What diseases are Ibizan Hounds prone to?

• 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 fix the joint if diagnosed before the onset of arthritis. If you are rescuing an Ibizan Hound, have them checked out by a vet to see if they are prone to dysplasia.

• Eye issues: Progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), a progressive degenerative disease affecting the retina that eventually leads to blindness; cataracts, a common eye condition that causes cloudiness in the eye and obstructs vision; and retinal dysplasia, a painless malformation of the retina that can cause vision obstructions.

• Axonal dystrophy: This is a rare neurological disorder that causes a progressive decline in nerve cell function. The brain’s nerve cells lose their ability to transmit to each other normally, which causes a loss of coordination. As the disease progresses, you will notice your dog may begin stumbling, experience head tremors, suffer from incontinence, and develop secondary pneumonia.

• Others: Epilepsy, which is a seizure disorder; sensitivity to anesthesia; dental issues; and congenital deafness.