If you are looking for a German Shepherd in India, it is important to be aware of the health complications it can encounter in its lifespan. Get all details regarding potential allergies and health issues from the breeder before bringing your furry friend home.

Here are some of the most common health problems encountered by German Shepherds:

Hip Dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is one of the most common heritable health issues faced by most dogs, including German Shepherds. Here, your dog’s femur does not fit properly into its pelvic socket, making for an improper hip joint. Hip dysplasia leads to pain and lameness in your pet. Your German Shepherd may or may not exhibit clinical signs of the issue and can live a healthy life despite the complications. However, hip dysplasia increases the risk of arthritis in your pet as it gets older. Moreover, it is not advisable to breed German Shepherds with hip dysplasia further.

This is one of the common problems that can be addressed in German Shepherd breeds, especially for larger dogs. The dogs start suffering from the malformation in the joint provided in the Hip region. It is a painful condition for them and it's quite difficult to get rid of.

Elbow Dysplasia

Elbow dysplasia is another heritable condition common in medium-to-large size dogs. It is characterized by the three bones making up your pet’s elbow joint growing at different rates, leading to joint laxity. Elbow dysplasia can be treated with surgery or medication.

Degenerative Myelopathy

This is a condition that affects your pet’s spinal cord, especially the region that communicates to its brain about its hind legs. The progressive disease can make your German Shepherd forget where its hind legs are, making it difficult to walk.

Gastric Dilation-volvulus

This is a health complication wherein your German Shepherd suffers from a bloating condition. It is a life-threatening condition that is common in large and deep-chested breeds like German Shepherds.

Gastric dilation-volvulus can occur when your pet eats a large meal, eats rapidly, drinks a lot of water, or starts exercising vigorously right after finishing its meal. When your German Shepherd’s stomach gets distended with gas/air and twisted, it leads to bloating. The condition prevents your pet from getting rid of this air from its stomach by vomiting or belching, ultimately hampering the blood reaching its heart. In severe cases, its blood pressure drops and it goes into a shock.

Common ways of identifying bloat are checking if your pet has a distended abdomen or if it starts retching and salivating excessively without vomiting. Under such circumstances, take it to a vet without any delay.