Standard & Miniature Bull Terrier Health Care & Feeding

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Standard & Miniature Bull Terrier Health Problems

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Complete list of Standard & Miniature Bull Terrier health problems

Heart disease (especially mitral valve disease and subaortic stenosis) is a serious concern in both Standard and Mini Bull Terriers.

Kidney diseases are another major problem – Bull Terriers suffer from several types of kidney disease.

Neurological diseases are the third serious concern. These include:

• Epilepsy (seizures)
• Compulsive tail chasing, often called spinning. The frantic compulsion to spin in circles is inherited, but is triggered by stress. Thus, some genetically-susceptible dogs may not spin if their environment is kept stress-free. But that's easier said than done, since all kinds of events can cause stress – travel, boarding, vet visits, illness, even the hormonal changes of puberty or heat cycles. Any of these might cause a genetically-susceptible Bull Terrier to spin. This behavior is neither playful nor harmless – it is a neurological disease.
• Sudden-onset aggression, often called rage syndrome. In this tragic disorder, a normally good-natured Bull Terrier wakens suddenly with a burst of uncontrollable aggression. It's not been conclusively proven that this behavior is neurological, but that is the leading theory. Every time these poor dogs go to sleep, they're ticking time bombs, and since the disorder can't be controlled with training or behavior modification, euthanasia is typically the only answer.

The most feared eye disease in Miniature Bull Terriers is primary lens luxation (PLL) leading to secondary glaucoma. Other eye diseases in Bullies include dry eye and eyelid abnormalities (ectropion and entropion).

Inherited deafness is common in Bull Terriers – especially white dogs.

Joint diseases occur in both sizes of Bull Terriers. The Orthopedic Foundation of America evaluated the hip X-rays of over 100 Bull Terriers and found 7% dysplastic. Luxating patella (loose knee joints) occurs at a 3-4% rate. Osteochondritis also occurs in Bull Terriers.

Also this breed is very prone to tearing the cruciate ligament in their hind legs. This usually requires expensive surgery to repair.

Skin diseases are very common in Bull Terriers, especially allergies (which cause itchy skin and can lead to bacterial skin infections called pyoderma) and demodectic mange. Elbow hygroma is occasionally reported.

A severe skin disease that can occur in Bull Terriers is a form of zinc deficiency called lethal acrodermatitis. It shows up in very young Bull Terrier puppies and does not respond to any treatment.

The most common hormonal/endocrine system disease is hypothyroidism. According to the Michigan State University Thyroid Database, up to 14% of English Bull Terriers have low thyroid levels. Occasionally Addison's disease and Cushing's disease occur in Bull Terriers.

Other health issues in English Bull Terriers include pyloric stenosis, laryngeal paralysis, cerebellar ataxia, 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 Standard & Miniature Bull Terrier in all the right ways that help prevent health problems. Become your dog's health care champion!