Content
- hereditary diseases
- Skin diseases in pitbulls
- Degenerative diseases
- nutritional deficiencies
- fungal diseases
The American pit bull terrier is a very resistant canine breed that only presents specific diseases of its race. It can be affected by the same diseases as other dog food, but to a lesser extent. The main reason is that this ancient dog was bred for the despicable activity of dog fighting. Currently banned, but in many places it still exists clandestinely.
As a result of the brutal activity for which the pit bull terrier was bred, the strength and physical toughness of this dog was honed by the breeders of the breed. Obviously, both physical virtues can only be attained by dogs that are not prone to illness.
Keep reading this post on Perito Anima and we'll tell you the most common diseases among pit bull terrier dogs.
hereditary diseases
At illnesses of genetic or hereditary origin are by far the most common among dogs of this breed. Typically, such illnesses manifest themselves in poorly bred animals. Dogs that suffer from this type of disease should not, in any case, be destined for breeding, as they will transmit these genetic problems to their puppies. In addition, in Perito Animal, we do not in any case encourage the reproduction of dogs for commercial purposes as there are many abandoned dogs.
- Displacement or dislocation of the kneecap. In this disease, the kneecap slips out of place and or becomes rigid. Healing is done with surgery or through an expensive and painful treatment for the dog. It can arise if we perform very intense exercise with our pit bull terrier dog.
- chair dysplasia. Hereditary anomaly that causes pain and makes the dog limp. The femur does not fit well into the cavity of the chair. Hip dysplasia is one of the most common diseases in large dogs.
- cleft lip. This lip malformation can be mild or severe. When it's light, it doesn't matter beyond aesthetics, but if it's serious, it causes a lot of suffering to the poor animal. It can be corrected with surgical intervention, but the affected animal, its siblings and parents must not reproduce.
Skin diseases in pitbulls
The bull terrier sometimes suffers from dermatological diseases like any other breed of dog. It is recommended that you check your coat regularly to ensure that you do not suffer from any of these problems:
- atopy. It is a disease that is an allergic response of the dog's skin to some allergenic substance (dust, pollen, human dandruff, feathers, etc. It is characterized by a strong itching that causes the dog to scratch a lot and damage the skin with hair loss in the affected area.
- Demodicosis. Mite disease Demodex kennels, present in large or small amounts in all dogs. However, an inherited deficiency of their immune system can seriously affect the pit bull terrier.
Degenerative diseases
The pit bull terrier is liable to suffer some degenerative disease. These are the most common diseases in pit bull terrier dogs and that also affect other terrier-type breeds:
- hypothyroidism. This disease is a consequence of failure of the thyroid gland. Symptoms usually appear with advancing age (4 to 10 years), but it can also be from birth of the dog (Congenital Hypothyroidism), which would be a hereditary disease. Dogs with this change die early. Symptoms of the disease in adult dogs with endocrine system failure are general dog malaise and heart problems.
- ichthyosis. Severe degenerative disease that causes the skin to harden on the pads of the foot and a scaly, oily appearance. This causes a lot of pain in the dog when he walks. It is recommended to sacrifice affected dogs to prevent them from suffering. It may have hereditary origin.
Pit bull terriers have more sensitive skin than other breeds, so it is recommended to use specific and non-allergenic shampoos.
nutritional deficiencies
The pit bull terrier can sometimes overflow. dietary deficiencies for lack of malabsorption of some trace elements.
- Zinc Sensitive Dermatosis. This lack of zinc causes the appearance of bed sores, itching, scaling and hair loss around the eyes and muzzle in the dog. The cause is poor absorption of zinc in the intestine. With zinc supplementation it is possible to control the disease.
fungal diseases
When pit bull terrier dogs live in places with excessive humidity, they can develop fungal diseases (caused by fungus).
- Ringworm. Dermatological problem caused by fungi. It occurs when the dog is subjected to excessive bathing, or when it lives in a humid and poorly ventilated place. The veterinarian will administer the appropriate treatment based on the type of invasive fungus.
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.