WHAT IS THIS PAGE?

Providing you with information that may help save your canines life. Early signs of some well known diseases with larger breeds, while bringing you awareness and ending the stigma that comes with these large breeds.

**Please note: We are not canine professionals. We have only the knowledge that is provided to us based on research.***

Most Common Diseases in Larger Breeds

In all canines, health diseases will arise regardless of size. Keep a look out for cancer, distemper, Parvo, heartworm, ringworm and a few more.

With larger breeds, the most frequent cause of death for canines are cancer and kidney disease. About 80-90% suffer from arthritis.

The most common diseases with the size of these canines will be bone cancer, bloat, hypothyrodism, lymphoma, cardio related diseases like DCM/CHF and splenic mass.

Bone Cancer

This type of specialized cancer is called osteosarcoma and can most likely be found around the joints of the shoulder, knee, and wrists. Normally, the older the dog is, a swelling in the affected part and eventually the dog will begin limping. Cancer eats away at the bone which will cause lesions that will allow breaks and fractures happen easily. If you noticing any swelling on any limps or they are limping, please seek to have it check out immediately.

Bloat

This condition includes twisting of the stomach. Normally it is called Gastric Dilatation/Volvulus or GDV. This occurs in the deep chested built breeds but can appear in any dog of any size. Never overfeed your canine! Encourage them to eat slowly to avoid swallowing excess air as well as exercise until digestion is finished.

Once the stomach fills up with air, it may twist and cause extreme pain to the dog. The twist prevents air from escaping and dogs will often attempt to vomit as a reflex to their stomach bloating. The special bacteria in the stomach continues to produce gas which then worsens the issue, thus, leaving the dog extremely uncomfortable, painful, unable to eat while showing signs of not their usual selves.

In more advanced cases, the stomach/abdomen will become very distended as the gas builds ending in an emergency visit to the animal hospital for surgery ASAP! If you dog bloats, they will need to be seen immediately, as the stomach lining will begin to die (necrose) from lack of blood flow. If it ruptures as the pressure builds up, this will lead to a deadly infection! The surgery is called Gastropexy.

Hypothyrodism

Any dog can have low thyroid hormone levels, but this disease is more common in the larger breeds. They may experience weight gain despite a normal or small appetite, low energy, and hair loss/skin changes. A simple blood test should be performed to indicate if their level is low, and if so, a daily medication can supplement the hormone and return them back to normal.

DCM/CHF

Dilated Cardiomyopathy/ Congestive Heart Failure are 2 very serious cardio diseases that have unfavorable outcomes majority of the time. Once diagnosed, the life expentency of the canine can be within 6-24 months. Dietery DCM can sometimes reverse changes to the heart and it may provide a favorable outcome.

DCM resutls in a progressive heart muscle that starts to dysfunction, the chamber dialtes, eventually turning into CHF. What causes this condition is unknown but genetic factors can play a role.

Possible symptoms of DCM/CHF:

• Fast breathing when resting or sleeping (> 30-35 breaths per minute)
** Note: for details on how and why to evaluate this in your dog see the section on evaluating home breathing rates below
• Increased effort associated with breathing
• Restless sleeping, moving around a lot and changing positions
• Coughing or gagging
• Weakness • Reduced ability to exercise
• Collapse or fainting
• Decreased appetite
• Weight loss
• Distended belly
• Depressed attitude or quiet and not interactive
• Sudden death

Lymphoma

This type of cancer affects the white blood cells and they will be able to act normal for a period of time.

First signs are swollen or enlarged lymph nodes under the chin and neck, near the shoulder, behind the knee or inner groin area.

If you notice any lumps or bumps, especially in these areas, it is a good idea to have the mass biopsied. This type of cancer can also affect the eyes, GI tract, and skin. Some types can be curable with chemotherapy if caught early enough. Otherwise, it will be fatal if caught too late.

Splenic Mass

Larger breeds are more at risk for tumors and masses on the spleen. Often times these are cancerous and may spread to other organs if not caught early.

Sometimes, they are not malignant and only affect the spleen. Regardless, if these tumors rupture it will cause life-threatening internal bleeding. A splenectomy would need to be done asap to remove the spleen, stop the bleeding and prevent further blood loss.

These usually don't show any outward sign until a massive internal bleed happens so it is wise to have screening (xrays) or ultrasounds done yearly on odler pets to catch and fix this problem before it worsens.