What are the health issues with Irish Water Spaniels?

• Hip and/or elbow dysplasia: Hip and elbow dysplasia are two of the most common skeletal diseases seen in dogs. They are similar diseases in which either the hip or elbow joint has grown abnormally or is misshapen. The abnormal shape prevents the joints and sockets from adequately meeting one another, resulting in rubbing and grinding instead of sliding smoothly. Though the main complication with hip dysplasia is joint instability, the abnormalities present in elbow dysplasia often result in pieces of bone and/or cartilage breaking loose and irritating the joint tissues. Over time, the rubbing from dysplasia can cause a variety of issues, such as pain, lameness, and secondary osteoarthritis. Surgery can be done to fix the joint if diagnosed before the onset of arthritis. If you are rescuing an Irish Water Spaniel, have them checked out by a vet to see if they have or are prone to getting dysplasia so you know what they will be able to handle regarding activities and exercise.

• Eye issues: This breed may develop progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), a progressive degenerative disease affecting the retina that eventually leads to blindness, and distichiasis, an abnormal growth of eyelashes on the margin of the eye (the extra eyelashes and abnormal location result in irritation to the eye).

• Hypothyroidism: This thyroid malfunction results in low hormone production and could cause obesity, low energy, and a brittle coat.

• Gastric dilatation-volvulus: This is a sudden, painful, and life-threatening swelling and twisting of the abdomen.