Pet Skin Doctor

If you have been researching what breed of dog will best suit your family situation, you have probably been looking at personality and ease of training, but have you looked into potential problems in certain breeds?  Depending on the type of dog – small, medium or large – that you have researched, you may have noticed a very common factor throughout many breeds.  This unfortunate, common problem is known as Hip Dysplasia – a condition which is cause by a problem in the structure of the hip joint. The head of the thigh bone no longer fits firmly in the “cup” provided by the hip socket. Though it is seen mainly in larger dogs, it is the main cause of rear lameness in many dogs.

Though you won’t read as much about it, another common problem throughout pure breeds, designer breeds and mixed breeds of all sizes and ages alike is known as dog atopy.  Dog atopy is defined as a predisposition to develop allergic symptoms following exposure to substances that are usually harmless, but have triggered an allergic response. Two of the most common offenders are dust mites and pollen, which are incredibly difficult for pets to avoid, since dust mites are virtually everywhere and pollen permeates the air outdoors.