These Are The Most Common Health Problems in Big Dogs

In this article:

• Hip dysplasia
• Elbow dysplasia
• Cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tear
• Bloat and gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV)
• Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM)
• Wobbler syndrome

With their thumping tails, sonorous barks, and what occasionally seems like a genuine belief that they’re the same size as toy breeds, big dogs are special. But, sadly, in addition to their charms, these gentle giants also carry vulnerabilities to several health problems.

If you’re among the many people who love a big dog, here are some common conditions to look out for, and how to protect your best friend from them. As always, remember that if you have any questions about your dog’s health, your veterinarian is the best person to ask. They’re your number-one partner in managing your pet’s long-term well-being.

Hip dysplasia

Hip dysplasia is an inherited orthopedic disease characterized by abnormal development of the hip joint and subsequent onset of osteoarthritis. If you consult your memory of Schoolhouse Rock!, you’ll recall that bones are all connected; in the hip’s case, a healthy femur, or thighbone, has a ball-shape on one end that fits snugly into the pelvis socket. In dysplastic hips, the ball and socket don’t fit together well—and that results in a loose hip joint.

What causes hip dysplasia

The way large dogs grow is one reason hip dysplasia is more common among those breeds. “All dogs go through growth spurts,” said Ally Sterman, DVM, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgery (Small Animal), a clinical assistant professor of small animal surgery at the Ohio State University. “Large-breed dogs tend to have a more rapid growth spurt.” In dogs with hip dysplasia, the thighbones and pelvis grow at different rates during the growth spurt.

Genetics are a significant factor in the development of hip dysplasia. “When we tried to breed for a beautiful hair coat and a nice personality, we also unfortunately got a very shallow hip socket,” said Alison Manchester, DVM, PhD, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Small Animal Internal Medicine), an assistant professor of small animal medicine at the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.

Hip dysplasia is common enough among large dogs that “a majority of [them] will get some degree” of it, Dr. Sterman said. But, even if genetics make it difficult for certain dogs to avoid the condition, she said that its severity is multifactorial, depending on variables like weight and body condition. For example, too much or too little exercise, obesity, and unbalanced nutrition can all be factors in worsening the effects of hip dysplasia. 

Signs of hip dysplasia in dogs

Signs include limping, difficulty getting up, decreased muscle mass in the back legs, swaying hips, and a bunny-hopping gait in which the hind legs move together. That last sign tends to mean a dog is experiencing hip pain. “You might notice that they don’t want to get up or down as easily,” Dr. Sterman said, “or they’re not jumping or moving around like they used to.”

How to treat hip dysplasia

“There’s no perfect cure,” Dr. Sterman said. But, depending on how much discomfort a dog is in, treatment could start with pain medications such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Joint injections are an option, while total hip replacements can restore normal hip function. Treatment may also involve physical therapy and low-impact exercise like walking and swimming.

How to prevent hip dysplasia

If your dog is genetically predisposed to hip dysplasia, you may not be able to avoid it entirely. But there are ways to improve your dog’s quality of life and reduce the severity of the condition—particularly through a healthy diet, maintaining a good body condition, and regular exercise. 

Being overweight increases the risk of many conditions in dogs, and can make dysplasia more severe. “Making sure they’re not overfed is the main way to help protect against [severe hip dysplasia],” Dr. Sterman said. Excess pounds increase the amount of weight the joints bear, straining them over time and increasing the odds of developing more severe dysplasia. Inversely, an overweight dog with dysplastic hips may be able to walk better after losing weight.

“If their joints are already predisposed to degenerating and they have to carry around extra weight, that can fuel the fire,” Dr. Manchester said. She further emphasized that a large dog’s loss of mobility also poses a significant challenge for their owner: “When a large-to-giant breed dog is having mobility issues, it becomes a huge problem—because you can’t just scoop them under your arm and carry them up the stairs.”

