Miniature Schnauzer Health Care & Feeding

Jump down to this list of
Miniature Schnauzer Health Problems

Or check out my advice for raising a healthy Miniature Schnauzer puppy or adult dog:

Complete list of Miniature Schnauzer health problems

Eye diseases

So many blind Schnauzers.... let's start with eye diseases, the most serious of which are severe cataracts (appearing anytime between birth and 6 years old and usually leading to complete blindness) and progressive retinal atrophy (PRA) (appearing around 3 years old and always leading to complete blindness).

A simple DNA test is available for PRA in Miniature Schnauzers, so you can find out at any time whether your dog has the disease, carries the disease, or is completely clear of it.

Other serious eye diseases in Miniature Schnauzers include retinal dysplasia, lens luxation, and glaucoma.

Neurological diseases in Miniature Schnauzers

Epilepsy (chronic seizures that usually start between ages two and four) is a concern in Miniature Schnauzers.

Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) is a rare but devastating neurodegenerative disease that can appear between ages two and four.

Myotonia is an inherited muscle disease in Miniature Schnauzer puppies. Myotonic pups have over-excited, hyper-reactive muscles. They also have difficulty swallowing due to the exaggerated mobility of their tongue. There is no cure. An estimated 2% of the breed are affected with myotonia, and another 20% are carriers.

Bladder stones in Miniature Schnauzers

Urinary stones are more common in Miniature Schnauzers than in any other breed.

If 100 random dogs across the country were diagnosed with urinary stones today.... the statistics say that 47 of them would be Miniature Schnauzers!

Stones are especially dangerous in males, because when the stone tries to pass out of the body, it might block a male dogs' narrow urethra. A complete urinary blockage is a life-threatening emergency.

Because of their urinary weaknesses, it's very important that every Miniature Schnauzer eats a real food diet full of moisture. No dog should be eating dry kibble, but definitely not a Mini Schnauzer. In addition, this breed should have generous trips to the grass, all throughout the day, to potty.

Digestive diseases in Miniature Schnauzers

Miniature Schnauzers often have problems with their digestive system. They may develop chronic colitis (inflammatory bowel disease), or they might have some weakness in their biliary system (pancreas, liver, gallbladder).

Two serious digestive diseases, pancreatitis and hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, are more common in Miniature Poodles and Miniature Schnauzers than in any other breeds.

Pancreatitis attacks are especially common in middle-aged female Schnauzers who are pudgy around the middle, who don't get a lot of exercise, and who suddenly eat something that's very high-fat (like turkey and gravy at Thanksgiving).

The moral is to keep middle-aged and elderly Schnauzers slim and exercised. And DON'T suddenly give them a big mouthful of high-fat food when they're not used to it. No licking of people's plates with butter, oil, or gravy!

An inherited lipid metabolism disorder predisposes some Mini Schnauzers to dangerous elevations in blood cholesterol and triglycerides. This causes intermittent abdominal distress and vomiting, and eventually liver enlargement and progressive liver dysfunction.

Liver shunt  is a concern in the Miniature Schnauzer.

Skin problems in Miniature Schnauzers

Allergies cause itchy skin in Schnauzers, and constant scratching can break open the skin and lead to infections.

Schnauzers are notorious for having small skin growths peppered around their head and body.

• Fortunately, most growths in Schnauzers are non-tumorous warts and cysts. But they're a nuisance if you nick them with the grooming clippers and they bleed.
• Some are true tumors, especially sebaceous gland tumors. But again, fortunately, these are usually benign.
• Less commonly, a tumor may be malignant.

A mild inherited skin disorder in Miniature Schnauzers is called comedo syndrome. A Mini Schnauzer with comedo syndrome has black crusty "bumps" in a line along his back, sometimes accompanied by patches of hair loss. Comedo (KOM-a-doe) is Latin and refers to blackheads, which are plugs of keratin and sebum that block the hair follicles. You may also see this spelled comedone (KOM-a-DOE-nee), which is simply the plural of comedo. Calendula, aloe vera, or vitamin E oil are soothing.

Orthopedic diseases

The most common orthopedic disease is luxating patella (loose knees), although hip and elbow dysplasia can occur, as well. The most serious is Legg-Calve-Perthes diseases, a degenerative disease of the hip.

Mycobacterium Avium infection in Miniature Schnauzers

If, heaven forbid, your Miniature Schnauzer ever receives a diagnosis of lymphoma (cancer).... don't despair yet.

Some Mini Schnauzers diagnosed with lymphoma have instead turned out to be infected by mycobacterium avium  organisms. It seems that some Miniature Schnauzers have a defective gene that cannot fight off this particular organism, so it proliferates in the blood.... where it resembles lymphoma.

So be sure it's carefully confirmed whether your Miniature Schnauzer has lymphoma or a mycobacterium avium  infection. The treatments are vastly different!

Heart diseases

Miniature Schnauzers are susceptible to pulmonic stenosis, patent ductus arteriosus, and mitral valve disease.

Blood-clotting diseases

Miniature Schnauzers are vulnerable to three different blood-clotting diseases – von Willebrand's, hemophilia A, and thrombocytopenia.

Other

Diabetes, hypothyroidism, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, and megaesophagus can occur in Miniature Schnauzers.

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 Miniature Schnauzer in all the right ways that help prevent health problems. Become your dog's health care champion!