English Mastiff Common Health Issues and Symptoms
English Mastiff Common Health Issues and Symptoms: Mastiffs are prone to various health issues including Dysplasia, Bloat, and arthritis.
The origin of this ancient dog breed in England. The popularity of English Mastiffs is increasing day by day but many people are unaware that these gentle giants are also prone to many health threats. Some of these diseases are inherited. Mastiff dog breed is prone to heart disorders and joint diseases. Many health issues can be avoided by proper diet, moderate exercise, and regular health checkups. Here we will know about Health issues in English Mastiffs and their Symptoms.
Health problems commonly observed in English mastiff
- Hip Dysplasia and Elbow Dysplasia
- Cruciate Ligament Rupture
- Osteosarcoma
- Cystinuria
- Gastric Torsion or Bloat
Health problems that are rarely observed in English Mastiffs
- Osteochondritis dissecans
- Pulmonic stenosis
- Mitral dysplasia
- CardioMyopathy
- subaortic stenosis
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy
- corneal dystrophy
- Persistent Pupillary membranes
- Entropion and Ectropion
- Retinal dysplasia
- Hypothyroidism
First, we will begin with Bone and Joint related Health issues
Bone and Joint Issues
Hip Dysplasia and Elbow Dysplasia
Dysplasia means abnormal growth or formation of joints and it is common in medium to large-sized dog breeds. English Bulldogs are prone to Hip Dysplasia and Elbow Dysplasia.
Hip Dysplasia: It is the most common type of joint issue found in dogs. It occurs due to the abnormal formation of Hip joints in which the ball and socket joint doesn’t fit normally.
Elbow Dysplasia: Elbow dysplasia is also caused by the abnormal and unusual formation of the Elbow joints.
Both of these health issues have common Symptoms:
- Decreased motion and less activity
- Pain
- Rigidity
- Harshness
- Looseness of joint
- loss of muscular mass around joints
Osteosarcoma
Osteosarcoma is a type of bone cancer. Its tumor can be observed in any dog breed. Osteosarcoma is mostly found in the large-sized dog breed and it is considered one of the worst bone diseases because it increases and expands very quickly. It is recognized by X-rays and other bone scans.
Symptoms
- Pain in the joint area
- Less Energetic
- Bone pain
- Tiredness
- Loss of Appetite
- Swelling
- Abnormal Posture
Cruciate ligament rupture
Sometimes the ligament of the knee called the Cruciate ligament can rupture. Ligament Rupture problem is common in large-sized dog breeds. This can be treated with various Surgeries.
Symptoms
- Lameness
- difficulty in Getting up
- Pain
- Abnormal way of walking
Osteochondritis dissecans
During the Growth of the dog around the age of 5 to 8 months when the formation of joints and growth of bones takes place. Sometimes some bones may grow too fast without alignment and may split which leads to abnormal formation and force growth against each other which can also result in them breaking. OCD is very aching and irritating for the dog.
Symptoms of Osteochondritis Dissecans
- Abnormal gait
- Lameness
- Non-stop Aching
- Decreased motion and less activity
- Swelling in joints
Heart disorders
CardioMyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is a heart disorder that is common in large-sized dog breeds. It causes the heart’s muscles to become weak and Enlarged. It is also called Heart muscle disease. CardioMyopathy also causes weak pumping of blood. There are chances that the affected dog may die from heart failure. Sadly, there is no proper treatment for CardioMyopathy.
Symptoms
- Exercise Intolerance
- Irregular Heartbeats
- Less Appetite
- Coughing and Sickness
- High B.P
Pulmonic stenosis
Pulmonic Stenosis is a hereditary heart disorder that causes the obstruction or restriction in the flow of blood from the heart to the lungs. An affected dog may suffer from Hear failure or sudden collapse.
There are no accurate symptoms of this heart disorder however some things can be noticed in an affected dog as less Energy and exercise intolerance
Mitral dysplasia
Mitral Dysplasia often known as Mitral valve dysplasia is a hereditary disorder formed due to the abnormal mitral valve of the heart which leads to a back-flow of blood. The affected dog must be treated by a Vet because this disease can be deadly to a dog, Heart failure can also occur.
Symptoms of Mitral Dysplasia
- Less energy level
- Sickness
- Coughing
- Holosystolic murmur
Subaortic stenosis
Subaortic stenosis is a hereditary disease that is caused by the obstruction in the flow of blood through the heart. The obstruction is caused by the narrowing which causes left ventricle blockage. Muscles of the heart become thickened because the heart has to perform much harder to pump blood. This Heart disorder occurs in dogs in the first year of their life. An affected dog should be shown to the Vet for a checkup as soon as possible because this disease is very dangerous, and sudden death can also occur.
Eye Diseases
Entropion and Ectropion
Entropion and Ectropion are Hereditary eye diseases that are inverse of each other, Both of these diseases can occur in a dog at any age and can occur as an outcome of any other diseases.
In Ectoprion the eyelids of a dog’s eye curve inward and it can also damage the cornea of the dog’s eye because it can cause the eyelashes of the dog’s eye to rub on the dog’s eyeball. Ectropion is an Eye disease in which the eyeballs of a dog curve outwards. It can be cured by eye drops suggested by Vet and sometimes it needs surgeries.
Symptoms
- Redness in eyes
- Inward or Outward curve of eyeballs
- Watery Eyes
- Irritation
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) is a Hereditary and Progressive eye disease that gets serious with time. Initially, it starts with night blindness which can eventually lead to complete blindness. In PRA the photoreceptors cell present at the back of the dog’s eye gets worsened. Unfortunately, there is no accurate treatment for this eye disease.
Symptoms of Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
- Night blindness
- An affected dog may bump or collide with objects due to improper vision
Persistent Pupillary membranes
In Persistent Pupillary Membranes, the fetal tissues remain in the dog’s eye even after birth. Normally they disappear after a few weeks after birth but in some cases, these tissues remain. In many cases, they don’t cause any problem but in a few cases, they can cause problems like cataracts. You should get your dog to your Vet to assure that it can cause a problem or not. This condition is rarely seen in English Mastiffs.
- Corneal dystrophy
- Retinal dysplasia
Other Common diseases
- Hypothyroidism
- Gastric Torsion
- Cystinuria
Related Article: English Mastiff Grooming, Shedding And Health Care
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