Hereditary and Congenital Conditions in Dogs

It is a sad fact that dogs will die. Hopefully, they will have lived a healthy life and died peacefully in their sleep. It is a shame, but other dogs will suffer many health problems, resulting in regular trips to the Vet, and they will die of a disease like cancer. 

• Diet: Giving your dog the best diet possible will ensure they will have all the essential protein, essential fats, vitamins, and minerals they need. This will mean they will have a healthy body, healthy cells, and a healthy immune system. This will help lower the risk of inherited diseases. Consider ancestral diets like the Prey Diet and BARF Diet over Dry and Canned food, and always buy the best quality you can afford. A dog that is overweight is more likely to suffer from inherited diseases. 

• Lifestyle: You should give a dog a healthy lifestyle that is appropriate to its breed. For example, a Border Collie requires a lot of physical and mental exercise. If they maintain a good level of fitness and are challenged mentally, they will be fit and strong. This will help reduce the chances of getting a disease and make them more robust so that they can fight disease if they do get it. Which will increase the chances of them having a good quality of life during and hopefully after the condition. 

• Hygiene: Ensure you and the dogs live in a clean and hygienic home that is cleaned regularly. This will lessen the chances of the dog getting external parasites as well as things like eye infections. Make sure they are bathed periodically but do not over the bath then either. If they get dirty or have been in dirty water sources, then make sure they are washed and dried when you get home. It is also good to check their poop to make sure there are no worms or bleeding. If they have constant diarrhea or constipation, it may be a sign of something more serious. 

• Medical Health Checks: Once a dog is into adulthood, you should get a medical done on your dog by a qualified Vet at least once a year. The Vet will check the dog for signs of any diseases; however, the Vet will also be aware of issues that the breed may be more likely to suffer from, so they will pay close attention to identifying those. Catching a disease early has a massive positive effect on survival rates. 

• Home Health Checks: It is essential to have Vets do annual or bi-annual complete health checks on your dog, but you should also do weekly health checks yourself. This will help identify any issues as early as possible, and you can report anything you are worried about to your Vet. You should check for skin irritations, skin rashes, parasites, allergies, lumps, swelling, and breathing issues.

Final thoughts

Don’t let possible inherited diseases put you off from buying a specific breed. Still, you should be aware of it, and you should try your best to identify any possible issues as early as possible. 

Early treatment will be a big help and maintain their quality of life for as long as possible. 

If you are buying a rescue dog, you will likely have little information on its past. So, if you fall in love with one, then go ahead and get it. Whatever time it has left and whatever diseases it may be prone to, love it and give it a good home, then you have done an excellent thing for that dog.