Most common diseases of the Siberian husky

The Siberian husky is a dog breed related to the wolf , which due to its appearance and personality has become very popular in recent years.They are cheerful and active animals, which require a lot of attention and care to stay healthy and become faithful companions of the human being.In addition, the husky appearance Siberian as we know it today is the product of a well-defined selection, so it is a strong and robust animal with no tendency to get viral or infectious diseases.

However, it is well known that Breed animals usually suffer certain diseases of their genetic content, and the Siberian husky is no exception.That is why in Animals and Pets Online we present this guide on the most common diseases of the Siberian husky , so that you can easily detect any r ailment in your furry friend.

Siberian husky

The Siberian husky is a Nordic breed dog a descendant of the wolf.Formerly, he was trained to herd sleds in snowy environments, so he developed a great resistance that remains in the genetic load of dogs that have reached our days.

This breed is characterized by having a cheerful, playful and yet dominant personality .They tend to be outgoing and get along with Children and with strangers once they have been trained correctly, so they are not recommended as guard dogs.On the other hand, they are extremely intelligent animals that learn easily and create a very strong bond with the family they consider their herd, The instinct leads them to remain faithful to their group.Their nature is outgoing and free, causing them to be considered born escapists.

Like other purebred dog breeds, the Siberian husky has a tendency to suffer certain sick ages, either of hereditary character or that due to their morphology and physical characteristics affect them more easily.For years, breeders have joined forces to permanently eliminate these ailments, and although they have not yet succeeded, if they have managed to reduce the level of incidence In dogs, there are still certain conditions that are very likely to affect your Siberian husky, and which are divided into eye diseases, skin diseases and hip disorders .Let's see below what are these conditions.

Most common eye diseases of the Siberian husky

Eye diseases affect the Siberian husky regardless of sex and age, and sometimes can cause total vision loss .They affect the animal regardless of whether the color of its iris is brown, blue or a combination of both.

Four are the ailments to which the husky is predisposed: bilateral cataracts, glaucoma, opacity of the cornea and progressive atrophy of the retina.The incidence of These diseases in the husky are five percent, but they are considered serious, so in the event of any discomfort the dog should be taken to the veterinarian immediately.

Bilateral cataracts

Hereditary disease characterized by the appearance of opacity or clouding in the lens of the eye .Although the condition is operable, the sight of the dog does not recover completely.If it worsens, it can end in blindness, so it is recommended to perform annual checks that allow Tect the disease in time.

They are called juvenile cataracts when they appear in young dogs.There are also developmental cataracts, a degenerative type variety produced by toxicity, eye injuries or systemic diseases suffered by the animal.

The disease can appear at any age, although it usually matures slowly in each husky, until it becomes blind in some cases.How does it spread in the eye? The cataract affects the lens of the eye, a structure responsible for forming the image in the retina by means of light rays.When it becomes opaque, the amount of light that enters decreases and therefore also the ability of vision; To the extent that problem gets worse, the size of the opacity is increasing.For more information about this frequent disease in the Siberian husky, do not miss our article in which we tell you all about the cataracts in dogs.

Glaucoma

Occurs when the channel that controls the internal pressure of the eyeball becomes narrower, so this pressure increases as the channel is blocked.When the husky has reached the anus, it is necessary to perform a test to rule out the presence of the disease, and repeat these studies annually, since glaucoma in dogs can cause blindness.

Corneal crystalline opacities

Also called corneal dystrophy, OCC originate in the cornea but spread throughout the rest of the eye , clouding it and preventing vision.They can affect both eyes, although not necessarily at the same time or with the same degree of severity.

How do they develop? The dog's eye begins to produce a series of cone-shaped crystals that cover the cornea until it extends to the surface of the eye.It is a hereditary disease, and can appear at any age in the Siberian husky.

Progressive retinal atrophy

APR is an inherited pathology of the retina that causes blindness of the animal and, therefore, is considered as another of the most common diseases of the Siberian husky.It not only affects the retina but also the inner lining of the retina, which is sensitive to the light that penetrates the eyeball.

