German Shorthaired Pointer Health Care & Feeding
By Michele Welton, Dog Trainer, Breed Selection Consultant, Author of 15 Dog Books
Start your German Shorthaired Pointer 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
German Shorthaired Pointer Health Problems
Or check out my advice for raising a healthy German Shorthaired Pointer puppy or adult dog:
Dog Health Care – The Sensible Way
Read my advice on daily health care so your German Shorthair 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 German Shorthaired Pointer are... [read more]
A Quick Way To Make Homemade Dog Food
Your German Shorthair 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 German Shorthaired Pointer 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 German Shorthaired Pointer 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 German Shorthair? 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 German Shorthair 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 German Shorthaired Pointer health problems
Blood-clotting diseases are a concern in German Shorthairs, especially von Willebrand's disease, thrombocytopathia, and hemophilia.
Heart disease (subaortic stenosis) has become a concern in the breed, and also epilepsy (seizures).
And then there's cancer, which is a problem in virtually every breed. The most common cancers in German Shorthairs are fibrosarcoma, melanoma, osteosarcoma, and lymphosarcoma. That's quite a few to be worried about.
The eye diseases that Shorthairs are most vulnerable to are cataracts (appearing at 6-18 months old), cherry eye, entropion, corneal dystrophy, and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA). Because of these eye diseases, blind German Shorthaired Pointers are not uncommon.
Hip dysplasia is always a concern in large breeds, but the Orthopedic Foundation of America evaluated the hip X-rays of 17,000 German Shorthaired Pointers and found only 4% dysplastic. That's good! Of 2800 elbow X-rays, only 1% was dysplastic.
Young German Shorthairs are susceptible to two syndromes that cause pain and lameness. The milder one is called panosteitis and is usually self-limiting. The other is called hypertrophic osteodystrophy (HOD), which ranges from moderate to severe.
Hormonal/endocrine system diseases in the German Shorthaired Pointer include Addison's disease (serious) and hypothyroidism. According to the Michigan State University Thyroid Database, up to 14% of German Shorthairs have low thyroid levels.
As with all deep-chested breeds, German Shorthaired Pointers are at higher-than-normal risk for the emergency gastrointestinal syndrome called bloat.
Skin diseases include chronic allergies (which cause itchy skin and can lead to pyoderma), lupus, demodectic mange, and lick granuloma.
Rare diseases in German Shorthairs are lysosomal storage disease and chondrodysplasia.
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 German Shorthaired Pointer in all the right ways that help prevent health problems. Become your dog's health care champion!
About 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
Respect 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.
Teach 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.11 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.