Because genetics are so important to the development of hip dysplasia, veterinarians and breeding organizations recommend screening breeding dogs with an X-ray that reveals the shape of the dog’s pelvis sockets and the heads of the femurs, and their potential to develop the condition later. This can prevent passing the condition down.

And if you notice your dog of any size slowing down, limping, or not walking right, it’s time to see the vet.

Elbow dysplasia

While hip dysplasia is a single condition, elbow dysplasia is an umbrella term encompassing four conditions that impede healthy elbow development and function. These are:

• Ununited anconeal process
• Medial coronoid disease
• Osteochondrosis
• Elbow-joint incongruity

We’ll explain each one below.

Causes of elbow dysplasia

Each of these diseases has a different cause, and is more common to certain breeds.

Ununited anconeal process of the ulna—one of the two bones comprising the forearm—is common in German shepherds and Saint Bernards. Normally, certain bones in the forelimbs fuse by five or six months of age; when this doesn’t occur, a fragment results that causes joint instability, pain, inflammation, and ultimately osteoarthritis. It’s possible this disease is inherited, but that hasn’t been proven.

Medial coronoid disease appears more frequently in young large- and giant-breed dogs such as Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers, Bernese mountain dogs, and rottweilers. It comprises even more specific conditions, such as cartilage erosion and fissures (meaning cracks or tears) of the coronoid processes, which are two small bony protrusions at the end of the ulna at the elbow joint.

Osteochondrosis of the elbow is a developmental condition that results in abnormalities at this joint. It most typically afflicts rapidly growing large breeds like Labrador retrievers, Bernese mountain dogs, and rottweilers between the ages of 5 and 10 months.

Elbow-joint incongruity is a misalignment of the bones that meet to create the elbow joint.

Treatment and prevention of elbow dysplasia

NSAIDs or joint injections can treat pain and inflammation caused by elbow dysplasia as well. Dr. Sterman added that, in some cases, surgeons can remove small chunks of broken bone that cause the condition. 

Managing your dog’s weight, too, can help ease the pain that may come with elbow dysplasia or the ensuing arthritis.

Cranial cruciate ligament tear

A cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tear is an injury to a dog’s knee joint. It’s similar to an anterior ligament (ACL) tear in humans, and may result from acute trauma or progressive degeneration. 

Ligaments are tough bands of connective tissue joining bones together, creating a joint. This ligament is located in the back knees, connecting the thighbone to the shinbone. “The ligament stabilizes the joint,” said Kathleen Ham, DVM, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgery (Small Animal), a clinical associate professor of soft tissue surgery and minimally invasive surgery at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine. “When the ligament is torn, the bones are shifting because it’s unstable.”

She continued that when a dog suffers a CCL tear, they also develop secondary arthritis in the knee, with this combination making for the most common injury she sees in large-breed dogs.

How to treat a torn CCL

Following diagnosis through X-rays, the standard of care for large dogs is surgery. However, the decision to pursue surgery at all, as well as which type is best, depends on the dog’s age, activity level, and joint anatomy. But even after surgery, the arthritis will persist; dog owners will need to manage it through weight control, physical therapy, and pain management with medications like NSAIDs or joint injections.

How to prevent a torn CCL

Heavier body weight, including obesity, can increase the risk of this injury and also make managing the resulting arthritis more difficult. “Weight is a huge component of managing arthritis—because the more weight you’re putting on those joints, the more pain you might feel and the harder it is for the animal to have mobility,” Dr. Ham said.

Bloat and Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV)

Distinct from bloating in humans, this potentially life-threatening condition occurs when the stomach fills with air (medically known as “gastric dilatation”) and flips over (“gastric dilatation-volvulus”). The stomach’s girth poses a threat because it prevents the body’s blood supply from returning through the abdomen into the chest. Once the stomach turns over, this condition becomes a medical emergency requiring surgery. If you notice any signs of bloat in your dog, call a veterinarian right away.

