Hip dysplasie
Elbow dysplasie
Ectropion and entropion
Constipation of the anal glands
Stomach torsion
Inflammation of the uterus
Prepuce inflammation
Poisoning
Food allergy
Atopie
Other causes of itch
Hotspot
Travel illness

 

 

Hip dysplasie

A frequent occuring illness, seen at mostly all dog-breeds, and also the Berner Mountain
Dog, is hip dysplasie (HD).
HD is a general term for development disorders of the hip joints.
Dogs which suffer this disorder mostly have toubles with getting up and/or walking. They
could also have a decreases endurance and it is possible that the dog will limp.

The problems arise because the hip joints doesn's grow normally. This abnormal grow can
cause weakening, swelling or rupture of the (or parts of) ligament. Mostly the cartilage of the
joints are affected, what can cause artrose.

Not all dogs which walk difficult have HD, like also not all dogs which move and walk
normal don't have HD.
If you want to know fur sure that your dog does or doesn't have HD, the dog have to be X-
rayd. Then this x-ray picture will be send by the veterinary surgeon to an institute where
experts will study this picture.

The judgement of the experts will be binding. If a dog do suffer from HD, then the outlook
won'T be very positive.
But when the case is diagnosed at a young age, a hip operation will be an option.
Unfortunately this will be a very expensive operation that can only be carried out at
specialised clinics.
Then special food for the dog will prevent the dog from growing to fat and muscle training
where the joints of the dog will not be overtaxed, can reduce the measure the dog shall suffer
from this disorder.

Dogs which suffer HD and wherfor an operation doesn't work, can be helped with a
Combination of painkillers, muscle restoratives and maybe homeopathic treatment and
accupuncture.
Unfortunately the treatments will mostly only ease the complaints, HD can not be fully
healed.
Research has shown that HD has come into excistence by a combination of heredity factors
and environmental factors. To lock out the heredity part, breeders have to look carefully at the
presence of HD at breeding dogs. The environmental factors are in hands of the owners of the dogs.

 

Elbow dysplasie

Elbow dysplasie (ED), is a denomination for a several disorders from the elbow. The several
Disorders mosly have the same causes; a disproportionate grow of the radius and the ulna,
and/or development disorders in the bones round about the elbow joint.
Also ED can come into existence because of environmental factors.

Among ED can be considered LPA (los processus anconeus) and LPC (los processus
coronoïdus).
With both disorders a loose fragment of the ulna is indicated and the names indicate the
location where this fragment is found.
Also OCD (osteohondrose dissecans) belongs to the group of disorders of ED.

OCD indicates a loose fragment of the cartilage of the upper arm. Eventually also a bad
connection of the elbow joint.
ED expresses itself among other things like limping with one or both forelegs, having trouble
with getting up, and (because of the pain and discomfort) walk less or don't walk at all.
On the elbow, the dog can have a lump filled with liquid.

When ED is suspected it is important that the right diagnose will be maded about which kind
of ED the dog suffer.
Then a treatment can be maded, which can range from an operation where loose fragments of
the elbow joints will be removed, an operation where the length of the ulna will be corrected
or rest with inflammation stopping medications.
The quicker the diagnose is maded, the bigger the change the dog will function normally.

 

Ectropion and entropion

Two eye disorders which can accur by dog-breeds, are ectropion and entropion.
Ectropion means that the eyelids are curled to the outside, like sagged lowest eyelids,
Whereby you can see the red tissue.
Entropion means that the eyelids are curled tot the inside, wherby the eyelashes irritate the
Retina.

Both disorders are very inconvenient for the dog, which will continuous have watery eyes.
Young Bernese Mountain Dogs can also have sagged out eyelids, but this will go away when
The dog grows up.
But if you are not sure, you can always ask the vet for his opinion.
For complaints that are not very serious, it's mostely enough to bead some special eye drops
Into the eyes. If there are no changes or if it only gets worse, then only a surgerey where the
Eyelids will be corrected, can give a positive result.

