Every breed has health issues of some kind and Golden Retrievers are no exception. The gene pools in Europe are different than those in the U.S. Therefore, the statistics on some of the major problems in Golden Retrievers are different in Europe than in the U.S. Below is a discussion of several health issues that affect Golden Retrievers. It includes links to several pages that have more details on specific conditions. We also discuss Summer Brook’s policies for testing for these conditions.
I am not a veterinarian or a health expert. However, I have done extensive research on the genetic diseases and conditions that affect Golden Retrievers. I back up the information in this set of articles by providing links to other articles. These articles are written by those who ARE experts on these subjects. Some of these links are to organizations that supervise the testing. Others are to those that have researched the problems, those that have provided statistics, and those who set the standards.
Hip Dysplasia in Golden Retrievers
Hip Dysplasia in Golden Retrievers has information on the different scoring schemes used in the United States and in Europe. This page also discusses how the different schemes compare to each other. This page also has relevant statistics on hip dysplasia, information on environmental contributors, and tips on how to give your dog his/her best chance of not having it.
Elbow Dysplasia in Golden Retrievers
Elbow Dysplasia in Golden Retrievers has information on how elbow dysplasia statistics differ in the U.S. and in Europe and how elbow dysplasia can affect a dog.
Genetic Eye Problems in Golden Retrievers
Genetic Eye problems in the Golden Retriever to learn about tests to screen dogs for eye problems and how these genetic eye diseases can affect a dog. In addition to having the eyes themselves tested, there are DNA tests to screen dogs for problems that may not show up until late in life.
Ichthyosis in Golden Retirevers
Ichthyosis in Golden Retrievers has more information on this doggy dandruff.
Cancer in Golden Retrievers
The Golden Retriever Club of America’s link on cancer statistics states that according to a study done by them, over 60% of Golden Retrievers died from cancer. Another study done by the Kennel Club in England on cancer states that less than 39% of Golden Retrievers tested in their study died from cancer. These studies were not meant to be compared to one another and there could very well be some environmental issues that contribute to these statistics. These studies were based on a sample of the population, not the entire population. The study done by the Kennel Club was just a small sample. However, there is such a big difference that we believe these statistics cannot be ignored. Click on the underlined links above to read more information on these studies.
Vaccinations
Our vaccines page has interesting studies and information on what most schools of veterinary medicine in the United States are now recommending. Yearly vaccines are no longer recommended.
When To Spay or Neuter a Golden Retriever
Early spaying and neutering
Flea Control
More Health Information
There is a huge amount of good information on the internet as well as in books on keeping your pet healthy. We recommend these websites for good information on on dog health: www.naturalrearing.com and www.whole-dog-journal.com. We are constantly educating ourselves on the subject of dog health and are finding that the more we learn, the more we find there is to learn. There is a wealth of information out there for those who are willing to take the time to read it.
