German Wirehaired Pointer Health Care & Feeding
By Michele Welton, Dog Trainer, Breed Selection Consultant, Author of 15 Dog Books
Jump down to this list of
German Wirehaired Pointer Health Problems
Or check out my advice for raising a healthy German Wirehaired Pointer puppy or adult dog:
Dog Health Care – The Sensible Way
Read my advice on daily health care so your German Wirehair 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 Wirehaired Pointer are... [read more]
A Quick Way To Make Homemade Dog Food
Your German Wirehair 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 Wirehaired 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 Wirehaired 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 Wirehair? 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 Wirehair 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 Wirehaired Pointer health problems
Compared to their cousin the German Shorthaired Pointer, German Wirehairs have twice the rate of hip and elbow dysplasia, although even these higher figures are less than many other large breeds.
The most common orthopedic disease in the GWP is hip dysplasia. The Orthopedic Foundation of America evaluated the hip X-rays of 4600 German Wirehaired Pointers and found 9% dysplastic.
Of 900 elbow X-rays, 3% were dysplastic.
In young German Wirehaired Pointers, osteochondritis and panosteitis can cause pain and lameness.
According to the Michigan State University Thyroid Database, up to 25% of German Wirehaired Pointers have thyroid disease. This is very high.
A particularly severe form of von Willebrand's blood-clotting disease occurs in German Wirehairs, as well as a milder form of hemophilia.
Heart disease is a concern in the breed.
The most common eye diseases are cataracts (at 6-18 months old and often progressing to blindness), entropion, retinal dysplasia, and occasionally progressive retinal atrophy (which always progresses to blindness).
As with all deep-chested breeds, German Wirehaired Pointers are at higher-than-normal risk for the emergency gastrointestinal syndrome called bloat.
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 Wirehaired Pointer 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