Having a Golden Retriever of your own can definitely be exciting and fun. However, it is definitely important to ensure you take good care of your Golden, which includes caring for his health. Unfortunately, this breed is susceptible to particular health problems that may cause some problems in your dog. The life expectancy of these dogs can range up to 15 years, although many may only live for 10 years due to some of the common Golden Retriever health complications that can affect these dogs. Here is a closer look at some of the top health problems you should be looking out for in your own Golden Retriever.
When it comes to Golden Retriever health problems, one of the most common happens to be hip dysplasia. This disease is genetic and seen in many Goldens. Hip Dysplasia is a joint disease that occurs when the hip socket is misaligned. This breed and many other large dog breeds are susceptible to this health condition. While it usually is not a life threatening problem, it can cause a lot of pain for your Golden and severe cases may lead to your dog going lame. Before purchasing a Golden Retriever it’s a good idea to find out if the parents have been tested for this disease.
Another of the Golden Retriever health problems to watch out for is cataracts. This is an eye condition that leads to cloudy vision. Over time it can even lead to the loss of vision in your dog. This is another hereditary problem. It can be treated but the treatment can be quite costly. Surgery can be done on your dog’s eyes, but it requires high tech vet facilities. If you don’t have your dog treated for these eye problems, over time he may end up losing night and low light vision, which can affect the temperament of your dog.
Some Goldens deal with allergies as well. Usually this Golden Retriever health problem affects the skin, although other parts can be affected by the allergies. If you think your Golden may have allergies, there are tests that can determine if this is truly a problem for your dog.
Other Common Health Issues
- Elbow dysplasia
- Hot spots
- Lick sores
Systematic Health Issues
- Digestive problems
- Ear problems
- Eye problems such as cataracts
- Heart problems
- Oral problems, such as mouth, gums and teeth
- Reproductive issues
- Urinary system problems such as bladder stones, cystitis, kidney stones, urinary tract infections.
Human-Like Health Problems
- Mange mites
- Ticks (carriers of Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever)
Most of the Golden Retriever health issues are hereditary and passed down through the bloodline. For this reason, it’s important that you check out the parents of your dog. When purchasing a Golden, check with the track record and the reputation of the breeder you are buying from. Ensure that they have physical paperwork on their dogs saying that they have been tested for common Golden health issues. It’s a good idea to ensure that your dog has a health certification.
While most of the health problems a Golden deals with is hereditary, there are cases when cancer has hit these dogs as well. In some cases, this may be a treatable condition. However, there are many cases where nothing can be done for your dog. The best thing that you can do to prevent cancer and the other hereditary Golden Retriever health problems is to keep your dog on a healthy diet, ensure he gets plenty of exercise, and get him checked out by a veterinarian on a regular basis.