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Breeds > Golden Retrievers
Golden Retrievers
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A Golden Retriever can be a wonderfully loyal and reliable companion for your family. Goldens will get along
with every family member, including children, cats and other dogs.
Golden Retrievers have a number of particular health tendencies; knowledge of them enables families to differentiate trivial complaints from serious health issues (especially since the patient can’t express the severity of the problem). This helps you protect your pet and treat the serious issues promptly, ensuring a speedier recovery.
The breed’s major health concerns include hip and elbow dysplasia and cataracts. Some other serious issues with lower rates of incidence include gastric torsion, epilepsy, and osteosarcoma. Minor issues include cardiomyopathy, von Willebrand’s disease, and various allergies.
Dysplasia occurs due to malformed joints in the hip or elbow; and if affected, your pet’s health may deteriorate in the following ways: a limp or reluctance to run, climb stairs or play; difficulty rising from a resting position; or a personality change. Treatment can be fairly straightforward and many pets respond well to therapies that humans may use for arthritis. However, these symptoms resemble those of Lyme Disease, so have your veterinarian test your Golden to eliminate that possibility.
Cataracts in Golden Retrievers are similar to those in humans; they usually affect older animals, although juvenile cataracts do occur. Cataracts will cloud your pet’s eyes and dramatically inhibit normal sight. Treatment options include surgery and a new technology: implants.
Many of these other issues resemble their human forms. Osteosarcoma is a malignant bone cancer and is sadly common among large breeds. Cardiomyopathy refers to any of a number of heart abnormalities that can endanger your pet’s heart function.
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