Shiba Inu Health Problems and Raising a Shiba Inu 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 Shiba Inus:

The most common orthopedic problem in the Shiba Inu is luxating patella (loose knees) –over 10% of the breed is affected. Then there is hip dysplasia: the Orthopedic Foundation of America evaluated the hip X-rays of 2000 Shibas and found 6% dysplastic. Other orthopedic diseases in Shibas are elbow dysplasia and Legg-Calve-Perthes disease.

The most common serious eye disease in the Shiba Inu is cataracts, and when they appear before two years old, they often progress to blindness. Other eye diseases in Shibas are eyelash abnormalities, entropion, corneal dystrophy, persistent pupillary membranes, and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA).

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

Heart disease and hypothyroidism occur in the Shiba Inu.

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada-like syndrome is an autoimmune disease that causes severe eye and skin problems in Shibas, but fortunately this disease is very rare.

Can you prevent health problems from happening to YOUR Shiba Inu?

Yes, often you can.

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

Here are my dog health tips for raising a healthy Shiba Inu puppy or adult dog:

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

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

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

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