Rat Terrier Health Problems and Raising a Rat Terrier 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 Rat Terriers:

The Rat Terrier Club conducted a health survey of all sizes of Rat Terriers: Toy (under 10 lbs), Miniature (10-18 lbs), and Standard (18-28 lbs). They report that the most common health problem in Rat Terriers is allergies, which cause itchy skin and can lead to bacterial skin infections (pyoderma).

Another common skin disease, especially in Toy and Miniature Rat Terriers, is demodectic mange, which strikes Rat Terrier puppies and adolescents.

A third skin disease is color dilution alopecia, which can appear in blue or fawn Rat Terriers.

Epilepsy and heart disease are becoming concerns in Rat Terriers.

Orthopedic diseases in Rat Terriers include elbow dysplasia (7% rate), luxating patella (4% rate), hip dysplasia (3% rate), and occasionally Legg-Calve-Perthes disease.

Eye diseases are not common, but include progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) and entropion.

Hypothyroidism occurs in Rat Terriers, and hernias are fairly common in Toys and Miniatures.

Rat Terriers have large teeth that sometimes don't fit properly in their mouth, leaving them vulnerable to dental disease.

Can you prevent health problems from happening to YOUR Rat Terrier?

Yes, often you can.

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

Here are my dog health tips for raising a healthy Rat Terrier puppy or adult dog:

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

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

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

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