yourpurebredpuppy logo

English Setter Health Care & Feeding

By Michele Welton, Dog Trainer, Breed Selection Consultant, Author of 15 Dog Books

English Setter

Start your English Setter off on the right foot by feeding the right food, giving the right vaccinations, finding the right vet, and if you're going to spay or neuter, don't do it too early.


Jump down to this list of
English Setter Health Problems


Or check out my advice for raising a healthy English Setter puppy or adult dog:

Obedience instructor and author Michele Welton Dog Health Care – The Sensible Way
Read my advice on daily health care so your English Setter lives a long, healthy life and seldom needs to see the vet... [read more]

numeral 33 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 English Setter are... [read more]

Real homemade dog food A Quick Way To Make Homemade Dog Food
Your English Setter will love real chicken, turkey, beef, fish, eggs, yogurt, broccoli.... this is not just "people food" and I'll tell you why... [read more]

Dry kibble and canned dog food 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]

Information on booster shots for your German Shepherd. Vaccinations and Booster Shots: Needed or Not?
How many vaccinations does your English Setter 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]

Information on spaying Spaying Your Female Dog: Pros and Cons
Should your female English Setter 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]

Information on neutering your male dog. Neutering Your Male Dog: Pros and Cons
Have you been told that you must neuter your male English Setter? 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]

Information on choosing the best vet 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 Assisi Loop Review
Does your English Setter 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 English Setter health problems

Hip and elbow dysplasia in English Setters

Let's start with the serious orthopedic issues: hip and elbow dysplasia.

The Orthopedic Foundation of America evaluated the hip X-rays of 11,400 English Setters and 16% were dysplastic. That's high, and the true rate is even higher because most of the obviously bad X-rays were not sent in for official evaluation.

Confirming this theory, the English Setter Club reports a hip dysplasia rate of around 24%. Elbows are just as bad – of 3300 elbow X-rays, nearly 16% were dysplastic.

Thyroid disease in English Setters

According to both the Michigan State University Thyroid Database and the Orthopedic Foundation of America Thyroid Database, English Setters have the highest rate of hypothyroidism of all breeds.

Anywhere from 26-40% of English Setters have low thyroid levels. It's very treatable, but does require lifelong supplementation.

Allergies and ear infections in English Setters

Allergies cause itchy skin and often lead to bacterial skin infections (pyoderma), especially in show lines with excessive skin folds. Ear infections are common in English Setters due to the long pendulous ears and long hairs inside the ear canals.

Inherited deafness in English Setters

Inherited deafness occurs in about 10% of the breed.

Eye diseases in English Setters

Eye diseases in English Setters include progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), which always leads to blindness; eyelid abnormalities (entropion and ectropion); and cataracts.

Blood-clotting diseases in English Setters

Blood-clotting diseases include hemophilia A and von Willebrand's disease.

Other health issues of concern in English Setters include heart disease, lysosomal storage disease, and cancer.

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.

Dog feeding and health book by Michele Welton 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 English Setter in all the right ways that help prevent health problems. Become your dog's health care champion!

Michele Welton with BuffyAbout the author: Michele Welton has over 40 years of experience as a Dog Trainer, Dog Breed Consultant, and founder of three Dog Training Centers. An expert researcher and author of 15 books about dogs, she loves helping people choose, train, and care for their dogs.

My best-selling books – now available  FREE  on my website


book coverRespect Training For Puppies: 30 seconds to a calm, polite, well-behaved puppy is for puppies 2 to 18 months old. Your puppy will learn the 21 skills that all family dogs need to know. Click here to read for free.
book coverTeach Your Dog 100 English Words is a unique Vocabulary and Respect Training Program that will teach your adult dog to listen to you and do what you say. Click here to read for free.
book cover11 Things You Must Do Right To Keep Your Dog Healthy and Happy helps your dog live a longer, healthier life. Get my honest advice about all 11 Things before you bring home your new puppy, because some mistakes with early health care cannot be undone. Click here to read for free.