), pancreas disorders, and thyroid disease.
3. Bulldog
These adorable little creatures have a lot of personality, but breeding has left them genetically predisposed to a variety of unfortunate conditions — like major respiratory problems, skin allergies and related conditions, overheating, degenerative spine disease, and eye problems.
4. Golden and Labrador Retrievers
While these two breeds differ in health conditions, there are also a lot of similarities and overlap. Both dogs tend to suffer from hip and elbow dysplasia, osteosarcoma (bone cancer), ear troubles, skin allergies, and obesity.
5. Saint Bernard
As with many larger dogs, Saint Bernards tend to have a shorter lifespan and can be riddled with health complications along the way. Common ailments for these gentle giants include hip and elbow dysplasia, osteosarcoma (bone cancer), abnormal eyelids and eyelashes,
6. Basset Hound
Bred to be excellent badger trackers that hunters could follow on foot, breeding has left Basset Hounds with a range of health conditions. Their hearty bone structure, but short legs, puts extra strain on their backs and can lead to bulging discs and stress on joints. Osteochondrosis dissecans, thrombopathy (a blood disorder), inflammation in the ears, and obesity are not unusual for these dogs.
7. Rottweiler
Rottweilers are a large, strong breed known to be highly susceptible to hip and elbow dysplasia, but there are many other conditions they suffer from as well. These include Von Willibrand’s disease (affects blood clotting), hypothyroidism, Addison’s disease (a disease of the adrenal gland), and high rates of cancer. Like many large dogs, they generally have a lifespan of just 8 – 10 years.
8. Newfoundland
These massive dogs are extremely intelligent and very loving. But like many large breeds, they have a shorter lifespan of just 8 – 10 years and they tend to have a lot of health issues. Some of these include gastric torsion (sometimes known as “bloat”, and can be quite serious), Von Willibrand’s disease, eyelid and eyelash conditions (which can lead to decrease or loss of vision), sub-aortic stenosis (heart defect obstructing blood flow out of the heart), and a host of other diseases.
Things you can do to minimize suffering
Not only does poor health take a toll on your dog, but it also can take a toll on your emotions and your pocketbook. For these reasons, it’s a good idea to do a little research when considering getting a new pup.
Educate yourself early
One way to minimize the odds of health issues is by educating yourself early. Even if you already have one of the breeds above, you can save your fur-baby some unnecessary pain by becoming familiar with common issues, learning to recognize symptoms, and taking preventative measures to minimize or slow many complications.
Explore traditional and non-traditional treatments
Some pet owners have reported good results with non-traditional and homeopathic methods, like acupuncture and chiropractic care, and supplements. However, you’ll want to make sure any provider you work with is reputable and can provide references.
Another non-traditional treatment that is showing exceptional results is stem cell therapy. By introducing healthy, young stem cells to the tissue, these therapies address the root cause of injuries and age-related illnesses by healing from within. However, timing is critical — it’s important to look into this before your puppy is spayed or neutered for the most minimally invasive stem cell extraction.
Find a reputable breeder
If you aren’t yet a dog owner and are still deciding which breed you’ll be getting, finding a reputable breeder will serve you well. That’s because a good breeder can be the difference between a healthy and unhealthy dog — regardless of breed.
Any breeder you work with should be able to demonstrate that they’ve done due diligence and had their dogs screened for many common issues through organizations like the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA). This helps decrease the odds your pup will suffer many of the common maladies others do. If the breeder you’re meeting with can’t show verification that they’ve had their dogs screened for ailments associated with poor breeding practices, move on to another breeder who can.
Good health is more than genetics
Even though some breeds are more prone than others to diseases and injury, there’s no guarantee that any dog will develop them. If you’re already an owner of one of the above breeds, simply being aware of symptoms and proactively taking steps to mitigate injury or illness can help your four-legged buddy live a pain-free life.
