In addition, this hunting dog is an excellent companion for life as he has an affable, affectionate, loyal and patient character with all members of the family. It is also a dog that needs a lot of activity since it is very dynamic and accumulates energy easily.
Although Weimaraners are very he althy and strong dogs, they can suffer from some genetic problems. So, if you live with a Weimaraner or are thinking of fostering one, it is important that you inform yourself very well about all aspects of the life of this breed, including the possible he alth problems that it may suffer. For this reason, in this new article on our site we are going to comment on the most common diseases in Weimaraner dogs so that you can get to know them and, thus, offer you a better quality of life.
Gastric torsion
gastric torsion is a common problem in giant, large and some medium breeds such as the Weimaraner. When dogs fill their stomachs too much with food or liquid, and especially if they subsequently exercise, run or play, this organ ends up dilating as the ligaments and muscles do not support excessive weight. The dilation together with the movement, causes the stomach to turn on itself, that is, it twists. Then, the blood vessels that supply the stomach cannot function properly, so the tissue at the entrance and exit of this organ begins to become necrotic and, in addition, the retained food begins to form gas that swells the dog's gut.
This is a critical situation for the dog's life, so if you notice that your Weimaraner has eaten or drunk excessively, has run or jumped and shortly after begins to try to vomit without succeeding, to be apathetic and even if you notice her belly getting swollen, go to vet ER right away, as surgery is required.
Hip and elbow dysplasia
One of the most common diseases in Weimaraner dogs is hip dysplasia and dysplasia of elbow which are both inherited and usually present at 5 or 6 months of age. In the case of the hip condition it is a malformation of the coxofemoral joint and in the case of the elbow condition there is a malformation in the elbow joint. In addition, in both cases this causes from a slight lameness that does not prevent the dog from leading a normal life to a total disability of the affected part.
Spinal dysraphism
spinal dysraphism is a term that covers various types of problems that occur in the spinal column, the spinal canal, in the mediodorsal septum and the neural tube of the fetus, which can affect the he alth of the dog in different ways. Weimaraners have a genetic predisposition to spinal dysraphism, most notably spina bifida In addition, this problem is often associated with other spinal malfusion problems.
Skin tumors
Weimaraners are generally prone to some types of skin tumors. The skin tumors they most frequently suffer from are hemangioma and hemgiosarcoma It is very important that if we detect any lump on our dog's skin we should go to the vet immediately to review and diagnose it to act accordingly as soon as possible. In addition, it is vital not to skip regular check-ups in which the specialist can find any anomaly.
Distichiasis and entropion
Distichiasis itself is not a disease, but rather a condition that some puppies of the Pointer Breed are born with. Weimar but that can lead to eye diseases. It is also known as double eyelashes and it is that in a single eyelid there are two rows of eyelashes. It usually occurs in the lower eyelid, although it is also possible that it occurs in the upper eyelid or in both and it is always in both eyes at the same time.
The main problem with this genetic condition is that excess eyelashes usually produce rubs on the cornea and excessive tearing, for this Constant irritation of the cornea often leads to eye infections and even entropion.
Entropion is one of the most common diseases in Weimaraner dogs, although it is not one of the breeds that most suffers from this problem ocular. As we have pointed out before, the fact of having various eyelashes that are in contact with the cornea for too long, ends up causing irritation, small wounds on it and even swelling of both the cornea and the eyelid, among other eye conditions. Thus, the eyelid folds into the eye and this is very painful and significantly reduces visibility and, if not treated with medication and surgery, can cause the cornea is unrecoverable.
For this reason, we must be very careful with the eye hygiene of our Weimaraner and always be attentive to the symptoms that may show up in the eye, in addition to going to regular veterinary check-ups.
Hemophilia A and von Willebrand disease
Hemophilia type A is an inherited disease that affects Weimaraner dogs and causes the blood to coagulate during a hemorrhage be much slower than normal. So, if our dog suffers an injury, we must go to the vet as soon as possible to stop the bleeding with specific medication and stabilize it.
This type of clotting condition can cause anything from mild anemia to serious problems and even death for the dog. For this reason, if we know that our furry is diagnosed with this problem, we must notify any veterinarian who is going to perform an operation on him, since he must take precautions.
Finally, another of the most common diseases in Weimaraner dogs is the syndrome or disease of von Willebrand which is also a genetic coagulation problem. Therefore, as with haemophilia A, when there is a bleed it is much more difficult to stop it. This common disease in Weimaraner dogs has various degrees, so there may be cases in which it is mild and cases in which it is severe.
The main difference between these two conditions is that hemophilia A is caused by a problem in clotting factor VIII, while that in von Willebrand disease the problem occurs in the von Willebrand coagulation factor, hence the name of the disease.
