Golden retrievers are beloved for their loyalty, intelligence, gentle nature, and affection for their owners. They also have a fairly lengthy lifespan of ten to 12 years, which is good for a dog breed of that size.
However, Golden Retrievers are prone to several health issues every owner should know about. This piece covers six common Golden Retriever health issues and what to do about them. It’s crucial to focus on early detection and proactive care for all these problems to improve your puppy’s longevity and life quality.
Maven Pet is where you get help with that. Our Health Monitor detects changes in behavior and collects detailed health data 24/7, enabling you to detect problems early on so you can visit your vet immediately. We’ll talk more about the Maven pet smart collar and how it can help with these common health issues with Golden Retrievers, so keep reading.
Health Issue #1: Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a complex health issue resulting from select features in the breeding of Golden Retrievers. Hip joints grow abnormally, leading to excessive laxity within the joint where the ball moves more than it should within the socket. Over time, this leads to arthritis.
Prevention and care:
- Maintain a healthy weight in your puppy
- Engage in low-impact exercise
- Provide your dog with joint supplements
The Maven Pet collar for pet wellness can be very helpful with this health issue because it tracks your puppy’s reduced activity and restlessness at night. It can detect signs of discomfort early on, helping you notice the problem in time and address it.
Health Issue #2: Cancer
Cancer, like Hemangiosarcoma, Lymphoma, Osteosarcoma, and Mast Cell tumors, is among the leading causes of death in Golden Retrievers, as up to 65% could eventually die from the disease. This makes cancer one of the leading Golden Retriever health issues to watch out for. Moreover, these four types of cancer account for about 80% of cancer deaths.
Prevention and care:
- The key with cancer is the same as with humans — you need to take your puppy to the vet for regular check-ups
- Monitor your dog for unusual lumps or noticeable lethargy
The Maven Pet Health Monitor is great for proactive care. It detects activity levels, lethargy, and prolonged periods of inactivity. In other words, it will likely prompt you to get your pup checked by a professional on time.
Health Issue #3: Allergies (Skin and Food)
Some of Golden Retriever common health issues that are, thankfully, a bit more benign than others are allergies. They are usually accompanied by symptoms like skin irritation, itching, hives, swelling in the face area, red and inflamed skin, sneezing, and vomiting. The exact ones depend on the dog and the allergen.
Prevention and care:
- Identify the allergen and eliminate it, or remove your dog from that environment
- If the problem lies in the food, eliminate it from the pup’s diet
- Use hypoallergenic diets, shampoos, and anti-inflammatory wipes
The Maven Pet helps with these Golden Retriever health issues as well by monitoring for increased licking, scratching, and changes in nighttime behavior.
Health Issue #4: Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is a hormonal imbalance that affects the Golden Retriever’s metabolism, often leading to weight gain and lethargy. More than that, the pup becomes reluctant to exercise and might even lose some fur, usually on both sides of the flanks, and even develop scales on their skin.
Prevention and care:
- Take the dog to the vet regularly to do some blood work
- A balanced diet is helpful as a preventative measure
Some of the early signs of hypothyroidism are decreased activity levels and prolonged sleep, all of which can be detected by the Maven Pet Health Monitor.
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Health Monitor
#1 Vet-recommended pet monitor! Tracks activity, rest, respiratory rate, water intake, scratching and other health indicators 24/7
Health Issue #5: Heart Conditions (Subvalvular Aortic Stenosis)
One of the more common heart issues in Golden Retrievers is subvalvular aortic stenosis. This disease obstructs the left ventricular outflow tract, leading to overly high pressure on the left ventricle. In other words, it adversely affects blood flow. The problem of the disease is that it’s not easily noticed on time, making prevention key.
Prevention and care:
- Early diagnosis is crucial and achieved through routine vet exams
- Monitoring for symptoms like fatigue and fainting is also useful
Our tool can help here as it tracks the dog’s resting respiratory rate and can detect subtle changes in daily activity. It will then prompt you of possible issues so you can take your puppy to the vet.
Health Issue #6: Elbow Dysplasia
Elbow dysplasia is the improper development of the dog’s elbow joint, which can lead to lameness and arthritis. It’s more common in Golden Retrievers and a few other medium and large dog breeds.
Prevention and care:
- Maintain a healthy weight in your pup
- If you have a younger dog, avoid overexertion
- Physical therapy and joint supplements can be prescribed
Limping and reduced movement over time can indicate this health issue. The Maven Pet monitor can track all this and promptly alert you.
Conclusion
Understanding Golden Retriever health issues is crucial as it’s important to stay prepared and thus become more proactive about your pup’s health. Naturally, none of these might affect your dog, but it’s still good to know how to act, just in case.
On top of that, it’s good to stay in close touch with your dog’s health by using the Maven Pet monitor. It will track and monitor various health indicators, like rest and activity, respiratory rate, and water intake, giving you the chance to act promptly and appropriately.
Check out the Maven Pet Health Monitor to learn more, and consider subscribing to the service to get your device and start tracking your dog’s health.
The Maven Pet monitor can provide peace of mind by continuously monitoring all health indicators so you don’t have to worry whenever you notice heavy breathing.
Maven Pet focuses on improving the quality of life of our pets with technology, using artificial intelligence (AI) to enable proactive pet care. By accurately collecting and monitoring pet data 24/7 and flagging any irregularities, Maven Pet empowers pet parents and veterinarians to stay ahead of potential health issues, ensuring the well-being and longevity of our beloved companions.
