DISEASES COMMONLY SEEN IN TOP DOG BREEDS

Recently we posted a list of the Top 10 Dog Breeds.  Now, check out the diseases/disorders these breeds are prone to.  If you are lucky enough to have one of these great breeds as a part of your family, ask us about our wellness & early detection programs that can help keep your pet as happy & healthy as possible!  Read more about these problems on our website at www.AllPetsNY.com where we have articles posted about all of the most common issues we see at All Pets.

BEAGLE:

1) Fractured Bones

2) Tracheobronchitis (Upper Respiratory Infection)

3) Anal Gland Disease

4) Obesity

5) Intervertebral Disk Disease (Spinal Disk/Cord Disease)

BOXER:

1) Epileptic Seizure

2) Heart Disease

3) Tracheobronchitis (Upper Respiratory Infection)

4) Joint Disease/Arthritis

5) Hypothyroidism

BULLDOG:

1) Elongated Soft Palate

2) Entropion/Ectropion (“Rolled” Eyelids, In/Out)

3) Conjunctivitis (Eye Infection)

4) Dermatitis/Otitis (Skin & Ear Infections)

5) Arthritis/Joint Disease

DASCHUND:

1) Herniated Intervertebral/Spinal Disk

2) Cushing’s Disease (Increased Cortisol Level)

3) Obesity

4) Dental Disease

5) Hypothyroidism

GERMAN SHEPHERD:

1) Perianal Gland Disease

2) Arthritis/Joint Disease

3) Gastrointestinal Disease

4) Eye Disease

5) Ear Infections

GOLDEN RETRIEVER:

1) Obesity

2) Hypothyroidism

3) Arthritis/Joint Disease

4) Heart Disease

5) Spleen Tumors

LABRADOR RETRIEVER:

1) Arthritis/Joint Disease

2) Obesity

3) Non-Allergic Dermatitis/Otitis (Skin & Ear Infection)

4) Allergic Dermatitis/Otitis (Allergic Skin & Ear Infection)

5) Cataracts

STANDARD POODLE:

1) Progressive Retinal Atrophy (Blindness)

2) Tracheal Collapse (Weakness/Collapse of the “Windpipe”)

3) Cataracts

4) Cushing’s Disease (High Cortisol Level)

5) Dental Disease

ROTTWEILER:

1) Arthritis/Joint Disease

2) Entropion/Ectropion (“Rolled” Eyelids, In/Out)

3) Gastrointestinal Disease

4) Heart Disease

5) Allergic Dermatitis/Otitis (Allergic Skin & Ear Infections)

YORKSHIRE TERRIER (“YORKIE”):

1) Portal Caval Shunt (Improper Gastrointestinal & Liver Blood Flow)

2) Tracheal Collapse (Weakness/Collapse of the “Windpipe”)

3) Patellar Disease (Loose Kneecaps)

4) Diabetes Mellitus

5) Urinary Calculus (Bladder Stones)

TOP DOG BREEDS FOR COMMON MEDICAL CONDITIONS

While most diseases & disorders can occur in any pet of any breed (or combination of breeds), certain breeds are definitely predisposed to certain problems and are, therefore, more likely to be afflicted at some point during their life.  The following lists show the top breeds for several of the most common disorders we see at All Pets, The House Call Vet.  If your pet’s breed made one or more of the lists, call us to discuss your options for early detection, prevention &/or treatment.

Intervertebral Disk Disease (Spinal Disk/Cord Disease):

1) Daschund

2) French Bulldog

3) Pekinese

4) Corgi

5) Doberman Pinscher

Hypothyroid Disease:

1) Giant Schnauzer

2) Irish Setter

3) Keeshond

4) Bouvier des Flanders

5) Doberman Pinscher

Allergic Dermatitis (Skin Allergies):

1) West Highland White Terrier

2) Coonhound

3) Wirehaired Fox Terrier

4) Cairn Terrier

5) Tibetan Terrier

Bloat:

1) Saint Bernard

2) Irish Setter

3) Bloodhound

4) Great Dane

5) Irish Wolfhound

Cataracts:

