Most Commonly Inherited Dog Health Disorders

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     The list of inherited disorders in dogs is almost endless. Almost any other part of the body is represented by a minor or a major health concern.

Knowledge about these health disorders might not completely help your dog avoid developing them. But surely, you can help reduce the risk by taking note of the precipitating factors that need to be avoided.

EENT Disorders. There are several inherited conditions that affect the eyes, ears, nose and mouth of dogs. For the eyes, cataracts are quite common. This is characterized by the presence of opacity in the lens of the eyes. Dogs will have a hard time seeing things in either one or both of their eyes. Another condition of the eyes called ectropion causes the lower eyelid to sag and roll out. This, in turn, causes the inside part of the eyes to be exposed. Glaucoma, which is a common disorder in humans, may also be present in dogs. In here, there is an increase in intraocular pressure or an increase in the pressure in the liquid compartment in the eyes.

The disorders that are mostly seen in the ears, the nose, and the mouth are structural and they might be easily corrected with minor surgery.

Musculoskeletal Disorders. There are some dogs that have significantly shorter legs. Their legs are not proportionate to their bodies. This is a condition called dwarfism. This is due to an abnormality in the formation of the bones of the legs.

Dysplasia of the bones is also common. This mostly happens in joints like in the elbows, hips or the legs. The bones do not meet together correctly and so the overall gait and posture of the dog might be affected.

Cardiovascular/Hematologic Disorders. For this part of the body, the heart is the most famous victim. There are structural defects usually affecting the heart chambers and parts. Aortic stenosis is characterized by a narrowing of the aorta, a blood vessel that connects to the heart.

Also, heart valves are affected. The valves serve as passages and regulator of blood flow. When in normal conditions, they ensure that blood does not backflow into previous structures but continues to flow towards the direction it is expected to go. In the case of stenosis of the heart valve, there is a narrowing of the passage.

The heart muscle itself can be affected by a hereditary condition. Cardiomyopathy is a condition wherein there is a decrease in the contractility of the heart muscles. Meaning, the heart does not pump the right amount of blood as it is expected. When this happens, the heart tends to compensate and beat faster or in an irregular pattern.

Anemia may also occur in dogs specifically in the form of hemolytic anemia. This is an autoimmune disorder. This means that the body's own immune system destroys or hemolyzes its own red blood cells.

Endocrine Disorders. Dogs may also develop diabetes mellitus. There is abnormality in terms of the production of insulin or in the absorption and processing of sugar in the blood. Another endocrine disorder is related to the thyroid gland. Hyperthyroidism, as stated by its name, is when the thyroid gland produces too much hormones. This causes an increase in metabolism in dogs.