Health

Swissy Health Concerns

Abbers in the ER being treated for seizures

As with any breed , the GSMD has its share of health concerns. Health problems in the GSMD include the orthopedic problems common in giant breeds -- hip and elbow dysplasia, OCD (osteochondrosis dessicans), and spinal disc instability ; Bloat (GDV - gastric dilation volvulus) and splenic torsion; Epilepsy; Eye problems (distichiasis and entropion); Urinary incontinence (primarily in bitches), bleeding disorders, 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 become affected with any of these problems. Prospective owners should learn about these health issues and assess their ability, 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 considers a good health insurance plan. If you enroll your puppy in a plan when it is 8 weeks old, it could save you thousands in vet bills.

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 ancestors with OFA clearances, can still produce offspring with hip, elbow or shoulder problems. Therefore a responsible breeder will not take the risk of breeding dogs without said clearances.
Prospective buyers should only consider litters from sire and dam with VERIFIABLE orthopedic clearances.

EPILEPSY / SEIZURE DISORDERS is the most dreaded health problem affecting the GSMD. Unfortunately, there is currently no way to screen breeding stock for epilepsy . So, breeders must depend on each other to share information regarding incidence of seizures in their own breeding programs as in order to reduce the problem, it is important to know which pedigree combinations have produced affected dogs.
Sadly, there is a big problem in the GSMD breeder community with regard to transparency about epilepsy. Many breeders continue to deny the problem is epilepsy, or choose to call it something else when it occurs in their own dogs or pedigrees. Yet, when seizures occur in another breeder's lines, they are the first to point the finger and call 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 chance we have 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 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 (many refer to themselves as "show kennels") and other large producers have not provided any information on affected dogs they have produced nor have they participated in the epilepsy blood draws.

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.

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 ini the future. Maybe some day, with the cooperation of all owners and breeders, more information will be found to help us better maneuver the epilepsy " mine field".
If you have a Swissy affected with seizures, you can participating in a study by the Univ of MN by sending them a blood sample from your affected dog and filling out their Online Survey
Hopefully, scientists at Univ of MN will find the genetic markers for canine epilepsy and thus discover the mode of inheritance. Once they have this information they will be able to develop a genetic test which would allow breeders to screen their dogs for the disease prior to making breeding decisions.

Kristin Krumpe, has an enlightening epilepsy page on her website.
The page provides a lot of insightful information about the disease. You will find a lot of useful information on the disease and from the perspective of someone who has lived with an affected Swissy.

BLOAT and SPLENIC TORSION are the biggest health concerns for Swissy owners, after epilepsy.

Bloat ,also known as GDV (Gastric Dilation Volvulus) involves the stomach filling up with air (dilation) and twisting on its axis (volvulus), thus cutting off the blood supply to the stomach. All owners of large, deep chested breeds should familiarize themselves with the symptoms of bloat so if it happens to their dog, they can get immediate treatment. If caught early, GDV can be treated successfully. There are also a number of preventative measures an owner can take to reduce the risk of their dog bloating. For example, it is believed that a grain free diet will reduce the risk of this problem. However, once a dog bloats, torsion will likely follow within an hour. Bloat is a life threatening emergency!
Therefore, it is crucial for owners to recognize THE SYMPTOMS OF BLOAT and get treatment immediately or risk their dog could suffering a very painful death.
Because GDV is so common in the breed 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. It is a common procedure and there are a number of vets who can perform laperoscopic gastropexy which is much less invasive and involves a shorter recovery time.

Splenic torsion is another common health problem for the GSMD . Splenic torsion involves the twisting of the spleen on its axis causing enlargement of the spleen.   Splenic torsion may occur by itself, or in association with gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) syndrome. It can occur suddenly, or it can gradually twist over a period of time.
It is a life threatening problem and requires immediate medical attention . Thus it is crucial for Swissy owners to recognize the potential symptoms of a spleen problem in order to get their dog to a vet before it is too late. Symptoms of splenic torsion don't come on as quickly as those of GDV. Often it is just a matter of the dog just being "off", not being himself. If your dog has any combination of the following symptoms: pale gums; excessive drooling, listless, acts uncomfortable, distended abdomen, roached back , don't take any chances. Get him to the vet immediately! Better to be safe than sorry. The vet may suggest its just an upset stomach but it could very well be the first signs of a spleen problem which an xray or ultrasound could readily diagnose. Many Swissies have recovered from splenic torsion and gone on to live long and healthy lives without their spleens. Those diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma, however, typically aren't as fortunate.

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Swissy Health Concerns