Lhasa Apso Health Problems and Raising a Lhasa Apso 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 Lhasa Apsos:

Lhasa Apsos are a deformed breed in TWO ways – their short legs and long back are chondrodysplastic, and their short pushed-in face is brachycephalic. Both of these syndromes are deformities that can cause orthopedic problems, respiratory problems, and eye problems.

The most serious eye diseases in Lhasa Apsos are dry eye, progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) appearing at 3-4 years old, and cataracts (appearing at 3-6 years old and often leading to blindness). Other eye diseases to watch for include corneal ulcers, cherry eye, eyelash abnormalities, corneal dystrophy, and lens luxation.

Renal dysplasia, an inherited kidney disease, can kill young Lhasas at 6-12 months old. Fortunately, a simple DNA test is available for renal dysplasia in Lhasa Apsos, so you can find out at any time whether your dog has the disease, carries the disease, or is completely clear of it.

Allergies cause itchy skin and can lead to bacterial skin infections (pyoderma). A more serious skin disease, sebaceous adenitis, is increasing in the breed.

Ear infections are common due to profuse hair in the ear canals.

The most common orthopedic diseases in the Lhasa Apso are luxating patella (loose knees) – the Lhasa Apso has the 6th worst rate of luxating patella of 57 breeds. Intervertebral disk disease also occurs in Lhasas, and hip dysplasia. The Orthopedic Foundation of America evaluated the hip X-rays of 777 Lhasa Apsos and found 6% dysplastic.

Other health issues in Lhasa Apsos include heart disease, hypothyroidism, urinary stones, blood-clotting disease (von Willebrand's), and pyloric stenosis.

Lissencephaly is a serious neurological disease that can appear in young Lhasas. Symptoms include seizures, vision problems, difficulty walking, and/or behavioral abnormalities, especially sudden aggression or unprovoked attacks.

Can you prevent health problems from happening to YOUR Lhasa Apso?

Yes, often you can.

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

Here are my dog health tips for raising a healthy Lhasa Apso puppy or adult dog:

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

The Best Dog Food For Feeding Your Lhasa Apso
The best diet for feeding your Lhasa Apso 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 Lhasa Apso
If you can't (or won't) feed what your Lhasa Apso 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 Lhasa Apso puppy really need? Does your adult Lhasa 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 Lhasa Apso.

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

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