BREED INFORMATION
Swissies are a wonderful breed and most people who bring one into their families become lifelong fans. Though most swissy owners will gladly tell you how loyal, sweet, and mellow their dogs are few are likely to be as informative on the health concerns of the breed. For any potential owner to truely understand the lifelong commitment they are about to undertake, you need to be informed and prepared of the hurdles you may face. When swissies get sick, they accrue large veterinary bills mostly due to their large size. Medications are dosed based on weight, and therefore swissies can be significantly more expensive than say a miniature poodle even when treated for simple medical problems. Swissies may require more prolonged hospitalization because nursing care of a large dog can be difficult at home. Additionally, most diseases have a better prognosis when detected and treated early. Therefore having an awareness of the signs allows an owner to be mindful of when they may be facing an emergency. It also allows the owner to be a better advocate for their pet and bring up these potential diagnoses if their veterinarian does not automatically consider them.
Health Concerns:
- Bloat (Gastric Dilation Volvulous= GDV): Bloat, also known as gastric torsion, is a serious emergency that is fatal in 30%
- Splenic Torsion
- Licky Fits
- OCD
- Hip Dysplasia
- Elbow Dysplasia