Dog Genetics Health Issues by Breed

This breed health links collection is an attempt to collect information on breed specific health issues. Take the information with a grain of salt as I don't have the time or the interest to research the validity of the information. You might ask why I provide the information if I'm not sure its valid. A fair question. Call it a starting place. On the other hand I don't include just any site that happens to list breed health problems. I try to pick sites that seem to have some direct or personal experience with the issues e.g. breed clubs, breed fans, and sometimes breeders. I'm looking for sites where the health issues listed are just a bit more than mere rumor. My goal is also to avoid sites that simply list the health issues, and instead focus on ones that do some explaining, perhaps about the health issues, the genetic relationship, that kind of thing.

If I don't have a link by all means do a web search for the breed and try to find information on the health issues. In most cases you will be able to find it. Usually the way I've been finding them is to type in the name of the breed then either the word "health" or even better a health problem I already know about or its test. E.g. Collie CEA

Keep in mind that not all health issues are created equal. Some are easily corrected and thereafter do not adversely affect the life of the dog, others are life threatening or a life long burden, and some a merely a minor nuisance. Actually I have focussed mostly upon suggested health testing before breeding. That does not always correlate well with existing health issues. For example, breeders of Huskies are encouraged to check for hip problems, yet they have a very low incidence of hip problems. This is good as "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

The sad thing I've noted is the number of breed clubs where the website provides no breed health information. I'd expect the people in the breed to believe it is important to educate everyone about health issues in the breed. Some will happily spend lots of space showing pictures of their National Specialty, but not a word on selecting a good breeder. Personally I'd take that as a warning sign that the breed culture might be one that doesn't care much about the dog. It doesn't mater whether you are a good web designer or a poor one, what you chose to put on the site reflects what you think is important to your audience. I'd look more for a breed club that appears to consider educating people about their breed as a critical value of their web site. Check the Pet Web Library for more general health issues.

Back to the Breeder's Ethics page

Breed Health Links *

a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z

Additional resources

A

Affenpinscher

Affenpinscher Club of America

Afghan Hound

Afghan Hound Club of America

Airedale Terrier

Airedale Terrier Club of America

Akita

Japanese Akita Club of America, Inc

Akita Club of America Health Issues

Akita Temperament

Breeder Checklist

Akita Alumni on Akita Health

Alaskan Malamute

Alaskan Malamute Health Home Page

Health and the Alaskan Malamute

American Eskimo

American Eskimo Dog Club of America, Inc

American Eskimo Health Concerns

American Water Spaniel

American Water Spaniel Field Association, Inc, Epilepsy

American Water Spaniel Field Association, Inc, Hypothyroidism

AWS Partners

Anatolian Shepherd Dog

Anatolian Shepherd Dogs International

Australian Cattle Dog

Australian Cattle Dog Club of America

Australian Shepherd

United States Australian Shepherd Association

Australian Shepherd Club of America, Health Handouts

Genetic Diseases in the Australian Shepherd

Genetic Nightmares, Australian Shepherd