Shiloh Shepherd Rescue... Coming Home

Health Issues

HOME: LINKS: GENETICS: BREEDING PROGRAMS: REHOMES:

I would like to start by  recommending that you  read our Canine Genetics Page before looking at the Health Issues links listed below.  This way you will have a better understanding of how these diseases are grenetically transmitted thru breeeding and how to begin to eliminate genetic disease thru breeding. Another excellent site - PureBred Dog Breeds  into the 21st Century

General Canine Health Information:       http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp

EPI This can be a deadly Pancreatic Disease. Left untreated, a dog will eventually die of this.  It is seen in most of the Shiloh Shepherd lines and since some King Shepherd lines have Shiloh Shepherd in them it is extremely important to be aware of this disease.  Some dogs are affected while others are carriers. It is manageable in most dogs if caught in a timely matter.  Testing for this specific disease is done with a TLI blood test - Please also see links below for more information on EPI & testing: http://www.provet.co.uk/health/diseases/git-epi.htm#b http://www.provet.co.uk/health/diagnostics/tlitest.htm http://www.gsdhelpline.com/boweldis.htm http://www.antechdiagnostics.com/clients/antechnews/1999/5-99.htm

PANNUS Pannus is a Corneal inflammation found in German Shepherd Dogs.  King Shepherds can be afflicted by this as the King Shepherd is predominately German Shepherd in makeup. CANINE HYPOTHYROIDISM Most cases of hypothyroidism stem from the dog’s own immune system attacking the tissues of the thyroid gland. This condition is called autoimmune thyroiditis. MEGA-E -       See Also the BAILY FEEDING CHAIR The esophagus is the tube connecting the throat to the stomach.  When food is received in the esophagus, neurological reflex causing muscle contraction and relaxation lead to rapid transport of the food into the stomach, like an elevator going down. Other reflexes prevent breathing during this swallowing process to protect the lungs from aspiration.   When these reflexes are interrupted such as by disease in the esophageal tissue or nerve disease, the esophagus loses its ability to transport food.  Instead the esophagus loses all tone and dilates.  Also, the reflex protecting the lung is disrupted and aspiration pneumonia commonly follows. HIP DYSPLASIA The OFA certifiies for  all breeds for Hips, Elbows, Thyroid, and Cardiac  as well as many other health issues.. They have an open database for all certified (passed/failed) canines. You can search data by entering a full name or partial name, or Certification #.  Currently the King Shepherd "RECOMMENDED BREEDERS" only use the Penn-Hip method of certification according to some of their "representatives"..  Unfortunately, Penn-Hip is not an open database like OFA is.  Therefore, unless you are shown the results of your puppy's parents by your dogs breeder there is no way to look them up after the fact. Many more  Shiloh Breeders are beginning to send health testing into OFA for public presentaton however.

Ocular Cholesterol (is there an underlying issue?):    http://www.revoptom.com/handbook/sect5l.htm Canine Cardiac Disease: http://www.mirage-samoyeds.com/Heart%202.htm http://www.woodhavenlabs.com/documents/myopathyinlabradors.pdf Canine Lymphoma: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_canine_lymphoma.html Canine Cryptorchidism: http://siriusdog.com/articles/cyptorchidism-congenital-testicle-dog.htm Malabsorption: http://www.vin.com/VINDBPub/SearchPB/Proceedings/PR05000/PR00131.htm SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth): http://www.gsdhelpline.com/boweldis.htm Perianal Fistulas: http://www.bobmckee.com/Client%20Info/GI_Disease/Perianal%20Fistula.html