As well as enctropion as entropion are hereditary and not a single serious breeder will breed
With a dog which suffer frome one or both disorders.

 

 

Constipation of the anal glands

This occurs at mostly all dog-breeds. If the glands are constipated, then this will couse itch
and/or pain complaints. The dog will try to make the itch go away by sliding with his bottom
on the floor or to bite his bottem.

To release the pressure the anal glands can be squeezed out. This squeezing is an accurate job.
If this is not done well, then the complaints will be worse. That's why it is recommended that
You don't try this by yourself, but you let the veternarian do this job.
Some dogs keep having this complaints and so a surgery can help, wherby the anal glands will
be removed. But the anal glands have an important function fot the communication between
dogs and will only be removed when nothing else works.

 

Stomach torsion

Like all big dog-breeds, the Bernese Mountain Dog has an increased risk tot get a stomach torsion.
Because an unknown reason the stomach tilt round about the axis,
whereby the entrance (gullet) and the outlet (intestines) are being pinched off.
The content of the stomach will yeast and because of the released gas the stomach will inflatie itself more and more
in a short time.

The inflated stomach will eventually pinch off the blood vessels which will cause the dog gets into a shock.
An obvious symptom is kecking, which can vary in frequency and force.
It will be obvious the dog want's to get rid of something, but because of the stomach being pinched off
only slime will come out.

The inflation of the stomach smetimes can be seen and can be felt to the leftside of the spine, just behind the ribs.
Torsion of the stomach is an acute disorder, which could be deadly if the dog will not be operated very soon.
So it is very important that you will recognice the symptoms of a stomach torision.
When you see one of the symptoms, you'll have find help as quick as possible.
A vet know how serious a stomach torsion is and will help you, even at night.

It is suspected the sensitiveness for a stomach torsion can be based on heredity.
By way of precaution don't let your dog drink very cold water, give him at least an hour rest after his diner
and don't let him eat to much food whithin a schort time or food what can swell in the sromach.
Also drinking of streaming water or eating snow can be dangerous for sensitive dogs.

 

Inflammation of the uterus

Inflammation of the uterus occurs relatively often at fermale dogs which are four years and
older, irrespective the breed or height.
There are two forms of inflammation of the uterus; the closed form and the open form.

The open form will be easely recognised because of the purulent secretion which comes out of
the vulva.
The closed form will not be easely recognised because the pus is being piled up into the uterus
and will not be carried off. At both forms of the inflammation the dog will suffer from fever, it will
be more quiet then normal and it will drink more as usual.

It is very important that a possible inflammation of the uterus will be recognised quickly,
because it can be deadly in a very short time.

Sometimes the inflammation can a whith antibiotics, but in the most cases the uterus have to be removed,
especially when the inflammation regurlarly keeps on coming back again.
Many dogs which sufferd have being suffering inflammation of the uterus, can not be pregnant again.

 

Prepuce inflammation

A disorder which occures at male-dogs at all ages is prepuce inflammation. When the dog
suffer from this disorder a purulent, yellow-green secretion will come out of the prepuce.
Contrary to inflammation of the utures at female-dogs, prepuce inflammation will not be
dangerous.
Mostly they aren't bothered about this. It's only the fact it isn't a pleasant sight and the
Secretain will stain on furniture and clothes.
The sollution will be a daily treatment of the prepuce with a special liquid, often combined
with pills.
At some dogs the disorder will come back, only then a emasculation will give a possitive
result.

 

 

Poisoning

The symptoms of a poisoning car vary, and depends on the sort of poison the dog has been taking.
The symptoms are: vomitting, drooling severely, diarrhoea, shudders with possible severe gripes,
apathy or even getting into a coma.
Sometimes there can be seen reddisch spots on the skin.

