Health Problems Common In German Shepherds
We’re talking about one of those unmistakable dog breeds, despite being relatively new. We are referring to the imposing German Shepherds, intelligent, strong and obedient dogs, but which unfortunately suffer more and more from health problems due, in part, to irresponsible breeding.
A little history about German Shepherds
Before we delve into their health problems, it is useful to know the reason for these problems by talking, first of all, about the origin of this breed. For that, we don’t need to go far back in time, since it was towards the end of the 19th century that it was decided in Germany to carry out a “standardized” sheepdog program.
The goal was to achieve a vigorous, intelligent and hard-working breed of dog. To maintain these favorable traits for German shepherds and prevent them from “diluting”, a series of crosses was made. These crosses were performed both with members of the same family – what is known as consanguinity – and with unrelated individuals.
Hereditary Diseases of German Shepherds
Unfortunately, the indiscriminate crossbreeding of irresponsible and unknowing breeders has led the German Shepherd down a dangerous path. It turns out that inbreedings trigger genetic disorders that propagate generation after generation.
Hip dysplasia is perhaps the most common disease in German Shepherds. It has a hereditary origin, although other factors, such as lack of exercise or inadequate diet, also play a role. Dysplasia is a degenerative disease characterized by the incorrect fitting of the head of the femur to the hip. This causes the femur to dislocate, causing long-term lameness and osteoarthritis.
Regarding motor skills, German Shepherds are prone to cyclic lameness. It tends to be more frequent in males and is characterized by a rather “whimsical” lameness : it can appear and disappear in any of the limbs, although it usually decreases as the dog grows.
Glaucoma, a disease that affects the dog’s pupil and can lead to blindness, also has a hereditary origin in this breed. It is important to detect it early and prevent the animal from scratching its eyes.
Other common illnesses
German shepherds are subject to more diseases, some of which have a genetic component involved to a greater or lesser degree. For example, pancreatic insufficiency can affect this breed, causing the enzymes responsible for digestion to be destroyed, which causes poor digestion and loss of appetite and weight.
Von Willebrand disease is also a common disorder in German shepherds. It is characterized by a defect in blood clotting, which causes excessive bleeding and difficulty in wound healing.
Finally, illnesses caused by external agents – viruses, bacteria and parasites – can also manifest themselves in German Shepherds. Some of the most common are canine distemper or canine parvovirus, a viral illness that can be fatal.
In summary, if we want to avoid as much as possible that our German Shepherd gets sick, we always encourage the tutors to provide the dog with a healthy life, with a balanced diet and exercise guidelines suitable for each breed.
