Vizsla Health Problems and Raising a Vizsla 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 Vizslas:

Epilepsy is a very serious problem in Vizslas.

Cancer (especially lymphosarcoma and hemangiosarcoma) is already a serious concern in the breed, and heart disease is another major threat.

The most common orthopedic disease in Vizslas is hip dysplasia. The Orthopedic Foundation of America evaluated the hip X-rays of 9800 Vizslas and found 7% dysplastic. Elbow dysplasia and osteochondritis occur less frequently.

Eye diseases in Vizslas include progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), eyelid abnormalities (entropion and ectropion), cataracts, and glaucoma.

Allergies cause itchy skin and can lead to bacterial skin infections (pyoderma). More serious skin diseases in Vizslas are sebaceous adenitis and demodectic mange. Occasionally calcinosis occurs in Vizslas.

As with all deep-chested breeds, Vizslas are at higher-than-normal risk for the emergency gastrointestinal syndrome called bloat.

Hypothyroidism occurs in Vizslas. According to the Michigan State University Thyroid Database, up to 12% of Vizslas have low thyroid levels.

The blood-clotting diseases von Willebrand's disease and hemophilia A also occur in Vizslas.

Can you prevent health problems from happening to YOUR Vizsla?

Yes, often you can.

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

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

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

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

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

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