Golden Retriever Health Issues

There are reasons the friendly, goofy, and lovable golden retriever has held the top spot on the AKC list of the most popular dog since 1991. These affectionate and smart dogs are as content swimming and hiking the mountains in the lakes as couch potatoes or snuggle buddies in bed.

They shine as guides, therapy, service dogs, and lifelong family members.

While golden retrievers tend to be healthy dogs generally, anyone looking to add a golden retriever to their family should understand or research the lifetime commitment they are taking on by adopting the breed.

If you are wondering on how to take care of a golden retriever puppy, you should first understand that it is a purebred dog. Golden retrievers suffer health issues due to years of unethical breeding.

Common Health Issues for Golden Retrievers

For many parts, golden retrievers are usually a healthy breed. Still, due to unethical breeding, golden retrievers develop more risks of afflictions and illnesses like hip dysplasia, skin irritation and allergies, ear infections, hypothyroidism, cataracts, and bloating. If your pet needs medication, then you can download pet prescription discount card.

1. Hip Dysplasia

Many golden retrievers have shown dysplastic or abnormal hips, which means the bones do not come together properly. The abnormality happens in golden retrievers due to environmental and genetic factors.

Other factors contributing to hip dysplasia, especially in large breeds like golden retrievers, are poor nutrition, excessive weight, and the kind of exercise they do. Symptoms include decreased range of motion and activity, limping, stiffness, or lowered desire to climb stairs, run, or jump.

A range of treatment options is available for hip dysplasia, including weight loss, anti-inflammatory medicines, proper diet, and weight loss to more dramatic measures, including total hip replacement surgery.

2. Ear infections, Allergies, and Skin irritation

Retrievers are susceptible to allergies that may lead to other discomfort and health issues. Allergies found in the dog’s ears, belly, and feet usually surface between ages 1 and 3 for most golden retrievers.

Symptoms of allergies include paw licking, which may lead to infected and red paws, rubbing the ears and face, and frequent ear infections. Until the treatment of the underlying cause, the dog will likely continue to suffer from painful ear infections.

Treatment options include baths with oatmeal shampoo or another wash that can help to reduce skin exposure and soothe skin to any potential environmental allergies. Surprisingly, few golden do well with common antihistamines like Benadryl and Zyrtec.

Owners who notice a golden scratching often or shake their heads should contact a vet for treatment options, especially before you give the dog any OTC allergy medication.

To know more about top common golden retriever health issues, visit our website.

Dog Eye Infections: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatments

When you have a pet dog at your home, you must be particularly attentive to the health issues that your dog may have. One of the most widespread forms of health issues that dogs tend to experience is eye infections. Whether it is a full-grown canine or just a puppy, eye infections can happen at any stage in life, and you should be attentive to your dog’s behavior to know if something is wrong with your pet. 

Compromised eyesight can be a severe problem for a dog, just like humans. In some instances, eye infections in a dog can appear suddenly and cause much discomfort to your dog.        

A usual behavior in dogs when they experience eye discomfort is using their paws to rub their eyes. There can also be redness in the eyes with a watery discharge. The best thing to do in such cases is to get in touch with a vet who can try to resolve the eye infection in your dog. You can use a dog prescription discount card to avail of discounts when seeking medical attention for your pet dog. 

Types of Canine Eye Infections 

An eye infection can affect your dog in several different ways. For instance, there can be inflammation of the membrane present in the outer part of the eyeball. Such instances are considered to as canine conjunctivitis. When the iris of the eye is affected, it is called uveitis. Another condition called keratitis involves the infection and inflaming of the cornea. A best pet prescription discount card can cover all these conditions with ease. 

1. Conjunctivitis

2. Keratitis

3. Uveitis

4. Glaucoma

5. Entropion

Signs and Symptoms of Dog Eye Infections 

There are some common signs and symptoms of eye infections that you can spot in your pet dog. These are as follows:  

• Redness around the affected eyes.
• Sensitivity to light.
• Swelling 
• Pawing to rub the affected eye.
• Excessive squinting
• Blinking. 
• Eye discharge can be white, watery, reddish-brown, green, or yellow. 

To ensure the eye infection in your dog gets resolved quickly, you must consult with a vet as soon as possible. Even though eye infections are not life-threatening for your pet dog, they can bring a lot of discomfort to your dog. In some cases, the eye infection can indicate some serious underlying health condition. 

Some eye problems might seem benign and trivial, but they can still create a permanent impact on your dog’s eye health if left untreated for a long time.

The Causes Responsible for Dog Eye Infections 

In most cases, there is some bacteria or virus responsible for causing the eye infection in a dog. However, there can be other factors that predispose the dog's eyes to infections. 

Have a look at the different probable causes that lead to eye infections.

• Tumors
• Fungus
• Allergies
• Viral infections
• Bacterial infections
• Irritants like smoke or dust
• Traumatic impact on the eye
• Eye abnormalities like cherry eye
• Foreign bodies such as grass seeds
• Other eye conditions like Glaucoma or dry eye in dogs

It is important to note that eye problems observed in canines are not infectious or contagious. Nevertheless, it is always a good idea to assume that your dog has an infectious eye disease and consult with the vet at the earliest possibility. Ensure you use a dog Rx discount for your dog’s eye treatment. 

Treatment for Dog Eye Infections

Seeing that your pet dog is struggling with an eye infection can be very stressful for you, especially when you think that your dog is not being able to express the discomfort it is going through. Fortunately, many types of eye care treatments for dogs can help resolve the eye problem your dog has been experiencing. 

Your pet dog’s eyes will get back to normal state pretty quickly after you have availed medical support. To cover your expenses for your dog’s eye care treatment, it is significant that you use a pet medication discount card or pet prescription discount card, as this can cut down the expenses significantly. 

Treatment for the dog’s eye problem will depend on the initial diagnosis carried out by your medical expert. The doctor can recommend antibiotics for bacterial infections. Similarly, antihistamines and/or anti-inflammatory medications can help deal with eye issues caused by allergies. If there are blocked tear ducts or eyelash issues, the doctor may use surgery to resolve those issues. You can use a pet pharmacy discount card when you need to pay for medications and a pet Rx discount card to manage expenses associated with surgery.