1) Silky Terrier

2) Miniature Poodle

3) Brussels Griffon

4) Boston Terrier

5) Tibetan Terrier

Epilepsy:

1) Catahoula Leopard Dog

2) Beagle

3) Schipperke

4) Papillon

5) Standard Poodle

PUREBRED DOGS VS. MIXED BREED DOGS

While it is true that certain breeds of dogs (& cats) are more prone to certain problems, this does not mean that mixed-breeds are in the clear.  Check out this interesting article we came across.  They show the pros & cons of being a purebred dog vs. a good-old “mutt”:  When choosing a pet, consider these factors in your decision.  If you already have a companion in your life, ask us about the early detection & treatment options we have available for many of these disorders.  They may just save your pet’s life!

Diseases That Are MORE COMMON IN PUREBRED DOGS Than In Mixed Breed Dogs:

Aortic Stenosis (Smaller than normal heart valve)

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (Weakened heart muscle)

Elbow Dysplasia (Abnormal development of the elbow)

Intervertebral Disk Disease (Spinal disk/cord disease)

Hypothyroidism (Low thyroid level)

Allergic Dermatitis (Skin allergies)

Bloat (Excess stomach gas)

Cataracts

Epilepsy

Portosystemic Shunt (Problem with gastrointestinal/liver blood flow)

Diseases That Are EQUALLY COMMON IN PUREBRED DOGS & MIXED BREED DOGS:

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (Thickened heart muscle)

Hemangiosarcoma (Spleen cancer)

Lymphoma (Cancer of the blood cells)

Mast Cell Tumor (Cancer of mast cells)

Osteosarcoma (Bone cancer)

Hip Dysplasia

Patellar Luxation ("Loose" knee caps)

Diseases That Are MORE COMMON IN MIXED BREED DOGS Than In Purebreds:

Ruptured Cranial Cruciate Ligament (Knee)

10 Most Popular Dog Breeds

While there are only about 40-80 accepted cat breeds in the United States (depending upon the registry you check with), dogs can boast an impressive 175 breeds according to the American Kennel Club!  The following list of the “10 Most Popular Dog Breeds” was compiled using that group’s annual registration statistics.

1)  Labrador Retriever

2)  German Shepherd

3)  Golden Retriever

4)  Beagle

5)  Bulldog

6)  Yorkshire Terrier (“Yorkie”)

7)  Boxer

8)  Poodle

9)  Rottweiler

10) Daschund

While there may be some year-to-year variation, most of this list remains fairly consistent over time.  For instance, the Labrador Retriever has been the #1 most popular dog for 22 consecutive years thanks to their wonderful personalities and trainability!  However, all breeds of dogs (and cats) are predisposed to certain traits as well as medical and/or behavioral problems so be sure to check back with us throughout December (Wellness & Prevention Month) to learn more about breed-specific problems that may affect your loved one! Also, visit our website at www.AllPetsNY.com to read articles about the most commonly seen issues in our practice!

10 Most Popular Purebred Cat Breeds

Though most pet lovers know at least a handful of the most common dog breeds by name & by looks, this is not always the case when it comes to cats.  In fact, many cat owners I meet are not even aware that there are cat breeds at all!  This is understandable because of the ~90 million pet cats in the United States, only about 3-5% are considered purebreds!  The majority of the 95-97% are categorized as either Domestic Shorthair or Domestic Longhair Cats while the purebreds are divided into 40-80 breeds (depending upon which registry you check with).  Below is a list of the 10 most common cat breeds in the United States.

1) Persian

2) Maine Coon

3) Exotic Shorthair

4) Siamese

5) Abyssinian

6) Ragdoll

7) Birman

8) American Shorthair

9) Oriental

10) Sphynx

p.s. Check out our next post and keep reading throughout the month to learn about which problems certain breeds of cats (and dogs) are predisposed to!

This is Samantha!  They don't come any sweeter than her!

