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The Labrador Retriever is one of the most beloved dogs in the world, because they are adorable and big-hearted creatures. Labradors love getting attention and being hugged by everyone, especially children.
Although Labrador retrievers are very healthy dogs that do not usually get sick, there are some diseases specific to the breed and hereditary type of pathologies that we must know and take into account in order to have a better understanding of our pet's life.
If you have a Labrador or are thinking of having one in the future, we invite you to read this PeritoAnimal article where we explore the most common diseases of the labrador retriever.
eye problems
Some Labradors suffer from eye problems. The pathologies that can develop are eye defects, cataracts and progressive retinal atrophy. Are hereditary diseases that deteriorate the dog's vision system. Problems such as cataracts are important to correct in time as they can get worse as they can produce glaucoma, uveitis or dislocation. They can even suffer total blindness if left untreated. There is treatment to correct these problems or even surgeries to completely eliminate them, depending on the case.
Retinal dysplasia is a deformity that can cause anything from reduced visual field to total blindness, and this disease is an intractable condition. It is important that you consult your veterinarian beforehand because many eye diseases cannot be cured, but can be delayed with good treatment and the inclusion of foods and products with antioxidant properties.
tail myopathy
This pathology, which can frighten many Labrador retriever owners, is also known as the "wet cause" and usually appears in Labrador retrievers, but it is not exclusive to this breed. Myopathy in this area is characterized by being a flaccid tail paralysis.
Myopathy can occur when a dog is overtrained or physically stimulated. Another example happens when taking the dog on a long trip inside a travel box or when bathing in very cold water. The dog feels pain when touched in the area and it is important to give him rest and anti-inflammatory treatment to recover all his faculties.
Muscular dystrophy
Muscular dystrophies are hereditary diseases. These are problems that present themselves in muscle tissue, deficiencies and alterations in the dystrophin protein, which is responsible for keeping the muscle membranes in correct condition.
This condition in dogs is found more in males than in females and symptoms such as stiffness, weakness when walking, exercise repulsion, increased tongue thickness, excessive drooling and others, can be seen from the tenth week of the Labrador's life , when he is still a puppy. If you have difficulty breathing and muscle spasms, this represents serious symptoms.
There is no treatment to treat this disease, but veterinarians who are experts in this subject are working to find a cure and have carried out studies where, it seems, muscular dystrophy could be treated in the future with the administration of stem cells.
dysplasia
This is one of the most common diseases among the Labrador retrievers. It is a completely hereditary condition and is usually transmitted from parents to children. There are several types of dysplasia, but the most common are hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia. It happens when joints fail and develop properly causing, in many cases, degeneration, cartilage wear and dysfunction.
Dogs that have pain, anomalies in the hind legs or lesions (primary or secondary) in one or both elbows, should have a physical examination and an X-ray to determine if they have any dysplasia and at what stage of the disease they are. The basic treatment is anti-inflammatory and rest, but if it is a very advanced case, surgery can be performed.
If you have a dog of this breed as your faithful companion, also read our article on how to train a Labrador.
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.