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Australian Shepherd Health Concerns
The Australian Shepherd is prone to
the following health conditions:
Cataracts - Cataracts are opacities in
the lens of the eye, which can cause blindness.
Collie Eye Anomaly - Collie Eye Anomaly
is a congential, inherited bilaterl eye
diseases involving the retina, choroid
and schlera. It can be a mild disease
or it can cause blindness. There is no
treatment.
The Australian Shepherd is prone to
the following minor health conditions:
Canine Hip Dysplasia - Hip dysplasia
is an abnormal formation of the hip socket
that, in its more severe form, can eventually
cause crippling lameness and painful arthritis
of the joints. It is a polygenic trait,
that is affected by environmental factors
in the production of the final phenotype.
It can be found in many animals and occasionally
in humans, but is most commonly associated
with dogs, and is common in many dog breeds,
particularly the larger breeds.
Nasal Solar Dermatitis - Nasal Solar
Dermatitis is used to describe a condition
in which breeds with little or no pigment
on their face develop lesions, usually
on the nose, eyelids and lips. The lesions
are caused by a hypersensitivity to sunlight.
The Australian Shepherd occasionally
has problems with the following health
conditions:
Epilepsy - Epilepsy is a common chronic
neurological disorder characterized by
recurrent unprovoked seizures. These seizures
are transient signs or symptoms of abnormal,
excessive or synchronous neuronal activity
in the brain.
von Willebrand's Disease - von Willebrand's
Disease is a condition where you have
defective blood platelet function resulting
in excessive bleeding, caused a by a deficiency
in clotting factor.
Lumbar Sacral Syndrome - Lumbar Sacral
Syndrome is an instability at this strategic
point in the spine.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy - Progressive
Retinal Atrophy is a group of genetic
diseases seen in certain breeds of dogs
and, more rarely, cats. It is characterized
by the bilateral degeneration of the retina,
causing progressive vision loss culminating
in blindness. The condition in nearly
all breeds is inherited as an autosomal
recessive trait, with the exception of
the Siberian Husky and the Bullmastiff.
There is no treatment.
Distichiasis - Distichiasis is the abnormal
origin of eyelashes along the lid margin,
often resulting in irritation to the eye.
Patent Ductus Arteriosus - Patent Ductus
Arteriosus is a congenital disorder in
heart wherein a neonate's ductus arteriosus
fails to close after birth. Early symptoms
are uncommon, but in the first year of
life include increased work of breathing
and poor weight gain. With age, the PDA
may lead to congestive heart failure if
left uncorrected.
Persistent Pupillary Membrane - Persistent
Pupillary Membrane is a condition of the
eye involving remnants of a fetal membrane
that persist as strands of tissue crossing
the pupil. The pupillary membrane in mammals
exists in the fetus as a source of blood
supply for the lens. It normally atrophies
from the time of birth to the age of four
to eight weeks.
bout the Author:
Logan Winters is a long time dog owner
and horseman, provides content for for
Dog Pound http://www.dog-pound.net
and Horse Stall http://www.horse-stall.net
leading portals for pet management.
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