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German Shepherd - Specific Wellness Program |
Gastrointestinal Conditions
Gastric Dilatation-Volvus (GDV)
About the condition:
- This critical condition can occur due to the rapid accumulation of food, fluid, or gas which causes twisting of the stomach.
How to detect this condition:
- If your dog seems bloated, painful, reluctant to move, or has excessive vomiting, it needs to be treated immediately.
How to prevent this condition:
- Preventative surgery can be done at the time of spaying/neutering.
Hematological/Immunological Conditions
Immune Mediated Thrombocytopenia
About the condition:
- Thrombocytopenia is a condition in which there is a decreased number of platelets in the blood, which leads to a potential for increased bleeding and a reduced ability of blood clotting.
How to detect this condition:
- Blood work will help diagnose this condition by checking your pet's platelet count; revealing if there is a low number of platelets.
Musculoskeletal Conditions
Hip Dysplasia
About the condition:
- Caused by various deformities of the hip along with the development of degenerative joint disease
- Nutrition and exercise can help in prevention.
How to detect this condition:
- It is important to have X-rays taken to find any deformities or degeneration of the hip joints. This is recommended at the of spaying/neutering (or at age 2 for breeding dogs) and then again later as your pet ages to monitor progression.
Neurological Conditions
Discospondylitis
About the condition:
- This is an infection of the intervertebral disc with osteomyelitis of adjoining vertebral bodies.
How to detect this condition:
- Signs may include loss of appetite, fever, pain, and/or partial paralysis.
- X-rays are recommended to help diagnose this condition.
Ocular Conditions
Pannus (Chronic Superficial Keratitis)
About the condition:
- A bilateral progressive inflammatory disease that affects the cornea. The cornea is the transparent, shiny membrane which makes up the front of the eyeball. Think of it as a clear window. As pannus progresses, vision loss occurs.
How to detect this condition:
- Frequent eye exams can help detect this condition.
This list is not intended to cover all possible diseases and/or conditions found in German Shepherds, but instead lists those that we have found to be most common at Hillside Animal Hospital. Please let us know if you have further questions regarding these or any other conditions.
Wellness Recommendations
We recommend six month wellness exams for the life of your pet since they age so much faster than humans do. Frequent visits allow us to discuss recent changes, detect potential problems, tailor diagnostic recommendations, and initiate therapy that will benefit your pet long term.
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Your Pet's Age in Years
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German Shepherd
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Numbers within the chart are your pet's age in human years
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Juvenile
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Adult
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Senior
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A series of wellness consultations and vaccines are required as a puppy develops. Problems can be addressed early based on a breed's disposition. Early findings may dictate the path of future wellness.
The primary wellness consultation is scheduled for routine vaccines, the first line of prevention. The second wellness consultation is meant for vaccine boosters and basic wellness blood work. Wellness blood work is essential in early detection and treatment of medical conditions. Each consultation allows us to spend time with you to discuss any changes that may have occurred as your pet ages and make recommendations accordingly. Factors such as size, sex, age, lifestyle, and breed will dictate a patient's recommendations. Radiographs may be recommended for some patients as baseline evaluations for future comparisons.
Adult wellness blood work includes a basic chemistry (8), a complete blood count, and a heartworm test. We recommend evaluating wellness blood work annually for the lifetime of the pet.
With senior patients, each wellness consultation is for routine vaccines and boosters, along with a physical examination. Changes for seniors can be subtle, so maintaining a healthy senior pet requires an owner's observations along with twice a year physical examinations to evaluate these changes. The doctors recommend annual comprehensive wellness blood work and urinalysis for all of our seniors. Doctors rely on blood and urine tests to provide important information about a pet's health to determine appropriate therapy. Radiographs may also be recommended as these changes occur to again ensure appropriate therapy.
Senior wellness blood work includes a comprehensive chemistry (25), a complete blood count, thyroid hormone level, urinalysis, and a heartworm test. Depending on medications, some prescriptions require frequent blood monitoring in addition to routine wellness.
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FAX: 480-551-1738
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