Causes of bloat and GDV

Because of genetics, some dogs are more likely to suffer from bloat than others. A 2000 study published in The Journal of the American Veterinary Association found that having a first-degree relative—a parent or sibling—with a history of bloat significantly increases risk. Large breeds, particularly those with deep chests, are also predisposed to GDV; this list includes Great Danes, Saint Bernards, Weimaraners, Doberman pinschers, and others. 

Anxious dogs may be more likely to develop bloat, Dr. Ham said, because the condition arises from the stomach filling with air—and when dogs are anxious, they’re more likely to swallow air.

Signs of bloat and GDV

One of bloat’s most prominent signs is a behavior called “non-productive retching”—when a dog tries to vomit, but nothing comes out. Another sign is a distended belly, which looks abnormally large or stretched out. Dog owners may also notice the rib cage starting to look bigger, as well as low energy and loss of appetite.

Treating and preventing bloat and GDV

Treating a dog for GDV requires surgery where the surgeon releases air from the stomach and restores it to its correct position. During the operation, they may perform a preventative procedure called gastropexy where they tack the stomach to the abdominal wall. While this measure doesn’t stop bloating itself from recurring, “it at least takes the surgical emergency component out of the disease” by preventing the stomach from flipping over, Dr. Sterman said. She added that, for certain large-breed dogs, veterinarians may recommend a preventative gastropexy, which can be done during a spay. When performed through laparoscopy, which involves just three small incisions, the procedure can be minimally invasive.

“If you have any dog that you got from a breeder and they know that someone has had GDV in their line, I would highly recommend getting a gastropexy,” Dr. Sterman said.

Dilated cardiomyopathy

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a degenerative and potentially fatal heart condition where the heart muscle weakens and stretches, becoming less effective at pumping blood. Over time, the progressively stretching walls, overly filled chambers, and ineffective pumping can lead to congestive heart failure, or a buildup of fluids in the chest and abdomen.

Signs of DCM

Signs of DCM in dogs may include rapid or labored breathing at rest, coughing or gagging, weakness, and collapse. It most commonly affects large breeds; Doberman pinschers, Great Danes, and boxers are genetically predisposed. 

Diagnosis and treatment of DCM

An echocardiogram is the best way to diagnose DCM. As for treatment, “there are some medications that we put dogs on in order to help their hearts beat better [and] to help prevent them from going into heart failure, but there’s nothing we can do to fix it in general,” Dr. Sterman said. Treatment is aimed at improving dogs’ quality of life and lifespan, but cannot cure the disease.

Wobbler syndrome

Wobbler syndrome gets its nickname because afflicted dogs appear wobbly on their feet, but there are actually two different medical conditions with this moniker: caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy and cervical vertebral malformation-malarticulation. 

Causes of wobbler syndrome

The primary cause of wobbler syndrome is unknown, but it can arise from abnormal development of the cervical vertebrae (bones in the neck), resulting in a compression of the spinal cord and weakness in some or all of a dog’s legs.

“The spinal cord has all the nerves coming from the brain and then going back up to the brain,” Dr. Ham said. The nerves are how the brain communicates with and controls all the muscles in our body. Squeezing them interferes with that communication, leading to the appearance of weakness.

Dr. Sterman said that these ill-fitting vertebrae can result from quick growth spurts. She continued that dogs can start showing signs between three and six years old, and to varying degrees of severity. “Some animals are barely affected—[others are] so severely affected that every single time they’re taking a step, their owners are wondering why they’re so wobbly,” she said.

How to treat wobbler syndrome

The exact cause will dictate the treatment. Sometimes a surgeon will remove excess material or bones pushing on the spinal cord, Dr. Sterman said. A vet might also prescribe medication to help with the pain.

Knowing your big dog’s health risks and talking about them with your veterinarian will give you the best chance of more happy, healthy years together. “I think the more educated somebody can be about their dog, the more equipped they’ll be to take good care of them,” Dr. Ham said.