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Swissies are a wonderful breed and most people who bring one into their families become lifelong fans.
Though most swissy owners will gladly tell you how loyal, sweet, and mellow their dogs are few are likely to be
as informative on the health concerns of the breed. For any potential owner to truely understand the lifelong
commitment they are about to undertake, you need to be informed and prepared of the hurdles you may face.
When swissies get sick, they accrue large veterinary bills mostly due to their large size. Medications are dosed
based on weight, and therefore swissies can be significantly more expensive than say a miniature poodle even
when treated for simple medical problems. Swissies may require more prolonged hospitalization because
nursing care of a large dog can be difficult at home.
Additionally, most diseases have a better prognosis when detected and treated early. Therefore having an
awareness of the signs allows an owner to be mindful of when they may be facing an emergency. It also allows
the owner to be a better advocate for their pet and bring up these potential diagnoses if their veterinarian does
not automatically consider them.
Though most swissy owners will gladly tell you how loyal, sweet, and mellow their dogs are few are likely to be
as informative on the health concerns of the breed. For any potential owner to truely understand the lifelong
commitment they are about to undertake, you need to be informed and prepared of the hurdles you may face.
When swissies get sick, they accrue large veterinary bills mostly due to their large size. Medications are dosed
based on weight, and therefore swissies can be significantly more expensive than say a miniature poodle even
when treated for simple medical problems. Swissies may require more prolonged hospitalization because
nursing care of a large dog can be difficult at home.
Additionally, most diseases have a better prognosis when detected and treated early. Therefore having an
awareness of the signs allows an owner to be mindful of when they may be facing an emergency. It also allows
the owner to be a better advocate for their pet and bring up these potential diagnoses if their veterinarian does
not automatically consider them.
Health Concerns:
 | Bloat (Gastric Dilation Volvulous= GDV): Bloat, also known as gastric torsion, is a serious emergency that is fatal in 30% | |
| of cases. There are several misconceptions relating to the risks of bloat. Known risk factors can be used to manage your dog to help minimize their individual risk. I highly recommend a prophylactic gastropexy not only as a means to help prevent torsion, but to help buy precious time that may save your dogs life. | ||
| Splenic Torsion | |
| Licky Fits | |
| OCD | |
| Hip Dysplasia | |
| Elbow Dysplasia | |
