Common Illneses
Hip dysplasia
Canine hip dysplasia affects the ball and socket joint of the hip. The head of the large bone in the dog's leg doesn't fit snugly into the hip socket.
Epilepsy
An illness seen quite often in GSD's and although it is quite alarming when it first happens, it can be successfully controlled with medication.
CDRM
A disease like multiple sclerosis in humans, is a progressive paralysis of the hind legs which generally starts in late middle age and for which there is no treatment.
Bloat or gastric torsion
This condition is caused by a twisting of the stomach and thus trapping the stomach contents and gases resulting in a rapid swelling of the abdomen accompanied by pain and eventual death if untreated. It is a true emergency, requiring immediate veterinary action. This condition is most often found in large deep chested breeds.
Haemophilia A
This is a blood clotting problem which can lead to uncontrolled bleeding in male dogs so check with the breeder that there is no history of this in the parents. It is the male dogs that are affected by the disease but the bitches can be carriers.
Pancreatic insufficiency
This has become more common in the GSD and the dog becomes unable to digest food properly becoming increasingly thin with excessive appetite. Treatment is lifelong and requires pancreatic enzymes to be given either in powdered form or as capsules with food.
von Willebrand's Disease
This is a blood disorder, a deficiency in clotting factor VIII antigen (von Willebrand factor). Dogs affected by the disease do not effectively utilize their platelets for blood clotting and therefore are more likely to have bleeding episodes associated with trauma or surgery.
Anal furunculosis
This is a deep penetrating infection around the anus, the cause of which is unknown but it may be partly due to the German Shepherds large bushy tail, which curves down over the anus and prevents ventilation of the area. Treatment can be surgical or there is some suggestion that cyclosporin may be useful although expensive.
Skin allergies
Allergies in pets, are one of the most common causes of skin conditions. Allergies can be difficult to control and are chronic in nature. There are 3 main types of allergies in relation to skin conditions. It is possible for a pet to have a combination of all 3 allergy types: 1. Food Allergy; 2. Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD); 3. Atopy, or Allergic Inhaled Dermatitis.