Since the White Shepherd comes directly from the German Shepherd Dog breed, it is subject to many of the same genetic and congenital diseases or health problems as the GSD. WS club members have kept problems to a minimum through sometimes brutally honest, open breeding policies. It is not at all uncommon for top breeders to openly admit any medical or genetic problems they may have encountered to other breeders and to buyers.

Health problems in Shilohs are much like the health problems in German Shepherds and other large breed dogs including: hip dysplasia, pancreatitis, hypothyroidism, bloat/torsion, mitral valve murmurs, SAS, and allergies.

Everyone is at risk for getting cavities throughout life. By the time most people are adults, 85 percent of people will have had a cavity! You naturally have bacteria (germs) in your mouth. The bacteria mix with your saliva and bits of food in your mouth to form a coating (dental plaque) that sticks to your teeth. There are acids in the plaque that wear away the teeth. These acids can get inside the teeth and create holes in the teeth, or cavities.

Dalmatians have a genetic tendency to develop kidney and bladder stones. Stone-forming dogs need a special low protein diet. Some dals develop allergies, which can be treated. Many aspects of canine temperament and personality are inherited.

Although there are many genetic problems seen in all breeds, the most common in the Labrador are the following:

In general, the Cairn is a healthy breed. For more information, see www.cairnterrier.org/reboot/health.html. One advantage to adopting an older Cairn is that it is easier to determine if there will be any health issues than it is with a young puppy.

Mastiffs are subject to the same common diseases and afflictions as every other breed of dog. Some of the more prevalent are:

All breeds have certain health concerns that seem to permeate throughout the breed. Pugs are no exception.One major health concern is Pug Dog Encephalitis, or PDE. It is essentially an inflamation of the brain. It tends to affect young to middle aged Pugs and seizures are it’s primary symptom. Lethargy or loss of muscle control may precede the seizures. There is no cure for this disease, but there are treatments to help control the symptoms.

You can contact the ASCA Education Coordinator or the ASCA DNA Committee. The current chairperson of this committee is: Peter Adolphson, 1023 - 93rd Ave. SW, Olympia, WA 98512, E-mail: pkadolph@juno.com You can also subscribe to the Double Helix Network News. The current subscription rate is $15 per year within the U.S. and Canada, $20 elsewhere. To subscribe contact: C.A. Sharp 730 E. Weldon Ave., Fresno, CA 93704-6135 E-mail: helix@qnis.net

Mastiffs are probably about average when it comes to the number of hereditary health problems that they are prone to. Being a large breed they are very prone to joint problems. For more information on genetic problems, please refer to MCOA Health. Joint: hip dysplasia; elbow dysplasia (ununited anconeal process, fragmented coronoid process, degenerative joint disease); osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the shoulders, knees, elbows or hocks.

The Bernese is a hardy dog, but not without his problems. Like all large breeds, problems exist with bones in growing puppies, such as hip and elbow dysplasia and osteochondrosis (OCD, which affects the shoulder. Another serious problem is the frequency in which cancer seems to occur. This may be related to auto-immune problems. Flea allergies are common, but can be managed with flea control on the dog and in his environment.

Answer: Being a relatively new breed, the Cornish Rex maintains the vigor of a mixed breed cat. The problems seen in some breeds due to breeding for extremes in body type are not seen in the Cornish Rex. Two health concerns, that also affect some other breeds are blood type incompatibility (which can cause an Rh factor type syndrome that can cause fading kittens), but we blood type all our breeding cats and have not had a problem with incompatibilities.

The problems that are most commonly watched for in Havanese are eye problems (especially Cataracts). The eyes of any Havanese used for breeding should be examined annually by a veterinary ophthalmologist.

The Central Asia Dog in fact is not very common in Italy, while the Caucasian Mountain Dog is present with a very remarkable number of subjects (only in 1998 more than 600 have been registered to the genealogical registers). Both the breeds anyway are very ancient and have the undeniable advantage that they have not been manipulated too much by man. They are fascinating and mysterious breeds that hide in their eyes a millennial history.

