Are you thinking about adding a canine companion to your household? Then you might be thinking about which breed would be best for your lifestyle and your family. With so many different dog breeds to choose from, this can be a difficult process. One way to narrow down your choices is by looking at dog breeds that are most prone to illness. A few of them are listed below. If you do decide to adopt one of these dogs, just be aware of their potential health problems and keep an eye out for symptoms.
Miniature Australian Shepherd
The Miniature Australian Shepherd is a beautiful dog with a great personality. However, these dogs are prone to developing a variety of health problems that include anxiety, allergies, cancer, arthritis, destructive behaviors, dermatitis, hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, separation anxiety, skin and coat problems, and seizures. This means that you will need to take some extra steps every day to ensure the health and happiness of your precious pooch.
Saint Bernard
The massive Saint Bernard may look strong and tough, but his body could end up developing a host of problems. Keep an eye out for symptoms that are associated with gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV), which is more commonly referred to as torsion or bloat. These dogs could also come down with dilated cardiomyopathy, cataracts, epilepsy, allergies, entropion, hip dysplasia, and elbow dysplasia.
Poodle
One of the most popular dog breeds is the Poodle, but before you head out and get one, consider the fact that these dogs could develop a variety of health problems. These include hypothyroidism, Legg-Perthes Disease, progressive retinal atrophy, sebaceous adenitis, Addison’s disease, epilepsy, and hip dysplasia, among others.
Cocker Spaniel
The adorable and social Cocker Spaniel is yet another dog breed that has a very high risk of developing a health problem at some point in his life. These dogs are prone to heart disease, liver disease, epilepsy, and orthopedic issues. If you are planning on getting a Cocker Spaniel, talk to your vet about some ways that you can work on preventing these problems before they occur.
Pug
The sweet little Pug is yet another canine breed that could develop a series of health problems over the course of his life. These conditions include patellar luxation, hip dysplasia, allergies, eye problems, nerve degeneration, Pug Dog Encephalitis (PDE), cheyletiella dermatitis, and epilepsy, among others.
Beagle
Beagles can be a lot of fun, and they can definitely be high-energy dogs. But it is important to know that your playtime loving dog is also prone to developing a few different health problems. These include Beagle dwarfism, hypothyroidism, patellar luxation, epilepsy, distichiasis, intervertebral disk disease, hip dysplasia, glaucoma, cherry eye, and progressive retinal atrophy, to name a few.
Pomsky
Pomsky is one of the newer breeds, half Siberian Husky and half Pomeranian. The good side is that mixed breed dogs have fewer health problems than full bred dogs. On the other hand, the Pomsky could inherit health problems from both breeds. For example, Huskies are likely to have a displacement of the urethra or hip dysplasia. From Pomeranian parent the dog can develop heart problems, dislocated kneecaps or slipped stifle. Both lineages share several eye or skin issues, such as cataracts or zinc responsive dermatitis. Health problems aside, they do shed a lot.
Now that you know about a few of the dog breeds that are most prone to illness, you can make the right choice when it comes to purchasing a dog from a reputable breeder or adopting one from a breed-specific rescue center. Remember that every dog is unique, so just because a breed is predisposed to certain health problems does not necessarily guarantee that your pet will develop those problems in his lifetime.
