Most Common Siberian Husky Diseases

Author: Laura McKinney
Date Of Creation: 10 August 2021
Update Date: 12 May 2024
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3 SCARY Diseases That Siberian Huskies Commonly Get!
Video: 3 SCARY Diseases That Siberian Huskies Commonly Get!

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O Siberian Husky is a wolf-like breed of dog, and its appearance and personality have become very popular in recent years. They are happy and active animals, which need a lot of attention and care to stay healthy and become faithful human companions. Furthermore, the appearance of the Siberian Husky as we know it today is the product of a well-defined choice, so it is a strong and robust animal with no tendency to contract viral or infectious diseases.

However, it is known that breed animals often suffer from certain diseases due to their genetic content, and the Siberian Husky is no exception. That's why at PeritoAnimal we'll show you the Most Common Siberian Husky Diseases, so you can easily detect any illness in your furry friend.


The Siberian Husky

The Siberian Husky is a breed of Nordic dog descended from the wolf. In the past, he was trained to pull sleds in the snow, so he developed a great resistance that remains in the genetic load of today's puppies.

This breed is characterized by having a cheerful, playful and in turn dominant personality. They tend to be extroverts and get along very well with children and strangers, as long as they are properly trained, so they are not recommended as guard dogs. On the other hand, they are extremely intelligent animals that learn easily and create a very strong bond with the family they consider their pack, so instinct drives them to remain faithful to their group. Your nature is outgoing and free.

Like other purebred dog breeds, the Siberian Husky tends to suffer from certain diseases, either hereditary or because their morphology and physical characteristics affect them more easily. This is one of the breeds of puppies with different colored eyes. For years, breeders have joined forces to definitively eliminate these diseases, and although they have not yet succeeded, they have managed to reduce the level of incidence in puppies. Still, there are still certain conditions that are very likely to affect your Siberian Husky and that break down into eye diseases, skin diseases and hip disorders. Next, we'll explain what they are.


Siberian Husky's Most Common Eye Diseases

Eye diseases affect the Siberian Husky irrespective of sex and age and sometimes can cause total loss of vision. They affect the animal regardless of whether its iris color is brown, blue, or a combination of both.

There are four diseases to which the Husky is predisposed: bilateral cataracts, glaucoma, corneal opacity and progressive retinal atrophy. The incidence of these diseases in the Husky is five percent, but they are considered serious, so when any discomfort appears, the dog should be taken to the veterinarian as soon as possible.

Bilateral cataracts

Hereditary disease characterized by the appearance of an opacity in the lens. Although the disease is operable, the dog's eyesight does not fully recover. If it gets worse, you can end up in blindness, so it is important to have annual check-ups that allow you to detect the disease in time.


They are called juvenile cataracts when they appear in puppies. There are also developmental cataracts, a variety of the degenerative type caused by toxicity, eye damage or systemic diseases suffered by the animal.

The disease can appear at any age, although it usually evolves in a legend, even leaving the Husky blind in some cases. How does it spread in the eye? Cataracts affect the lens of the eye, the structure responsible for forming the image on the retina through light rays. As it becomes opaque, the amount of light that enters decreases and so does the ability to see. As the problem worsens, the size of the opacity increases.

Glaucoma

It occurs when the channel that controls the internal pressure of the eyeball becomes narrower, so this pressure increases as the channel blocks. When the Husky is one year old, it is necessary to have an exam to rule out the presence of the disease, and to repeat this exam annually, as glaucoma in dogs can cause blindness.

corneal dystrophy

Have originates from the cornea, but is spread throughout the rest of the eye. preventing vision. It can affect both eyes, although it may not be at the same time or to the same degree of severity.

How does it develop? A dog's eye begins to produce a series of cone-shaped crystals that cover the cornea and extend to the surface of the eye. It is an inherited disease, and can appear at any age in the Siberian Husky.

progressive retinal atrophy

It is an inherited condition of the retina that causes blindness in the animal and, therefore, it is considered another of the most common diseases of the Siberian Husky. It affects not only the retina but also the inner lining of the retina, which is sensitive to light entering the eyeball.

