Common Health Problems

Dog diseases are a fact of life. There are four main categories of dog diseases we will cover here, these are:

Genetic dog diseases Parasitic dog diseases

Genetic Dog Diseases

There are more than 300 dog diseases caused by the dog's own inherited genetic makeup. Such inherited dog disease include:

Hip & elbow displasia Deafness Hypothyroidism Progressive retinal atrophy

Rheumatoid arthritis Atopic dermatitis Glaucoma Narcolepsy - and the list goes on.

The overall impact of many genetic dog diseases can be mitigated through careful breeding practices and in many cases minor surgeries, or inexpensive vet treatments.

Some dog diseases are specific to dog breeds. For example Poodles are susceptible to sebaceous adenitis, which is a skin disease that results in hair loss and greasy coat. Similarly, Dalmatians are susceptible to bladder stones, but careful breeding practices and low-protein diet can minimize the occurrence of this disease.