Are you considering bringing an adorable Rottweiler to your home? If yes, it’s better to know the common Rottweiler health issues before providing your canine companion with the most possible better lifestyle.Learning about the Rottweiler common health issues is the best way to protect them and help them lead a better and healthy life. Early diagnosis by owners can guarantee a better prognosis, more effective treatment, and a quicker recovery.
As you know, the Rottweilers are one of the most giant-sized dogs. Most health issues are related to their bones, such as hip dysplasia, osteochondritis dissecans, and osteosarcoma. Sometimes they lead to developing eye problems like entropion and retinal atrophy. They are also prone to some viral infections, especially parvovirus.
Canine Hip Dysplasia
Canine Hip Dysplasia is one of the most common rottweiler health issues. Hip dysplasia is a genetic trait. It is a condition where the femur head does not fit properly into the hip socket. It may also lead to severe conditions if left untreated, like Degenerative Joint Disease (DJD). Rottweilers are one of the canine breeds at a higher risk of hip dysplasia.
Though it is a genetic disease, overfeeding or lack of exercise leads to more damage and a more deteriorated condition.
Symptoms
Though the condition is more common in senior rottweilers, some may start showing symptoms from the early age of 4 months.
- Decreased Activity
- Difficulties in jumping, running, or climbing
- Less range of motion
- Lameness
- Joint looseness
- Narrow stance
- Grating in the joint, especially during movement
- Thigh Atrophy
- Shoulder hypertrophy
- Hip joint dislocation
Visit the nearest veterinary doctor if you notice one or more symptoms as soon as possible.
Treatment
In a mild case of canine Hip Dysplasia, weight monitoring and diet supplement will soothe most of the symptoms. However, the doctor may prescribe non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) if the pain remains. If both fail to fix the issues, the veterinarian can perform surgery to restore the joint or replace it with prosthetic implants.
As we all know, prevention is better than cure. So make sure to visit the vet as soon as you notice any symptoms related to hip dysplasia. Early diagnosis may help to refrain from extensive treatments and surgical intervention.
Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD)
Another common Rottweiler health issue is OCD. The cracked and inflamed cartilage in your canine refers to Osteochondritis Dissecans. Though OCD generally affects the shoulders, it can happen in the elbows, hips, and knees. Overfeeding, excessive exercise, and genetic predisposition are primary reasons for Osteochondritis Dissecans.
Symptoms
Male Rottweilers are more prone to OCD. OCD mainly develops between 6 to 9 months of age.
- Lameness
- Stiffness in the joints
- Less range of motion
- Joint licking and swelling
- Inflammation, pain, and tenderness
- Muscle atrophy
Treatment
A veterinary doctor may prescribe supplements to improve joint health and relieve pain. The pain will go off completely with medications and therapy if the joints are just cracked. But if cartilage has already been damaged, then there is no other option than performing surgery. Your veterinarian can perform corrective surgery by opening the joints or using an arthroscopy.
Subaortic Stenosis (SAS)
The narrowing of the aortic valve amongst Rottweilers is termed Subaortic Stenosis (SAS)
Veterinarians believe that narrowing occurs due to thick fibrous nodules or rings, which mostly form due to genetic disorders.
Sometimes the heart naturally adapts to the higher workload, and no symptoms appear when the narrowing is mild.
Symptoms
In mild cases, your Rottweiler won’t show symptoms and continue leading a happy life, whereas, in moderate and severe cases, they begin to show multiple symptoms and a deteriorating lifestyle.
- Fatigue
- Feeling weak while doing exercise or sometimes unable to perform
- Fainting
- Shortness of breath
- Coughing
Consult the nearest veterinary doctor if you notice any of the symptoms!
Treatment
While mild cases need nothing but continuous monitoring, moderate and severe cases require medications to help regulate the heart rate. In very severe cases, a veterinarian might perform surgery to remove the fibrous malformations.
Osteosarcoma (OSA)
Osteosarcoma is one of the most common Rottweiler health issues. It is a term given to aggressive cancer that appears as abnormal bulges in the front legs, close to the shoulders, wrists, and knees. Nearly 12% of Rottweilers develop osteosarcoma by eight years of age.
Like other malignant cancers, the tumor cells also spread and affect the other parts of the body, including mammary glands, spleen, liver, and kidneys. It is one of the most severe rottweiler health issues as the condition does not have effective treatment, and a delay in diagnosis may lead to greater damage and eventually death.
Symptoms
Osteosarcoma usually doesn’t show any symptoms until it leads to greater destruction.
- Limping
- Painful swelling
- A sudden leg fracture
- Fever
- Lumps
- Loss of appetite
Treatment
Most vests treat it with chemotherapy and limb amputation. A veterinary doctor may perform a series of surgeries to remove the tumor masses and replace them with bone grafts accompanied by pain medications and nutritional supplements.
Parvovirus
Parvovirus is one of the common viral rottweiler health issues. It is a highly contagious virus that rapidly targets the dividing cells in the Rottweiler’s body, especially the intestinal tract and bone marrow.
Symptoms
Note: Parvovirus only attacks unvaccinated dogs. It’s prevalent among puppies younger than six months.
- Bloody diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Lock of energy
- Fever
- Bloating
- Weight loss
Treatment
There is a vaccine for parvo, but there is no available treatment. Hence, it is crucially important to vaccinate your adorable puppies.
Entropion
Entropion is a genetic disorder and one of the most common Rottweiler health issues. It is an eye condition that occurs when an eyelid rolls inward, pushing the eyelashes to rub against the eyes. This leads to ulceration, or pigment formation, affecting your pup’s vision.
Symptoms
- Red, weepy eyes
- Squinting
- Discharge from eyes
- Swelling around eyes
- Repeated blinking
- Eye ulcers
Treatment
Treatments include the use of antibiotics and lubricants when the case is mild. The veterinarian may perform plastic eyelid surgery (blepharoplasty) if the case is more severe.
Bottom Line
Ensure your puppies get fully immunized with the available vaccines. Also, take good care of your rottweilers; if you notice any symptoms, take them to the doctor and let them go through the proper diagnosis and treatment. A Rottweiler is more prone to develop these above-mentioned health issues due to their greater body structure and size, but other canine breeds can also get these conditions.
Bring home a devoted and affectionate Rottweiler puppy today! To get a purebred Rottweiler, contact Vom House Stan. Vom House Stan is one of the leading companies in the market that provide purebred Rottweiler puppies under the most natural, hygienic, and healthy conditions.