Common Diseases of Weimaraner Dogs
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The Weimaraner or Weimaraner Vorstehhund is a dog breed of German origin. It is easily recognizable thanks to its light grey fur and its equally pale eyes, which attract much attention and make it one of the most elegant dog breeds.
In addition, this hunting dog is a great life companion as it has a gentle, affectionate, loyal and patient nature towards all members of the family. It is also a dog that needs a lot of physical activity, as it is very dynamic and accumulates energy easily.
Although Weimaraner dogs are very healthy and strong, they may suffer from specific genetic problems. If you live with a Weimaraner or are thinking of adopting one it is important to be informed regarding all aspects of this breed's life, including potential health problems that it could suffer.
For this reason, in this new AnimalWised article we will discuss the most common diseases of Weimaraner dogs so that you know how to spot them and provide a better quality of life for your pet.
Gastric torsion
Gastric torsion is a common problem in giant and large breeds, and also in some medium-sized breeds like the Weimaraner. When dogs overfill their stomach with food or liquid, and especially if then subsequently exercise, run or play, this organ will eventually dilate as the ligaments and muscles cannot hold excessive weight.
The dilation together with the movement causes the stomach to turn on itself, that is, it twists. After that, the blood vessels supplying the stomach may not function properly and so the fabric of the organ's entrance and exit start to undergo necrosis. Furthermore, the retained food begins to form gas that bloats the dog's belly.
This situation is critical for the dog's life: if you find that your Weimaraner has eaten or drunk too much, has run and jumped about and soon after starts trying to vomit unsuccessfully or becomes listless, and especially if you notice that its belly starts to bloat, go immediately to the vet. Surgery will be required.
Hip and elbow dysplasia
One of the most common diseases of Weimaraner dogs is hip and elbow dysplasia, which are both hereditary and usually occur at 5 or 6 months old.
In the case of hip dysplasia, the condition is a coxo-femoral joint malformation; in the case of elbow dysplasia, the malformation occurs in the elbow joint. Both cases can result in a slight limp that does not keep the Weimaraner from living a normal life, but they can also result in complete disability of the affected part.
Spinal dysraphism
Spinal dysraphism is a term that covers various types of problems that occur in the spine, the spinal canal in the mid-dorsal septum and neural tube of the fetus. These issues can affect the dog's health in different ways.
Weimaraner dogs are genetically predisposed to spinal dysraphism, especially spina bifida. This problem is often associated with other problems of faulty spinal fusion.
Skin tumors
Weimaraner dogs are prone to certain types of skin tumors, most commonly hemangioma and hemngiosarcoma. If you detect any lumps in your dog's skin, go immediately to the vet for a check-up and diagnosis and act accordingly as soon as possible.
It is vital not to skip periodic check-ups in which the specialist may find any existing anomalies.
Distichiasis and entropion
Distichiasis is not a disease, but rather a condition found in some Weimaraner puppy dogs that can lead to related eye diseases. Distichiasis, or "double lashes", is manifested by two rows of eye lashes in a single eyelid. It typically occurs in the lower eyelid, although it is also possible on the upper eyelid or both, and it is always in both eyes at once.
The main problem with this genetic condition is that the excess lashes usually produce rubbing on the cornea and excessive tearing. This constant irritation of the cornea often leads to eye infections and even entropion.
Entropion is one of the most common diseases of Weimaraner dogs, although they are not among the breeds that most usually suffer this eye problem. Excessive and too long eyelashes can end up producing irritation, minor wounds in the cornea and even swelling of the eyelid, among other eye conditions.
One of these conditions is when the eyelid folds inward toward the eye, producing pain and and significantly reducing the dog's visibility. If not treated with medication and surgery, entropion can cause the cornea to be unrecoverable.
For this reason you must be very careful with your Weimaraner's eye hygiene and always be alert to the symptoms that may appear in the eye, in addition to attending regular veterinary checks.
Hemophilia A and von Willebrand's disease
Hemophilia type A is an inherited disease that tends to affect Weimaraner dogs and causes blood clotting during bleeding to be much slower than normal. If a hemophiliac dog suffers a wound, you must we go to the vet promptly to stop the bleeding using specific medication.
This type of blood clotting condition can result in mild anemia, but also in serious problems and even the death of the dog. Therefore, if you know that your Weimaraner friend has been diagnosed with hemophilia, you must alert any veterinarian who treats your dog, as they will need to take specific precautions.
Another common disease of Weimaraner dogs is von Willebrand's disease or syndrome, which it is also a genetic problem that affects blood clotting. As with hemophilia A, dogs with von Willebrand's disease find it difficult to stop bleeding. This condition has different degrees of severity, so there will be mild and severe cases.
The main difference between these two blood conditions of Weimaraner dogs is that in hemophilia A the problem lies in clotting factor VIII while in von Willebrand's disease the problem occurs in the von Willebrand clotting factor, hence the name of the disease.
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This article is purely informative. AnimalWised does not have the authority to prescribe any veterinary treatment or create a diagnosis. We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian if they are suffering from any condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to Common Diseases of Weimaraner Dogs, we recommend you visit our Other health problems category.