In a recent survey we conducted, 93% of the 600 Maltese owners reported that they did have a tear staining problem with their Maltese.

a) Hip Dysplasia - a faulty formation of the femoral head (ball part of the hip) and the acetabulum (socket part of the hip). b) Ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament - in the rear end, in the stifle (knee joint) of the dog. Prime target because a Rottweiler's agility and bulk work against each other. It can occur over a period of time with gradual degenerative changes or by a blunt traumatic accident.

There are a few health problems which afflict the Great Dane breed: growth problems, hip dysplasia, and bloat/GDV/torsion are primary concerns. Wobblers, thyroid problems, and problems with the eyes also appear in the breed.

Over and over and over I see people who are coping with fatigue - tired, tired, tired, and sugar handling problems. It is surprising how fatigue can be so nutritionally based and how overuse of sugars and certain carbohydrates can compound the problem. Another common problem that applies to spiritually oriented people is an over emphasis on emotional clearing instead of a practical focus on nutritional and chemical imbalances which can greatly effect energy and well being.

Bloat, Canine Hip Dysplasia, Heat, Skin Disorders (allergies). The best way to avoid the majority of these problems is to make preventative vet visits regularly, feed a good diet (Royal Canin Natural, Holistic) with lots of fresh water , and give your pet plenty of exercise. Keep animals out of direct sun for extended periods of time and ensure they do not overdue exercise in extreme heat.

The clinic served 1583 different clients in 2004, for a total of 4420 visits. The largest number of visits (33%) was for ear/nose/throat and respiratory problems, including asthma, which is an extremely frequent chronic illness in this population. Well baby, child, and adolescent visits accounted for 25% of the total. Other common visit diagnoses included skin problems, anemia, acute injuries, infections, and genitourinary or gastrointestinal problems.

The most common is Hip Dysplasia. We check hips of all our dogs and we breed only ones that do not have Hip Dysplasia. Most of our dogs have hips certified with PennHIP and a few with OFA. We are also started testing for Elbow Dysplasia as well. The Cherry Eye occurs relatively often as it common for all Mastiff breeds. It can be corrected with a simple surgery. The Bloat is another health concern.

Note: If your veterinarian hasn't much sighthound or IW experience, most experienced IW veterinarians are happy to share their knowledge. Ask your breeder and/or the regional club for a reference to such a veterinarian. While the internet can be a good source of information, it can also provide a great deal of mis-information - whether outdated, anecdotal, hysterical, misinterpreted, or just plain wrong. Always discuss medical concerns with your veterinarian.

At present there are no specific heredity problems. Visit www.ponhealth.org and participate in our "OPEN" Health Information Database (coming soon).

According to the World Health Organization, approximately 30% of all commercial buildings have significant IAQ problems. Similar estimates have been made by others. I am unaware of any similar estimates in regards to residences.

Some of the common problems are those caused by injuries from accidents that occur at home, at work, on the highways, and from competitive sports. The most frequent are: ruptured discs and sciatica In addition to injuries, Orthopaedists also treat more chronic conditions such as problems with the back, legs, and feet. These include: Orthopaedic practice also includes the treatment of arthritis and bursitis.

Video monitor problems are usually caused by mis-matches of the monitor and the chosen monitor profile. They are usually characterized by no video on the monitor (this could also be due to the system hanging) or un-synchronized video. If no monitor profile is available for your monitor you may need to choose a generic monitor profile. Before doing this, make sure you know what the maximum horizontal and vertical frequencies of your monitor are.

In most cases, the answer is NO. Breeding dogs is a great responsibily and there is significant financial investment involved (often exceeding $1500 or more) in breeding a litter properly, and a great deal of time must be spent to socialize your pups so they reach their full potential. The average litter size of a German Shepherd is 8 to 12 puppies. As one of the most popular breeds in the country, approximately 60,000 German Shepherd Dogs are registered with the AKC yearly.

As this is a breed close to its working origins, and most breeders prefer to out cross different lines to make the best use of the available gene pool, the breed seems to have few serious health problems. Anatolians can be sensitive to anesthesia, and this may be of concern if some veterinary procedures are performed. However, modern anesthetics tend to cause fewer reactions if they are used judiciously and "to effect", rather than prescribed simply by weight of the dog.