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Ectropion is the outward
turning of the eyelid. Too much loose skin can lead to the lower eyelid
falling away from the eyeball exposing
the eye to irritation. |
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Entropion is the inward
turning of the eyelid. This may happen due to too small
an
eyelid opening or
when the eyelids are too slanting. |
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NOTE:
Ectropion and Entropion can both lead to
excessive weeping of the eye, irritation, inflammation and serious eye
damage if neglected. Both these conditions can be rectified through surgery. |
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Vaginal
Hyperplasia/Prolapse
occurs in many breeds and
it
is unknown whether the condition is hereditary or not. However, most breeders
will not breed again with a female showing this kind of problem. This condition occurs during the
oestrous period of the female but
may not
present itself during the
first heat. It is due to a
very marked estrogen-induced selling of the vaginal wall. The vulva will
appear unusually large during heat. When the vagina can no longer be
contained, it protrudes out through the vulva.
Vaginal prolapse tends to recur and
progressively worsen. |
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Hip
Dysplasia (HD) is a defect of the hip
joint where the head of the femur does not fit properly into the acetabulum. Hip dysplasia is a moderately heritable condition. Even dogs with normal hips
can produce dysplasic pups.
The main factors involved in
the predisposition to HD are
loose ligaments, a shallow acetabulum
and poorly shaped
femur head, too rapid growth of the bone structure,
poor muscle mass to size of
bone, nutrition and environmental conditions. Unwillingness to exercise,
lameness and stiffness of the hip joint and wasting away of the hip muscles
are common symptoms. |
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Elbow
Dysplasia
(ED) is a joint
anomaly which results in lameness. This condition may manifest itself from
as early as 4 - 6 months and it can be the result of a genetic disorder or
by over-feeding the dog on a high calorie diet. |
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Wobbler Syndrome
it's not
common to the breed but has been known to occur. It is caused by a
malformation or instability of cervical vertebrate. This malformation
compresses the spinal cord and the dog will exhibit neurological signs (uncoordination
of rear legs, stumbling-particularly making turns) and pain. The cause is
unknown; there may be some relation to
high protein diet, vitamin
supplements, a pup that grows too fast or possibly genetics. |
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Demodectic Mange
is the result of a microscopic mite multiplying out of control. Most dogs
have demodex mites on their skin in small numbers. These mites are acquired
by puppies shortly after birth, from their mother. It’s not fully understood
why some dogs develop demodectic mange while other dogs do not. The tendency
to be susceptible to demodectic mange appears to be hereditary. It is known
that dogs with demodectic mange have an immune system defect. It is this
defect that appears to be inherited, making the pup unable to keep the
demodex mites under control. This anomaly seems to be a poorly infectious
disease as it cannot be passed onto another dog except from mother dog to
pup. It is very important that dogs with a history of generalized demodectic
mange not be bred. |
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Pressure
Point
Hygroma
(Callus
Thickening
Formation)
are skin thickenings over the pressure points on the body. The skin will
become swollen, black, with no hair and when infected filled with fluid.
Infections can occur very easily in these areas and are very difficult to
treat. Recovery can be assisted by providing soft padded sleeping
arrangements. This condition may manifest itself from
the first 6 - 18
months of the dog's life
and
it's
common amongst heavy
dogs constantly being kept in an environment where the floor surface is
concrete or tarmac. |
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Allergic
Dermatitis is
caused when the dog inhales allergens. This condition affects approximately
10% of most dog populations. When the allergens are inhaled, it is absorbed
through the skin and can evoke an allergic response. The feet, face, ears,
armpits and stomach are the most affected areas. Symptoms are hair loss,
reddening of the skin, scaling and chronic scratching due to severe itching. |
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Flea
Allergic
Dermatitis
is the most common form of canine allergy. The flea
itself is not the culprit in canine flea allergies. It is their saliva that
causes the allergic reaction. A skin allergy test can be preformed to
determine if a dog is allergic to flea saliva. If it is, then a strict flea
control regimen is required to reduce symptoms. However, caution must be used to make sure the chemicals in the flea preparations are not harmful to the
dog. |
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Umbilical
Hernia is the protrusion of a small piece of intestine through the
region of the umbilicus. This happens when the mother cleans the puppies at
birth and bites off the umbilical cord too close to the stomach. The
umbilical ring does not close properly. This anomaly can be surgically
corrected. |
