Every dog breed, including Pembroke Welsh Corgi, has one or two health challenges associated with it. Just like in humans, when health problems arise, you take the right step to get them cured. Pembroke Welsh Corgi has some health issues that serve as a threat to its existence that, if not taken care of on time, may cost the owner a fortune as it gets severe. Taking your Corgis to a veterinarian for a checkup is ideal to lookout for issues such as hereditary eye disease,hip dysplasia, obesity, and epilepsy.
The diseases mentioned above are common diseases of Pembroke Welsh Corgi; however,other issues could be threats to the health of your delightful and affectionate pet. Keep reading this article to know more about Pembroke Welsh Corgi’s Health
There are hidden ailments that affect Pembroke Welsh Corgi dogs, which you may not notice as the dog owner. Seeking the expertise of a vet doctor would be helpful to point out those health problems;
One of the health challenges related to Pembroke Welsh Corbis is hereditary eye disease, including cataracts, retinal dysplasia, and progressive retinal atrophy. Canine cataracts bring about opacity on the dog eye’s lens, which causes gradual loss of sight. Adult Pembroke Welsh Corgis are the most vulnerable to cataract disease. The eyes gradually become cloudy, and the Corgi finds it challenging to identify people and things around it.
Retinal dysplasia is a rare disease in corgis but can be very dangerous than other eye diseases. It can lead to total blindness because the retina gets detached in some corgis. Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) causes the retina of the dog to decline as a result of the combination of several eye diseases. Night blindness is one of the symptoms of PRA, and sometimes corgis experience daylight blindness as the issue becomes more severe.
Except for changes in surroundings, Pembroke Welsh Corgi dogs get accustomed to their deteriorating eyesight to perform their everyday activities.
SOLUTION
Most eye diseases issues of Pembroke Welsh Corgi dogs require consultation of a veterinarian for surgical operation. Breeders need to test their pet dogs at the early stage of their life for cataracts so that they can apply effective curative measures before it gets out of hand. Regardless of the stage, your dog is diagnosed with any of the hereditary eye disease, the expertise of a vet doctor would be useful to improve their vision.
The structure (dwarf frame & tiny legs) of the Pembroke Welsh Corgi makes it prone to obesity if overfed without enough exercise. Spinal problems in Corgis are an effect of obesity, which usually causes severe pains for its living.Other health problems can arise as a result of excessive body weight. Pembroke Welsh Corgis are fond of requesting more food, and it makes them add weight quickly. Corgis’ sympathetic looks can be captivating to make you want to feed them more when they want more food.
Overfeeding your pet dog may cause it to add one or two pounds for every meal it gets. Accumulation of these pounds is the basis for obesity. When your 20-pound Pembroke Welsh Corgi adds two-pound, it brings about a nine-percent increase in its total weight.
SOLUTION
You need to maintain discipline when it comes to routine feeding of your Pembroke Welsh Corgi. Don’t fall, a victim of its pitiable looks, when it is hungry. This is because corgis can come back to request more food after a few minutes of consuming their food. Regardless of eating patterns, some corgis tend to add weight. You can keep this under check by consulting a vet doctor.
Hip dysplasia is a genetic condition common to Corgi, usually inherited from parents. It has to do with a disorder on either side of the hip joint, sometimes both.There is a case of misfit of the thigh bone into the hip joint, which causes severe pain in Pembroke Welsh Corgi when the pelvis or the hip gets touched.
Although hip dysplasia is identified as a genetic condition, environmental factors such as pelvic muscle mass, nutrition, and obesity cause strain on the joints. Signs of hip dysplasia are closely related to arthritis’s symptoms, such as general stiffness, movement difficulty, and severe joint pains.
SOLUTION
X-rays help to detect hip dysplasia in dogs because you cannot diagnose it merely looking at the dog or after collecting samples. Breeders should endeavor to test their dogs after 16 months of birth to be sure that their dog is free from hip dysplasia. Before breeding, all conditions must be met, showing that the parents do not have any trait of hip dysplasia in them. However, hip dysplasia may later develop in offspring as a result of the environmental factors mentions above. Take your Corgis to the vet office for health hip’s tips.
Canine epilepsy is one of the disturbing challenges faced by Pembroke Welsh Corgis, usually hereditary. Reactive, primary, and secondary are the three types of seizure typical to dogs, which,when occurred, may be scary to see. Different dogs display different symptoms such as wildly running around without a purpose, falling and staggering like a drunkard, and, worse of all is losing consciousness for minutes.
It usually starts in vulnerable Corgis at six months old through three years of age. Therefore, Corgis owners should take their dogs for diagnosing to know if their pets have this trait in them.
SOLUTION
Epilepsy can be predicted to last for a period, but the situation needs monitoring to keep the seizure under check. Blood checking must be a continuous act to control side effects and the application of practical measures. Whenever the Corgi has a seizure, try as much as possible to stop it from afflicting pains on itself. Don’t take your hands close to its mouth because it may bite you unknowingly. Be watchful of the minutes the seizure takes as the information would be useful when you take it to a vet doctor.
It is ideal for keeping your dog’s health under check regularly because health challenges can develop at any time. Some diseases are hereditary, while some are as a result of environmental factors. Other health problems related to Pembroke Welsh Corgi dogs are arthritis, osteoarthritis, back problems, among others. Endeavor to see a veterinarian for up to date information about your lovable pet.
REFERENCES
http://www.vetstreet.com/dogs/pembroke-welsh-corgi#1_m9wroaej
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/pembroke-welsh-corgi/
https://www.thesprucepets.com/breed-profile-pembroke-welsh-corgi-1117986
https://www.petmd.com/dog/breeds/c_dg_pembroke_welsh_corgi
https://canna-pet.com/corgi-health-problems-issues/