With poisoning you often got not much timme, so when you suspect a possible poisoning,
or when your dog has been eating or drinking something poisoning you should get immediately to a vet!
And if it is possible, you'll must take the package with you which the dog has been eating or drinkingof.
Because the treatment depends ont which kind of poisoning the dog suffers. And a wrong treatment could work wrong.

However poisoning can be done on purpose, there are other ways which your dog can be poisoned.
Like horse dung can be very poisoning when the horst just had a vermifuge.
In smaller concentrations it could lead to chronical inflammation of the smaller intestines or incontinence.
Also poisoned plants or parts of those plants, and just sprayed plants can be posoning.

 

 

Food allergy

The symptoms of food allergy are mainly very bad itch, mostly at the whole body.
A dog which suffer a food allergy are mainly very often.
Sometimes of the stomach there are red lumps and they could also been seen in
the groins or in the armpits and the stools can range from normal to soft (diarrhoea.)

To go at those symptoms first the cause needs to be tracked down and, most of the time, that'll not be easy.
Often the dog will react allergic beacause of the proteins in the food,
but also the quality keeping substance, the pigment or an other ingredient of the food can cause an allergic reaction.

At some dogs, a diet where only lamb will be used as an animal protein source,
for example lamb with a rice diet, will give an omprovement.
Fot other dogs it will be enough to eat other food that holds other or no chemical quality keeping substances.
There is also special food available at the vet, specially compound for allergic dogs.
A dog will not heal from a food allergy,
it is advisable when the dog reacts well on the food, you'll give it only that kind of food and no other food.
A piece of cheese or sausage can be enough to cause a lot of itch for weeks.

 

 

Atopie

An other, less known kind of allergy is atopie.
A dog which suffer atopie has a very bad itch,
which concentrates often on the head, the cars, the paws, the groins and the armpits.
This illess mostly appears between the age of 6 months and 3 years.
Atopie is unfortunately the hardtest allergy to treat,
because the dog reacts allergical at the substances he breathes in and that is,
of course, hard to prevent.

It can be many substances, vary from pollen, to dust-mites and skin-scales.
With an allergytest it can be determined which substances cause an allergical reation.
When this is determined,the owner could try to prevent the dog is being confronted with these substances,
but this is very hard for certain substance like pollen and skin-scales.
Sometimes a regularly wash-turn with special shampoo, a lot of vacuuming
and an adapted environment (no carpet) can ease the complaints.

 

Other causes of itch

When a dog scratches itself a lot,
the owner could emediately think of an allergy, but there
are a lot of other factors which can cause the itch.
Mites and fleas could cause itch.
Dogs which react intense on the presence of mites and fleas,
could be allergic of these parasites. A allergy-test could show this.
Excenssive itch-behaviour could also be the cause of a psycological thing, a
specially with dogs which get not enough attention (this is what the dogs thinks).
And because of the scratching he will get attention of his owner and because
he gets attentions he will do this often.

 

 

Hotspot

Hotspot is a term which indicates spots of heated skin.
Hotspots are especially seen at dog-breeds with long hair, like the Berne Mountain Dog.
The cause of such a spot is an irritation, like a flea-bite or a small wound,
which the dog reacts with biting, scraching and/or licking at this spot.

Underneath the fur the hairs are going to stick to eachother and the skin bellow
that is getting wet and will become inflamed.
And this will give extra irritation, so the dog will bite, schratch and lick itself more and more.

A hotspot can be treatened to clean the spot twice a day with betadine shampoo,
often in combination with a inflammation stopping spray.

 

 

Travel illness

When you have a car, your dog undoubtedly, will be transported by car sometimes.
To prevent troubles it is omportant your dog will get to know this way of transportation
on a possitive way at a young age.
Travel illness is often matched with fear for driving in a car, often because he think
its is matched with something negative, like going to the vet or the boarding-house.
That's why you should take your dog for short trips with the car.
Then after this trip he will do something nice, like a walk in the wood or the beach.
Most dogs will not have this anymore when they are older then 12 months.
At a few dogs it will remain and the dog will need medicines.