Great Pyrenees Health Care & Feeding
By Michele Welton, Dog Trainer, Breed Selection Consultant, Author of 15 Dog Books
Jump down to this list of
Great Pyrenees Health Problems
Or check out my advice for raising a healthy Great Pyrenees puppy or adult dog:
Dog Health Care – The Sensible Way
Read my advice on daily health care so your Great Pyrenees lives a long, healthy life and seldom needs to see the vet... [read more]
3 Best Ways To Feed Your Dog Healthy Food
You can dramatically increase your dog's chances of living a long, healthy life by feeding the right food. Cutting right to the chase, the best foods for your Great Pyrenees are... [read more]
A Quick Way To Make Homemade Dog Food
Your Great Pyrenees will love real chicken, turkey, beef, fish, eggs, yogurt, broccoli.... this is not just "people food" and I'll tell you why... [read more]
5 Best Kibble and Canned Dog Foods
Some are better than others, but I must be honest – I'm not a huge fan of dry or canned dog food. Here are my concerns... [read more]
Vaccinations and Booster Shots: Needed or Not?
How many vaccinations does your Great Pyrenees puppy really need? Does your adult dog need yearly booster shots? The vaccination guidelines have changed! Find out what some vets aren't telling you... [read more]
Spaying Your Female Dog: Pros and Cons
Should your female Great Pyrenees be spayed? Current research says, "The AGE at which you spay can be vitally important to your dog's future health." So what's the best age? [read more]
Neutering Your Male Dog: Pros and Cons
Have you been told that you must neuter your male Great Pyrenees? Current research shows that the issue is not so simple. Pet owners are not being told about some risks associated with neutering male dogs, especially neutering too early... [read more]
Make Sure Your Vet is the Best!
Is your current veterinarian really the best choice for your dog? Here's how to tell... [read more]
Assisi Loop Review
Does your Great Pyrenees suffer from arthritis, hip dysplasia, disk disease, colitis? My honest review of a veterinary device you can use at home to reduce inflammation and pain. [read more]
Complete list of Great Pyrenees health problems
Cancer claims the lives of many Great Pyrenees, especially osteosarcoma (bone cancer) and reproductive cancers.
The most common orthopedic disease in the Great Pyrenees is hip dysplasia. The Orthopedic Foundation of America evaluated the hip X-rays of 6300 Great Pyrenees and found 9% dysplastic. The other joints (elbows, knees, and shoulders) can also be malformed.
As with all deep-chested breeds, Great Pyrenees are at higher-than-normal risk for the emergency gastrointestinal syndrome called bloat.
Great Pyrenees are susceptible to diseases in their eyes and eyelids that can lead to blindness or require surgery. Specifically, entropion, ectropion, cataracts, and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA).
Heart disease (tricuspid dysplasia) is a concern in the breed.
Chronic allergies cause itchy skin and scratching that can lead to bacterial infections (hot spots).
Some Great Pyrenees are born deaf or partially deaf.
According to the Michigan State University Thyroid Database, up to 11% of Great Pyrenees have hypothyroidism.
Blood-clotting diseases include Factor XI deficiency, von Willebrand's, and hemophilia B.
Occasionally reported are degenerative spinal myelopathy and chondrodysplasia.
Preventing health problems
Some health problems are inherited. For example, if your dog inherits from his parents the genes for an eye disease called PRA, he will go blind and there's nothing anyone can do about it.
But most health problems can be prevented by the ways you raise your dog.
FREE eBOOK! My free online health care program, 11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy shows you how to raise your Great Pyrenees in all the right ways that help prevent health problems. Become your dog's health care champion!
My best-selling books – now available FREE on my website