German Shepherd dogs, or GSD, are one of the most notable and recognizable dog breeds. Whether they are your couch buddy or athletic companion, these dogs have made great pets for people worldwide. Despite the incredible experience and benefits of owning a White German Shepherd, there are quite a few responsibilities that come with owning one, one of which being its health issues.
Some common health issues in White German Shepherds are: Perianal Fistula, Megaesophagus, Hip Dysplasia, Osteoarthritis, and Degenerative Myelopathy. These dogs suffer from issues that all owners must be aware of because the problems seen in this breed are much less common than other breeds.
It’s important to know how to identify these health issues associated with White German Shepherds, and when possible, what can be done to treat them.
White And Standard German Shepherd Differences
What is the difference between a White German Shepherd and a regular German Shepherd? The most obvious, White German Shepherds have a thick white coat that is caused by a recessive masking gene. This recessive trait hides their exact color.
Interestingly, there is not much difference between the two breeds as far as longevity and health is concerned.
What makes health issues in German Shepherds more pervasive than other breeds? Health issues in German Shepherds are detrimental to the overall growth of the animal. One of those issues, for instance, is an inflamed head of the thigh bone which won’t fit properly in the hip socket.
In humans, this is called impingement and can hinder the ability to walk or run without discomfort. It has a similar impact on your German Shepherd. There are more issues similar to this.
Common Health Issues You Should Know If You Own A White German Shepherd
Although these conditions are not specific to only White German Shepherds, they are often associated with them.
Perianal Fistula
This disease is similar to Crohn’s disease in humans. It is most commonly recognized when dogs have bloody stool and diarrhea. Typically, they will lick at the anal area. You will most likely find messy bedding to be an issue as well.
Infection in this area is created by the nerves, which fosters a painful experience for the animal. The placement of the tail on these animals is in large part due to this disease. Studies show dietary changes, food allergies, and inflammatory bowel are all a result of this disease.
Megaesophagus
This occurs when the esophagus, which is where we transport food to the stomach, is no longer able to pass food through the entire digestive process.
In German Shepherds, we see megaesophagus as a congenital problem. Dogs that are affected by this show signs of vomiting and regurgitating their food when they are forced to consume a solid diet.
The dogs appear malnourished and smaller than their counterparts. Managing dogs with this disease is lifelong. It involves a constant liquid diet and more frequent feeding. Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease.
Hip Dysplasia
This happens when the hip joint does not fit properly into the hip socket and causes instability in the animal.
Abnormalities are seen in the ball or the socket, or both. Abnormal wear is a result of chronic laxity and ultimately leads to osteoarthritis.
The genetic correlation between breeds with this disease is strong. Only the German Shepherd dog has shown improvements for dysplasia even though breeding programs have reduced this in all breeds.
This disease is extremely painful for the animals. Since it’s a genetic disorder, testing and breeding are the only way to mitigate the occurrence in these and other dogs. Management of this disease requires lifetime pain and activity management of the animal.
Osteoarthritis
This is not a direct result of hip dysplasia; however, middle-aged and older dogs tend to be affected with this disorder, which is seen as very common.
This disease can come as a result of injury or normal wear and tear on more active dogs. The pain resulting in this disease could be in the spine and be less noticeable. Often owners feel that their dog is merely slowing down, but a visit to your veterinarian is most likely going to reveal the truth about what is happening. Sometimes this can be temporarily managed through medication.
Degenerative Myelopathy
This is a disease that is a recessive genetic disorder. It is a neurological disease affecting middle-aged or older dogs.
It is hard to distinguish this disease from other spinal cord issues like intervertebral disc issues. The genetic cause is usually positively identified after death with an analysis of the spinal cord tissue. These dogs will experience weakness in their rear limbs that is progressive and eventually leads to paralysis.
Elbow Dysplasia
Elbow dysplasia tends to affect larger dogs. Its root cause is genetics, and it especially affects German Shepherds that have a long line of poorly bred ancestors.
Mild cases will get worse with time and make it extremely uncomfortable for the dog to walk. It is one of the most common German Shepherd health issues. Typically, owners will make sure that this disease is not prevalent in their dog’s lineage before beginning the breeding cycle.
There is little that can be done besides providing the dog with the right nutrition and keeping its joints lubricated.
Bloating / Gastric Dilation-Volvulus
This typically happens when the dog eats too much too quickly, then immediately follows the meal with intense physical exercise.
Like when humans do this, the dog experiences gas build up in the stomach. The dog then struggles to rid the gas and begins to struggle with its breathing forcing the body to go into shock.
If your pet is attempting to vomit without anything coming out of its mouth, it could be very serious, and you should talk to your vet.
In order to prevent this, you should make sure that your dog does not eat too quickly and all at once. Smaller meals throughout the day could have a much healthier impact on the digestive tract of the dog versus one larger one. Avoiding strenuous activity after eating will also contribute to this effort in preventing bloating.
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is an issue that we see most commonly in humans, but it’s also prevalent in dogs. Ironically, German Shepherds are typically trained to be seizure detecting dogs, but they too could acquire the disorder.
Epilepsy in dogs is a genetic disorder that happens to be incurable. Medications are the only route that allows this ailment to be managed in these animals.
Dogs won’t be aware that they have these conditions, so it is the responsibility of the owner to watch for it. It is especially important for dogs with this condition to live stress-free, happy, comfortable lives.
Events like kennel club shows can trigger seizures in the dog resulting in epilepsy, so keeping these animals strictly as pets is advisable.
Diabetes
Diabetes is a disease most commonly found in these animals because of their tendency to overeat. Being large in size, overeating is normal with these dogs.
Symptoms to look out for include fatigue, dry mouth, excessive drinking, excessive urinating, and swelling in the feet. With the right diet and exercise, diabetes can be regulated. In more severe cases, injections of insulin may be necessary.
Knowing some of the common health issues associated with White German Shepherds, and dogs in general, can better prepare you for what to expect if you are getting a pet, or if you already have one.
These animals make for great pets, but like with any pet, if you feel something is wrong you should take it to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Knowing what to do and keeping your pet healthy and save will only make your experience of owning one of these intelligent animals that much more enjoyable and stress-free.