Dog Diseases Database
Every hereditary and common canine condition — with tests, affected body regions, and the breeds where each shows up most.
Filters
- SevereGeneral / metabolicComplex
Protein-losing enteropathy(PLE)
Protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) is a severe condition affecting the digestive system where the lining of the intestines becomes damaged or inflamed. This damage prevents the intestines from properly absorbing nutrients, causing vital proteins to leak from the bloodstream into the digestive tract. Because these proteins are lost instead of recycled, the body struggles to maintain normal fluid balance and muscle mass.
Affects 1 breedView details - MildSkin & coatAutosomal recessive
Psoriasiform-lichenoid dermatosis
This is a rare skin condition that causes chronic, scaly, and crusty lesions on the outer layer of a dog's skin. The term 'psoriasiform-lichenoid' describes the physical appearance of the skin, which develops both scaly patches and thickened, bumpy areas. While the underlying cause is currently unknown and only suspected to be genetic, the condition is mild and does not impact the dog's internal organs or overall health.
Affects 1 breedView details - HighGeneral / metabolicAutosomal recessive
Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Phosphatase 1 Deficiency(PDP 1)
This is an inherited metabolic disorder affecting the muscles and nervous system, caused by a deficiency in the PDP1 enzyme. Without this enzyme, the mitochondria—the energy-producing structures within cells—cannot properly convert carbohydrates into usable energy. This leads to a rapid buildup of lactic acid in the body during physical activity.
Affects 1 breedView details - MildSkin & coatAutosomal recessive
Recessive Hypotrichosis
Recessive hypotrichosis is an inherited skin disorder caused by a genetic mutation in the SGK3 gene that disrupts the normal development of hair follicles. Because these follicles do not mature properly, the dog is unable to produce or maintain a normal coat. This condition is limited to the skin and hair system and does not affect the dog's internal health or lifespan.
Affects 1 breedView details - SevereGeneral / metabolicComplex
Renal amyloidosis
Renal amyloidosis is a severe condition where abnormal, insoluble proteins called amyloid build up in the kidneys. Over time, these protein deposits crowd out and destroy the healthy filtering tissues of the organ. This leads to progressive kidney damage and impairs the body's ability to filter waste products from the blood.
Affects 1 breedView details - SevereGeneral / metabolicComplex
Renal dysplasia(RD)
Renal dysplasia, also known by the modern term renal maldevelopment (RM), is a congenital condition of the urinary system where the kidneys fail to develop normally before birth. This abnormal tissue structure severely impairs the kidneys' ability to filter waste products from the blood. Because the functional units of the organ do not mature properly, the dog is left with permanently reduced kidney function.
Affects 1 breedView details - HighEyesAutosomal recessive
Retinal atrophy - Rod-cone dysplasia 1a(rcd1a)
This is an inherited eye disease affecting the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It is caused by a genetic defect that prevents the eye's light receptors, called rods and cones, from developing properly. As these essential cells prematurely break down and die, the dog progressively loses its sight.
Affects 1 breedView details - HighGeneral / metabolicAutosomal recessive
Robinow-like syndrome (DVL2)(DVL2)
Robinow-like syndrome is an inherited developmental disorder that affects the skeletal system, specifically the spine, skull, and tail, due to a mutation in the DVL2 gene. This genetic mutation disrupts normal bone and cartilage development, leading to structural malformations such as a tightly coiled tail and abnormally shaped spinal bones called hemivertebrae. These spinal abnormalities can put pressure on the spinal cord, potentially damaging the nervous system.
Affects 1 breedView details - MildSkin & coatAutosomal recessive
S-locus(S)
The S-locus is a genetic region controlled by the MITF gene that regulates how pigment-producing cells distribute across a dog's skin and coat. When a dog inherits two copies of this recessive variant, it prevents pigment from developing in certain areas, resulting in white patches of fur and skin. This primarily affects the integumentary system (the skin and hair), but can occasionally impact the inner ear's pigment cells, which are vital for normal hearing.
Affects 1 breedView details - MildSkin & coatComplex
Schnauzer comedo syndrome(SCS)
Schnauzer comedo syndrome is an inherited skin condition where the hair follicles produce too much keratin, a protective skin protein. This excess material blocks the pores, leading to the formation of blackheads (comedones) primarily along the dog's back. It is a lifelong, benign disorder of the skin system that most commonly affects Miniature Schnauzers.
Affects 1 breedView details - ModerateGeneral / metabolicAutosomal recessive
Scotty cramp
Scotty cramp is an inherited neurological disorder affecting how the central nervous system processes serotonin, a chemical messenger that helps regulate muscle movement. This metabolic issue causes temporary, painless muscle spasms, primarily in Scottish Terriers. Because the specific genetic mutation causing this autosomal-recessive condition is currently unidentified, there is no commercially available genetic test for it.
Affects 1 breedView details - SevereHead / nervous systemAutosomal recessive
SELENOP-related cerebellar ataxia(CACA)
This is an inherited neurological disease, often referred to as CACA in Belgian Shepherds, caused by a genetic mutation in the SELENOP gene. This defect leads to progressive damage to the cerebellum, which is the region of the brain responsible for coordinating physical movements. Without a properly functioning cerebellum, a dog cannot control its balance or coordinate its limbs.
