English Toy Spaniel Health Problems and Raising an English Toy Spaniel Puppy to be Healthy

Quiz – How Long Will Your Dog Live?
How To Raise a Healthy Dog
Feeding the Best Dog Food
Feeding the 2nd Best Dog Food
Vaccinations: Needed or Not?
Are You Sure Your Vet Is Good?

The most common health problems in English Toy Spaniels:

English Toy Spaniels are a deformed breed in TWO ways – their short legs and long back are chondrodysplastic, and their short pushed-in face is brachycephalic. These syndromes can cause orthopedic problems, respiratory problems, and eye problems.

The most common orthopedic problem in English Toy Spaniels is luxating patella (loose knees). Other orthopedic diseases include intervertebral disk disease and hip dysplasia. The Orthopedic Foundation of America evaluated the hip X-rays of 15 English Toy Spaniels and found 25% of them dysplastic. That's a terrible rate.

Cataracts can occur around 6 months old in English Toy Spaniels and can progress to blindness. Other eye diseases include glaucoma, corneal ulcers, dry eye, and retinal dysplasia.

Allergies cause itchy skin and often lead to bacterial skin infections (pyoderma). Ear infections are common due to profuse hair inside the ear canal.

Heart disease (patent ductus arteriosus and mitral valve disease) is becoming a serious concern in English Toy Spaniels.

Other health issues in the breed are epilepsy, diabetes, syringomyelia, and hernias.

One mild condition that occurs in some English Toy Spaniels is hanging tongue, where the tongue protrudes through the front teeth or hangs out the side of the mouth. This may be a structural defect or a neurological defect, but it isn't really anything to worry about – which is good because there isn't much you can do about it anyway.

Can you prevent health problems from happening to YOUR English Toy Spaniel?

Yes, often you can.

1. Some health problems are genetic, which means inherited from parents. Genetic health issues are common in English Toy Spaniels today because of unwise breeding practices. My book, Dog Quest: Find The Dog Of Your Dreams, shows you how to find an English Toy Spaniel 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 English Toy Spaniel puppy (or adult dog) in all the right ways.

Here are my dog health tips for raising a healthy English Toy Spaniel puppy or adult dog:

How Long Will Your Dog Live? – Take This Quiz!
Based on your dog's breed and how you're raising him, this personalized quiz will help you understand how long your dog might live – and most importantly, how you can increase his life expectancy.

Dog Health Care – The Sensible Way
Read my advice on daily health care so your English Toy Spaniel lives a long, healthy life and seldom needs to see the vet.

The Best Dog Food For Feeding Your English Toy Spaniel
The best diet for feeding your English Toy Spaniel 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 English Toy Spaniel
If you can't feed homemade dog food, here are your next-best choices.

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

The Type of Veterinarian I Recommend
Is your veterinarian really the best choice for your dog? Learn about the differences between vets who practice conventional, holistic, and alternative veterinary medicine.

Spaying Your Female Dog: Pros and Cons
Advantages and disadvantages of spaying your female English Toy Spaniel.

Neutering Your Male Dog: Pros and Cons
Advantages and disadvantages of neutering your male dog.

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