Top Problems In Cats At Various Ages

Top 5 Problems Seen In Cats <1 Year Old

1) Fleas

2) Feline Upper Respiratory Disease

3) Eye Infections

4) Ear Mites & Infections

5) Intestinal Parasites ('worms")

Top 5 Problems Seen In Cats 1-3 Years Old

1) Dental Disease

2) Overweight/Obesity

3) Fleas

4) Feline Upper Respiratory Disease

5) Intestinal Parasites ("worms")

Top 5 Problems Seen In Cats 3-10 Years Old

1) Dental Disease

2) Overweight/Obesity

3) Fleas

4) Bladder Infection/Disease

5) Intestinal Parasites ("worms")

Top 5 Problems Seen In Cats >10 Years Old

1) Dental Disease

2) Overweight/Obesity

3) Chronic Kidney Failure

4) Hyperthyroidism

5) Heart Murmur/Disease

As with our previous post regarding life-stage specific problems in dogs, note that most of the issues noted here are preventable or, at least, treatable.  For instance: dental disease, feline upper respiratory infections, ear mites.  Even those that are unpredictable such as bladder disease (known as Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease or FLUTD) and heart disease can often be managed with special diets and/or medication.  

However, regardless of the specific problem at hand, the key is an appropriate Veterinary healthcare plan.  Our Life-Stage Specific Managed Care Plans provide exactly that.  These annual wellness plans are all-inclusive and allow you to breathe a sigh of relief thanks to the fact that we have everything under control for you!  Visit our website at www.AllPetsNY.com or call us for more information or to enroll your pet!

This is Abby!  She's a beautiful girl who is a bit leery of her visitors!

Truman wearing his blanket! Handsome old man!

This is Lucky waving goodbye to us as we leave after his appointment!

This is Bruno! I just had to post another pic of him because he is just so handsome and sweet!

I may not see mules professionally but socially they are fine! This is from a petting zoo. Mules were the mascot of my Vet School!

DNA TESTING FOR DOGS???

That’s right!  Now with just a simple swab of the cheek you can find out exactly what your best friend is made of!  While there’s nothing wrong with being a “mutt” (in fact, there is a lot RIGHT with it), knowing which breeds are present in your dog’s family tree can tell you which diseases he or she is prone to. This allows us to screen for these potential problems more appropriately and gives us the best chance of keeping your pet happy & healthy for as long as possible.  Plus wouldn’t it just be fun to know?!  Call us for more information on having your pet’s DNA tested!

This is Molly!  Energetic, happy & beautiful! She is a perfect patient!

This guy lives across the street from one of our clients. He was just so cute I couldn't pass up a photo-op!

Top Problems Seen In Dogs At Various Ages

Top 5 Problems Seen In Dogs <1 Year Old

1) Skin & Ear Infections

2) Intestinal Parasites ("worms")

3) Fleas

4) Gastroenteritis/Colitis

5) Various Injuries

Top 5 Problems Seen In Dogs 1-3 Years Old

1) Dental Disease

2) Skin & Ear Infections

3) Overweight/Obesity

4) Fleas

5) Gastroenteritis/Colitis

Top 5 Problems Seen In Dogs 3-10 Years Old

1) Dental Disease

2) Skin & Ear Infections

3) Overweight/Obesity

4) Skin Tumors/Growths

5) Lameness/Arthritis

Top 5 Problems Seen In Dogs >10 Years Old

1) Dental Disease

2) Skin & Ear Infections

3)  Lameness/Arthritis

4) Skin Tumors/Growths

5) Age-Related Changes In The Eyes

Note that the majority of these problems are preventable &/or treatable.  Those that can not be avoided or cured, such as arthritis, can often be managed medically in order to slow the progression of the disease and control any associated pain or discomfort.  Be sure to ask us how we can help keep your pet as happy & healthy as possible throughout the various stages of his/her life and consider joining one of our Age-Specific Managed Care Plans.  These all-inclusive wellness plans ensure that your pet receives the recommended care he or she deserves throughout life without you having to worry about a thing!  You can find more information on our website at www.AllPetsNY.com! 

This is Maggie!  Yes she's lazy but she's also adorable!