Affects 1 breedView details - SevereHead / nervous systemAutosomal recessive
Sensory Neuropathy(SN)
Sensory neuropathy is an inherited neurological disorder where the sensory nerve cells, which transmit feelings of pain and touch to the brain, progressively break down. This degradation of the nervous system prevents the dog from properly feeling its own limbs. It is an autosomal-recessive condition, meaning a puppy must inherit the mutated gene from both parents to be affected.
Affects 1 breedView details - HighHead / nervous systemComplex
Shar-Pei Autoinflammatory Disease (SPAID)(SPAID)
This is a hereditary systemic inflammatory disorder where the dog's innate immune system mistakenly triggers inflammation without an actual infection. It primarily affects multiple organs and tissues, particularly the skin, joints, and kidneys, due to a genetic mutation linked to the breed's characteristic wrinkled skin. Over time, this chronic inflammation can cause a harmful buildup of proteins in vital organs like the kidneys.
Affects 1 breedView details - ModerateGeneral / metabolicComplex
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO)(SIBO)
Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is a gastrointestinal condition where abnormally high numbers of bacteria colonize the small intestine. This overgrowth disrupts the normal digestive process and prevents the gut from properly absorbing nutrients from food. It often develops as a secondary complication of other underlying digestive issues.
Affects 1 breedView details - SevereHead / nervous systemAutosomal recessive
Spinal muscular atrophy(SMA)
Spinal muscular atrophy is an inherited neurological disorder that affects the motor neurons, which are the specialized nerve cells in the spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement. Because of an inherited genetic defect, these nerve cells progressively waste away, preventing normal signals from reaching the muscles. This lack of stimulation leads to severe muscle weakness and wasting, known as atrophy, throughout the body.
Affects 1 breedView details - MildGeneral / metabolicUnknown
Stud frequency (male)
Stud frequency refers to how often a male dog is used for mating. It is not a physical disease of the reproductive system, but rather a breeding management metric. Regulating this frequency is essential to prevent over-representation of a single male's genes, which helps maintain genetic diversity within the breed.
Affects 1 breedView details - SevereHeartComplex
Tetralogy of Fallot(ToF)
Tetralogy of Fallot is a severe congenital heart defect involving four specific structural malformations of the heart and its major blood vessels. These defects allow oxygen-poor blood to mix with oxygen-rich blood instead of being properly pumped to the lungs. As a result, the dog's body suffers from a chronic lack of oxygen.
Affects 1 breedView details - HighGeneral / metabolicComplex
Tracheal hypoplasia
This is a congenital respiratory condition where the dog's windpipe, or trachea, is abnormally narrow from birth. The rings of cartilage that normally keep the windpipe open are malformed, which restricts the flow of air to the lungs. This makes it significantly harder for the dog to breathe normally.
Affects 1 breedView details - MildGeneral / metabolicComplex
Umbilical hernia
An umbilical hernia is a physical defect in the abdominal wall where the muscles around the belly button fail to close completely. This gap allows abdominal contents, such as fat or a portion of the intestines, to push through and sit just under the skin. It is a structural issue affecting the muscular and digestive systems.
Affects 1 breedView details - ModerateSkin & coatUnknown
Vitamin A-responsive dermatosis
This is a rare skin condition where the dog's hair follicles cannot properly use vitamin A, which is essential for healthy skin development. Instead of a simple dietary deficiency, it is a localized metabolic issue that disrupts how skin cells mature and shed, a process known as keratinization.
Affects 1 breedView details - HighHead / nervous systemAutosomal recessive
VLDLR-associated cerebellar hypoplasia(VLDLR-CH)
This is an inherited neurological condition where the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance and coordination, fails to develop fully. It is caused by a genetic mutation that disrupts normal brain development during gestation. Because of this underdevelopment, the dog's nervous system cannot properly coordinate voluntary movements.
Affects 1 breedTested via: DNA testView details - HighGeneral / metabolicAutosomal recessive
Von Willebrand disease type II(vWD II)
Von Willebrand Disease Type II is an inherited bleeding disorder affecting the blood and circulatory system. It is caused by a structural defect in the von Willebrand factor, which is a crucial protein that helps blood platelets stick together to form clots. Because this protein does not function correctly, the dog's body cannot properly stop bleeding, a process known as hemostasis, after an injury.
Affects 1 breedView details - HighEyesX-linked
X-linked Progressive Retinal Atrophy(XLPRA1)
X-linked Progressive Retinal Atrophy is an inherited eye disease that causes the gradual breakdown of the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. This degeneration affects the photoreceptor cells, which are the specialized cells responsible for detecting light. Over time, the loss of these cells leads to complete blindness.
Affects 1 breedView details - HighHead / nervous systemAutosomal recessive
Absence of the optic chiasm
This is a rare congenital brain malformation where the optic chiasm—the structure where nerve fibers from each eye cross over to the opposite side of the brain—fails to develop. Without this connection, the visual pathways from the eyes to the brain's visual cortex are disrupted. This condition is notably documented in Belgian Sheepdogs as a form of congenital achiasma.
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