There are two types of APR, the primary and central:

• Primary progressive retinal atrophy : affects night vision, gradually deteriorating it, so it is known as night blindness However, it also subsequently damages vision during the day, due to a general degeneration of the eye cells.e the six weeks and first years of the animal, progressively progressing to blindness.It affects both eyes, but not necessarily with the same severity.
• Progressive central atrophy of the retina : In this variant of the disease the dog has a higher level of vision in dark environments than with light.It is difficult to perceive the objects that remain immobile, although it easily detects those that move.It appears between the first year and the fifth.

Most common skin diseases of the Siberian husky

The Siberian husky has a beautiful thick fur, but it is necessary to be attentive to possible skin infections that affect its appearance and the health of the dermis.With respect to skin diseases, there are three most common in the Siberian husky: nasal dermatitis, zinc deficiency and hypothyroidism.

Nasal dermatitis

It is caused by the zinc deficiency , or is usually a symptom of this.It is so common in this breed that it is also called "husky nose." Its symptoms are:

• Hair loss from the nose.
• Redness.
• Nasal lesions.
• Depigmentation.

Zinc deficiency

This deficiency is genetic in the husky, preventing it absorb the zinc contained in the food in the amounts you need.To diagnose this condition, the veterinarian performs a biopsy with tissue taken from the skin.It is possible that the zinc treatment prescribed to your dog should be administered strado for life.

Among the symptoms of zinc deficiency are:

• Itching.
• Hair loss.
• Injury to the legs, genitals and face.

Hypothyroidism

Appears when the thyroid stops generating thyroid hormone in the amounts that the dog's body You need to stabilize your metabolism.To treat this failure, you may need to receive medications for this for the rest of your life.

The symptoms of hypothyroidism in dogs are:

• Hair loss, especially in the tail.
• Abnormal thickening of the skin.

Considerations to consider

Lastly, yes at some point you thought about cutting your dog's hair, considering that it is a breed from the north, it is best not to do so, as you expose it to skin infections of which its fur protects it, such as allergies, parasites and sunburn.

If you think that heat overwhelms your husky, it is best that you allow access to an area with air conditioning or areas of the house that are more fresh during the summer.

Most common hip disorders in the Siberian husky

hip dysplasia (DC) is a hereditary anomaly that affects many breeds of dogs, including the Siberian husky, which suffers in a proportion of five times cent.It consists in the movement of the femur out of the acetabulum, bone belonging to the pelvic joint where it should be attached.It appears before two years in 95% of cases, being easy to detect since it causes difficulty to use the stairs or change positions.When it appears in the husky, it is unable to perform tasks that require resistance, because intense exercise only aggravates the condition with pain, arthritis and inflammation of the area.

The anomaly it is transmitted from parents to children as follows: if the male suffers, it provides the genes of dysplasia; if the female suffers, it provides the complementary genes to give the condition to their puppies.It can be improved during the growth stage of the dog with certain exercises for dogs with hip dysplasia, adequate food and controlling the weight of the animal, but of In any case, he could transmit the ailment to his young, since it is a carrier dog.

When the husky is born, his hips are perfectly normal, and the disease only manifests during growth.The relevant studies detect four levels of dysplasia :

Free (does not present the anomaly) Mild Moderate Severe

The Siberian husky is usually between free and mild.On the other hand, in the can affected by this disease, low fat diets and free of vitamin supplements are recommended, to avoid indiscriminate weight gain.Also, it is advised to avoid violent jumps and movements during games and training, which and they will only worsen the state of the bones.

Always remember to go to the vet at the sign of any of the most common diseases in the Siberian husky , or strange behavior, to rule them out or , on the contrary, diagnose them and start the best treatment.

East Article is merely informative, at Animals and Pets Online we have no power to prescribe veterinary treatments or make any type of diagnosis.We invite you to take your pet to the veterinarian in the event that it presents any type of condition or discomfort.

If you want to read more articles similar to Most common diseases of the Siberian husky , we recommend that you enter our Prevention section.