white dogs

Question
i own a staffordshire bull terrier, who is black with a white chest. i have mated him with a brindle bitch, who has white patches. they have had only 5 puppies all different colours. 1 is full white and i was wondering the possibilities of it having problems, such as skin allergies, being deaf or blind. thank you xx

Answer
While I wasn't able to find info on the likelihood of health problems in a white Staffordshire Bull Terrer, it is a fact that most white dogs do tend to have a higher incidence for problems. West Highland White Terriers have an entire chapter of their own on skin problems in one of my dermatology books, and Dalmatians and white bull terriers are known for their high incidences of deafness.

I know that Dals and BT's have Baer Tests done to check their hearing, and your vet should be able to help you with some of your other concerns in regard to white coloring. http://www.terrier.com/breed/baer.php3  

Karen