Inherited / Genetic Disorders in Dogs

The staff at our hospital would like to develop a close relationship with you and your pet. You will find that among the members of our staff, we have interest and expertise in many species and specialties. Hopefully, your pet will never require more than routine care, but sometimes more complex issues arise.

In many cases, early detection and monitoring can help prevent problems and provide long-term management of existing conditions. We have found great satisfaction in keeping our patients comfortable and happy! Because some health conditions have a genetic basis, we know that puppies of certain breeds are more likely than average to show specific problems. We would like to offer you help with early detection of these, so that their effects, if present, can be minimized. Please scan the list below; it is an illustration of how pervasive genetic diseases are. If your breed is listed, please ask a member of our staff about the linked disease, screening test(s), and recommendations.

German Shepherd

This list is just a sample and is not exhaustive; ask us if your pet is pre-disposed to something so that we can discuss how to help. Some problems, such as heart valve disease, dental/periodontal disease, and skin allergies are seen in many breeds. Some of our suggestions may be hospital-oriented (lab-work, X-rays, etc.) while some may relate to home management. For example: a large breed puppy that is checked for hip dysplasia may have a long, relatively comfortable life if he/she avoids games of Frisbee and long runs; a King Charles Cavalier Spaniel placed on cardiac drugs pre-emptively may significantly increase its life expectancy.

King Charles Cavalier Spaniel

When should these problems be addressed? Before the problem is so severe that your pet is showing symptoms. More often than not, a few simple tests can give a diagnosis. From there, we work with you to keep your pet comfortable and symptom-free.

Boxer

BREED	DISEASE/DISORDER	TEST
Beagle, Large Breeds	Hypothyroidism	Thyroid Blood Tests
Boxer, Cocker, Doberman	Cardiomyopathy	EKG, X-ray, Ultrasound
Boxer, Golden Retriever	Cancer – Various types	Physical Exam, Biopsy
Bernese Mountain Dog	Malignant Histiocytosis	Physical Exam, Blood Tests
Chinese SharPei	Renal Amyloidosis	Urinalysis, Blood Tests
Cocker Spaniel, Welsh Terrier and others	Glaucoma	TonoPen Ocular Pressure Monitoring
Dalmatian, Schnauzer	Urinary stones/ Obstruction	Urinalysis, X-ray, Ultrasound
Doberman, Rottweiler	Von Willebrand"s “hemophilia”	Blood test, Clotting Profile
King Charles Cavalier Spaniel	Mitral Insufficiency	EKG, X-ray, Cardiac Ultrasound
Large breeds (Lab, Golden, Shepherd, etc.)	Hip Dysplasia	PennHip X-ray of pelvis
Toy Breeds	Patella Luxation “loose kneecap”	Physical Exam
Wheaten Terrier	Glomerulonephropathy, Protein Losing Enteropathy	Urinalysis, Blood tests, Endoscopy and Biopsy

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