Bull Terrier Health

•Heart Disease•

Mitral valve dysplasia presents as a "leaking" valve between the two chambers of the heart, the left atrium and left ventricle. Usually the mitral valve does not shut completely which causes the blood that should be pumped entirely into the aorta to supply the body with oxygenated blood from the left ventricle; to leak back into the left atrium. The result is a murmur. It is called Mitral Regurgitation. When the mitral valve is narrowed, it is difficult for the blood to leave the left atrium. This is called Mitral Stenosis. Dogs with this condition can affected mildly or severely. Most dogs can live active normal lives, but with age the condition can worsen and they can die of heart failure.

Sub-aortic Stenosis is the narrowing of the aorta, the major artery carrying the blood supply away from the heart. The condition leads to pulmonary edema which results in left-sided heart failure.

There are several tests your veterinarian can perform to screen for these conditions, x-ray series of the chest, ECG or electrocardiography to measure the heart's electrical activity, and a cardiac ultrasound or echocardiography. Many reputable breeders test their dogs with cardiac color doppler ultrasound for very accurate diagnosis.

• Kidney Disease •

There are three forms. The first is renal dysplasia which results kidney failure. The disease causes the kidney's cells to develop improperly, resulting in a nonfunctioning kidney/s.

The second form is Hereditary nephritis. This is also fatal, but with a slower progression. Research has not been able to determine a specific age to test for because it can range in age from as early as 2 years up to 8 years. The best prevention (until DNA testing becomes available) is testing breeding dogs every year for Urine-Protein/ Urine-Creatinine Ratio.

The most recently discovered kidney disease is Polycystic Kidney Disease. You may also hear it as PCKD. It is very common to be seen inconjuction with heart valvular problems. Currently, the most reliable diagnose is made from an ultrasound of the kidneys.

• Deafness •

It can be either unilaterally (one-sided) in which the dog is able to hear in one ear, or bilateral (both ears affected) in which the dog can not hear at all. Deafness can occur in both whites and coloreds.

The best test to determine a puppy's hearing is called BAER or brain stem auditory evoked response, and the test can be done by many veterinarians. Most responsible breeders will test their puppies several weeks after birth and will provide you the results of the BAER testing. Dogs that are found to be either unilaterally or bilateral deaf should not be bred, but can live a very normal bullie life.

• Hip Dysplasia •

This is when the ball and socket of the hip and femur joint do not fit correctly. It can be either the ball the femur is malformed, or the socket is not deep enough for the ball to fit into. The degree of hip dysplasia varies from slight to severe, and the degree of pain and crippling effect varies as well. It usually worsens with time and there are surgeries that can repair the affected joint much like a human hip replacement procedure. • Demodectic & Sacroptic Mange •

Sacroptic mange is highly contagious and very unpleasant, and if left untreated it can be fatal. It is associated with intensive pruritus (itching) and tends to be rapid spreading and generalized.

Demodectic mange is a result of stress on the immune system. It is common for young dogs reaching sexual maturity to have an episode of demodectic mange. Generally, it is not considered a "faulty" immune system unless it develops during adulthood or becomes generalized over the body. It is genetic and is most often presented in a few dime size patches on the head or on the body. It usually is not irritating and should be carefully watched to prevent a secondary infection from forming.

• Pyloric Stenosis •

The pyloric valve is the valve that helps control the movement of food from the stomach and into the intestine. Obviously, this condition can be determined when the dog dog has problems with digestion. It does not occur frequently, and can be controlled with medications. The most common symptoms are sudden vomiting and frothing of the mouth after eating. A projectile vomiting can be associated as a symptom.

• Skin Allergies •

The only way to stop the allergy is to remove the allergen ideally. This can be difficult because there can be many allergens causing the reaction and difficult to pinpoint. The most concern about atopy is the secondary skin infections that can occur due to the irritated or broken skin.