Australian Shepherd. Charlotte Schwartz
also need some grooming to keep their coats shining, clean and free from parasites. They need regular dental care, toenail clipping and ear cleaning, too. Most of these requirements can be done at home without the expense of a professional groomer.
They need good-quality food and fresh water at all times. They should be bathed several times a year to keep them looking their best. However, most of all, they need love and attention from their owners. They are not solitary animals.
VIRTUES AND DRAWBACKS
It should be abundantly clear that Australian Shepherds make exceptionally fine companions for the person who wishes to get involved with his dog. The Aussie is a hands-on, “let’s-work-together” breed of dog and the more an Aussie becomes involved in his owner’s lifestyle, the happier the dog will be.
The drawbacks of the breed are few, but significant. They do need routine grooming in the form of brushing. Brushed on a regular schedule to remove dead hair and foreign matter, they will always look their best and feel good.
Even more important is the Aussie’s need for activity. An owner who lives a sedentary life is not suitable as an Aussie owner. It’s unfair to the dog to provide him with insufficient or meaningless activities. Furthermore, it can be miserable for the owner who suddenly discovers that his Aussie has developed some very undesirable behaviors caused by frustration and lack of exercise.
What type of dog can keep up with the seemingly boundless energy of a young person? The Aussie, of course!
BREED-SPECIFIC HEALTH CONCERNS
Generally speaking, the Australian Shepherd is a healthy breed of dog. Aussies do not suffer from the wide variety of diseases and genetic problems and anomalies experienced by many other breeds. However, it is possible for them to become subject to certain health problems, some of which are hereditary.
CORRECTIVE SURGERY
Surgery is often used to correct genetic bone diseases in dogs. Usually the problems present themselves early in the dog’s life and must be treated before bone growth stops.
To determine the probability of a puppy’s getting any of these hereditary health problems, the prospective buyer should question the breeder about the health history of the parents. If the breeder refuses to discuss the matter, look for another litter of puppies and another breeder. Buying a puppy from a person who either denies health problems or refuses to discuss them is just asking for trouble in the months to come.
EYE PROBLEMS
Juvenile cataracts have been found in some Australian Shepherds and are hereditary. Appearing as a cloudiness over the lens of the eye, cataracts will eventually cause blindness in the dog.
PHOTO BY PROF. DR. ROBERT L. PEIFFER, JR.
The typical posterior subcapsular cataract appears between one and two years of age in dogs. It rarely progresses to where the dog has visual problems.
A veterinary ophthalmologist can determine whether or not a puppy is carrying the genes for juvenile cataracts. Reputable breeders usually take entire litters to the ophthalmologist for testing prior to selling any of the puppies.
The Canine Eye Registration Foundation (CERF) is a monitoring registry that reports on eye problems in pure-bred dogs. CERF can provide certification of normal-eyed dogs. Responsible breeders have their breeding stock certified and will give the puppy buyers documentation from CERF, showing the eye health of the parents and the puppies.
Puppies as young as eight weeks of age can be examined for cataracts. Cataract-removal surgery is a consideration and most often very successful. A full consultation with the ophthalmologist is recommended.
PHOTO BY PROF. DR. ROBERT L. PEIFFER, JR.
Inherited cataracts generally appear between three and six years of age, and progress to the stage shown here where functional vision is significantly impaired.
DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HIP DYSPLASIA?
Hip dysplasia is a fairly common condition found in pure-bred dogs. When a dog has hip dysplasia, its hind leg has an incorrectly formed hip joint. By constant use of the hip joint, it becomes more and more loose, wears abnormally and may become arthritic.
Hip dysplasia can only be confirmed with an x-ray, but certain symptoms may indicate a problem. Your dog may have a hip dysplasia problem if it walks in a peculiar manner, hops instead of smoothly runs, uses its hind legs in unison (to keep the pressure off the weak joint), has trouble getting up from a prone position or always sits with both legs together on one side of its body.
As the dog matures, it may adapt well to life with a bad hip, but in a few years the arthritis develops and many dogs with hip dysplasia become crippled.
Hip dysplasia is considered an inherited disease and only can be diagnosed definitively when the dog is two years old. Some experts claim that a special diet might help your puppy outgrow the bad hip, but the usual treatments are surgical. The removal of the pectineus muscle, the removal of the round part of the femur, reconstructing the pelvis and replacing the hip with an artificial one are all surgical interventions that are expensive, but they are usually very successful. Follow the advice of your veterinarian.
X-ray of a dog with “Good” hips.
X-ray of a dog with “Moderate” dysplastic hips.
CANCER
Cancer has been known to occur in some Aussies. It cannot be considered a common problem, but owners need to be aware of the possibility. Treatment is sometimes effective but, as in humans, it can also result in an early demise.
HIP DYSPLASIA (HD)
Hip dysplasia is genetically transmitted in Aussies and is a developmental problem of the hip joint. Dogs born with a “susceptibility factor” for HD should be monitored carefully to prevent their becoming overweight or over-exercised at a very young age while the bones are still developing. Basic conformation of the individual dog and caloric intake are also contributory factors in producing dysplastic dogs.
By age 24 months, dogs can be x-rayed to determine whether or not they have HD. If the answer is affirmative, a realistic program of maintenance can be instituted to minimize the dog’s suffering and manifestation of motor problems.
Under some circumstances, surgery is called for and is usually successful in relieving pain, though the dog may be left with a permanent limp.
Based on x-ray diagnosis, the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) rates the quality of the hip joint as excellent, good, fair, borderline or dysplastic. From this analysis, responsible breeders choose dogs for their breeding programs who are certified free of hip dysplasia.
HYPOTHYROIDISM
Hypothyroidism is a hormonal problem. Though it is difficult to diagnose and has several potential causes, it is usually easy to treat with medication. Some of the types of thyroiditis can begin early in life. However, they often don’t become clinically apparent until later in life after the dog reaches three years of age.