Australian Cattle Dog Health Problems and Raising an Australian Cattle Dog Puppy to be Healthy

How To Raise a Healthy Dog
Feeding the Best Dog Foods
Vaccinations: Needed or Not?
Spaying and Neutering: Pros and Cons

The most common health problems in Australian Cattle Dogs (also called Queensland Heelers)

The most common orthopedic health issues in Queensland Heelers are hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, luxating patella, and osteochondritis. The Orthopedic Foundation of America evaluated the hip X-rays of 2400 Australian Cattle Dogs and found 14% dysplastic. Of 355 elbow X-rays, 12% were dysplastic. Both these rates are much too high for a medium-size breed. In comparison, Australian Shepherds have a 6% hip dysplasia rate and a 4% elbow dysplasia rate.

The most serious eye disease in the Australian Cattle Dog is progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), which can occur at 3-6 years old. Fortunately, a simple DNA test is available for PRA in Australian Cattle Dogs, so you can find out at any time whether your dog has the disease, carries the disease, or is completely clear of it.

Other eye diseases to be concerned about are luxation, glaucoma, cataracts, and occasionally retinal dysplasia.

Allergies cause itchy skin and can lead to bacterial skin infections (pyoderma).

Inherited deafness is somewhat common in Australian Cattle Dog puppies, especially if the puppy has a lot of white on his head.

According to the Michigan State University Thyroid Database, up to 13% of Australian Cattle Dogs have hypothyroidism.

Epilepsy and liver shunt both occur with some frequency in the Cattle Dog.

Can you prevent health problems from happening to YOUR Australian Cattle Dog?

Yes, often you can.

1. Some health problems are genetic, which means inherited from parents. Genetic health issues are common in Australian Cattle Dogs today because of unwise breeding practices. My book, Dog Quest: Find The Dog Of Your Dreams, shows you how to find an Australian Cattle Dog puppy who is genetically healthy.
2. Other health problems are environmental – caused by the way you raise your dog. My best-selling dog health book, 11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy shows you how to prevent environmental health problems by raising your Australian Cattle Dog puppy (or adult dog) in all the right ways.

Here are my dog health tips for raising a healthy Australian Cattle Dog puppy or adult dog:

How To Raise a Healthy Dog – My Philosophies
Read my advice on sensible feeding and health care so that your Australian Cattle Dog lives a long, healthy life and seldom needs to see the vet. An excellent goal, yes?

The Best Dog Food For Feeding Your Australian Cattle Dog
The best diet for feeding your Australian Cattle Dog is real food. Real chicken, turkey, beef, bison, venison, fish....This is not "people food" and I'll tell you why.

The Second-Best Dog Food For Your Australian Cattle Dog
If you can't (or won't) feed what your Australian Cattle Dog really needs, the best I can do is to point out what to look for – and look out for – when choosing a brand of kibble or canned dog food.

Vaccinations and Booster Shots: Needed or Not?
How many vaccinations does your Australian Cattle Dog puppy really need? Does your adult Cattle Dog need yearly booster shots? The vaccination guidelines have changed. Find out what many vets aren't telling you.

The Type of Veterinarian I Recommend
Does your veterinarian belong to the AVMA or the AHVMA? They're not the same at all, and which one you choose can make a world of difference to the future health of your Australian Cattle Dog.

Spaying and Neutering: Pros and Cons
Advantages and disadvantages of spaying your female Queensland Heeler or neutering your male.

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