Briard Health Care & Feeding
By Michele Welton, Dog Trainer, Breed Selection Consultant, Author of 15 Dog Books
Jump down to this list of
Briard Health Problems
Or check out my advice for raising a healthy Briard puppy or adult dog:
Dog Health Care – The Sensible Way
Read my advice on daily health care so your Briard 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 Briard are... [read more]
A Quick Way To Make Homemade Dog Food
Your Briard 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 Briard 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 Briard 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 Briard? 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 Briard 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 Briard health problems
Cancer (especially lymphosarcoma) is the number one killer of Briards.
With their deep chest, Briards are at higher-than-normal risk for the emergency gastrointestinal syndrome called bloat.
The most common orthopedic disease is hip dysplasia. The Orthopedic Foundation of America evaluated the hip X-rays of over 2600 Briards and found 14% dysplastic. Another orthopedic disease to watch for in Briards is panosteitis.
On a positive note, of nearly 700 elbow X-rays, Briards had a less than 1% rate of elbow dysplasia.
Eye diseases are not that common in Briards, but do include cataracts, and also congenital stationary night blindness, where an affected dog can't see at night and may or may not be able to see during the daytime. This disease is present in early puppyhood. A simple DNA test can tell you whether your dog has the disease, carries the disease, or is completely clear of it.
The serious eye disease PRA (progressive retinal atrophy) is occasionally reported in Briards, and also a specific form of PRA called central progressive retinal atrophy (cPRA). cPRA is extremely common in Great Britain, with over 80% of British Briards either affected or carriers. So if your Briard's pedigree includes British ancestry, this eye disease should be kept in mind. Age of onset varies from 18 months to middle age.
Allergies cause itchy skin and can lead to bacterial skin infections (pyoderma). Ear infections are more common in dogs with a lot of hair in their ear canals.
Other health issues in Briards include hypothyroidism, epilepsy, blood-clotting disease (von Willebrand's), autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and hernias.
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 Briard 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