There are two types of progressive retinal atrophy:

  • Primary progressive retinal atrophy: affects night vision, gradually deteriorating it, which is known as night blindness. However, it also impairs vision during the day due to a general degeneration of eye cells. It can start between six weeks and the first years of the animal, progressively advancing until it leaves the animal blind. It affects both eyes, though not to the same degree.
  • Progressive central retinal atrophy: in this variant of the disease, the dog has a higher level of vision in dark environments than in light.It is difficult for him to perceive objects that remain immobile, although he easily detects those that move. Appears between the first and fifth year.

Siberian Husky's Most Common Skin Diseases

The Siberian Husky has a very beautiful thick coat, but it is necessary to be aware of possible skin infections that affect its appearance and dermis health. When it comes to skin diseases, the most common ones in the Siberian Husky are nasal dermatitis, zinc deficiency and hypothyroidism.

nasal dermatitis

It is caused by the zinc deficiency or used to be a symptom of it. Its symptoms are:

  • Hair loss on the nose.
  • Redness.
  • Nasal lesions.
  • Depigmentation.

zinc deficiency

This deficiency is genetic in the Husky, preventing it from absorbing the zinc that food contains in the amounts it needs. To diagnose this disease, the veterinarian performs a biopsy with tissue taken from the skin. It is possible that the zinc treatment that the veterinarian prescribes should be given for life.

Among the symptoms of zinc deficiency are:

  • Itch.
  • Hair loss.
  • Injury to paws, genitals and face.

hypothyroidism

It appears when the thyroid stops generating thyroid hormone in the amounts that the dog's body needs to stabilize its metabolism. To treat this failure, it is possible that you will need medication for this for the rest of your life.

The symptoms of hypothyroidism in dogs are:

  • Skin shedding, especially on the tail.
  • Abnormal thickening of the skin.

Considerations to be taken into account

Finally, if at any time you have thought about cutting your dog's fur, considering that it is a northern breed, it is best not to do so, as you will be exposing your Husky to skin infections from which its fur protects it. , such as allergies, parasites and sunburn.

If you think the heat bothers your Husky, it's best to allow it access to an air-conditioned area or areas of the house that are cooler during the summer.

Most Common Hip Disorders in the Siberian Husky

THE hip dysplasia it is an inherited anomaly that affects many dog ​​breeds, including the Siberian Husky, which suffers from it at a rate of five percent. It consists of moving the femur out of the acetabulum, a bone that belongs to the pelvic joint where it should be attached. It appears before the age of two in 95% of cases, being easy to detect as it causes difficulty in using stairs or changing position. When it appears in the Husky, it is unable to perform tasks that require endurance, as intense exercise only aggravates the condition with pain, arthritis and inflammation of the area.

the anomaly it is transmitted from parents to children in the following way: if the male suffers from it, it provides the dysplasia genes, if the female suffers, it provides the complementary genes for the condition to occur in their offspring. It can be improved during the dog's growth phase with certain exercises for dogs with hip dysplasia, an adequate diet and controlling the animal's weight, but in any case it can transmit the disease to your puppies, since it is a carrier dog. .

When the Husky is born, its hip looks perfectly normal, and disease only manifests itself as it grows. When the indicated exams are performed, four levels of dysplasia:

  1. Free (does not show the anomaly)
  2. Light
  3. moderate
  4. Serious

The Siberian Husky is usually between free and light. On the other hand, in dogs affected by this disease, diets low in fat and free from vitamin supplements are recommended to avoid excessive weight gain. In addition, it is advisable to avoid jumping and violent movements during games and training, which only worsen the condition of the bones.

Always remember to consult the veterinarian at any sign of most common diseases in the Siberian Husky or strange behavior, to discard them or, on the contrary, to be diagnosed and start the most indicated treatment.

Recently Adopted Puppy? See our list of names for husky puppies.

This article is for information purposes only, at PeritoAnimal.com.br we are not able to prescribe veterinary treatments or perform any type of diagnosis. We suggest that you take your pet to the veterinarian in case it has any type of condition or discomfort.