Health

Swissy Health Problems

As with any breed of dog, the GSMD does have its share of health problems. Health problems in the GSMD include the orthopaedic problems common in giant breeds -- hip and elbow dysplasia, OCD (osteochondrosis dessicans); as well as

Bloat (GDV - gastric dilation volvulus) and splenic torsion; Epilepsy ; eye problems ( distichiasis and entropion);

urinary incontinence (primarily in bitches) and some cancer.

Prospective owners need to be aware of these problems and understand that even a dog bred by the most responsible breeder can unfortunately be affected with any of these problems. Prospective owners should learn about these health issues and assess their abililty, both emotional and financial, to deal with such a problem before they commit to a puppy. Some problems can be more easily treated than others and the cost of such treatment varies. However, do not assume that just because you paid a lot for a puppy from a reputable breeder, that you will not have to deal with any of these problems . You may be very lucky and get a dog that lives to be twelve or thirteen with minimal health

problems but chances are, you will have to deal with one or more of these problems in the course of your Swissy's life.

Therefore, I strongly recommend that anyone getting a Swissy consider a good health insurance plan.

If you enroll your puppy in a plan at 8 weeks old, it could save you thousands in vet bills .

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Responsible breeders do their very best to reduce the risk of producing any of these problems in their breedings but that is all they can do ---- reduce the risk . Once a problem occurs, a responsible breeder will use that experience/information to reduce perpetuating that risk in future breedings.

For example, breedings of sires and dams with generations of OFA'd ancestors, can still produce

offspring with hip or elbow dysplasia or OCD.

Therefore a respsonsible breeder will not take the risk of breeding dogs without clearances .

Prospective buyers should only consider litters from sire and dam with VERIFIABLE orthopaedic clearances.

EPILEPSY is a much more serious disease affecting the GSMD.

Unfortunately, there is no way to screen breeding stock for epilepsy and breeders must count on each other for information on which pedigrees have produced affected dogs. Sadly there is a big problem in the GSMD breeder community with regard to getting honest information about affected dogs.Many breeders continue to deny

the problem is epilepsy or choose to label it something else whenit occurs in their own dogs or pedigrees.

However, when the problem occurs in another breeder's lines,they are the firstto point the finger and label it epilepsy.

The bottom line is that any seizure disorder of an unknown cause is by definition IDIOPATHIC.

Breeders need to start being more responsible with this information and stop being so defensive.

The only way we have a prayer of reducing the incidence of this devastating disease in the GSMD is to talk about it ---share information, get out of denial and agree that the disease is a problem in the breed and not just in everyone else's pedigrees. For many years now, the breeders who have been forthcoming about the incidence of epilepsy in their breedings have been far outnumbered by those who choose to deny they have ever produced the disease. This is why owners and breeders have no accurate resource for epilepsy information in the GSMD like a database. All the information is primarily hearsay and most of the commercial breeders and other large producers have not provided any information on affected dogs they have produced nor have they participated in the epilepsy blood draw.

Until those who are producing the most dogs stop denying the problem and start providing information on their affected dogs and thus become part of the solution, the GSMD community will not be able to make much headway to reducing the incidence of this devastating disease.

I encourage all Swissy owners to participate in the GSMD Epilepsy Study by sending blood

from your GSMDs to Dr Liz Hansen at the University of MO.

If you have a Swissy with seizures, please inform your breeder and the owner of the sire of your dog.

If they are responsible breeders they will want to know this information so they can avoid

combining the same pedigrees in the future.

Maybe some day, with the cooperation of all owners and breeders some more information

will be found to help us better maneuver this epilepsy "mine field".

My friend and fellow Swissy owner/breeder , Kristin Krumpe, has an excellent epilepsy page on her website.

I urge you to click here to read it.

Not only does she provide honest and useful information on the disease but most importantly, she

provides it from her perspective as the of an owner of a Swissy affected with epilepsy .

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BLOAT AND SPLENIC TORSION are likely the two most common concerns of Swissy owners. Bloat ,also known as Gastric Dilation Volvulus involves the stomach filling with gas and torsing, thus cutting off the blood supply to the stomach. Splenic torsion involves the spleen twisting over on itself and causing internal hemorraging. In many cases, splenic hemorraging can be caused by a splenic cyst or tumor . Some breeders/owners choose to do elective splenectomies because the problem is so common in the breed.

However, please remember that like ever other organ, the speen does have a purpose.

So, if you are considering such measures, be aware of the possible side effects.

GDV (Bloat), if caught early, can be treated successfully. However, all owners of large deep chested breeds should familiarize themselves with the symptoms so they can get their dog immediate treatment .

Many owners choose to have a preventative gastropexy (tacking of the stomach) performed at the time

their dog is spayed/neutered in order to reduce the risk of torsion.

Be aware that there are cases in which dogs who have had this surgery have proceeded to torse.

The following links will provide you with more information on the most common health problems

in the Great Swiss Mountain Dog.

Gastric Dilation Volvulus (BLOAT)

OCD (Osteochondrosis Dessicans)