How to Care for an English Mastiff
Know the health history of your pet., Take your Mastiff in for regular check-ups., Watch out for bloat., Test your dog for canine cystinuria., Look out for joint problems., Get regular heart exams.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Know the health history of your pet.
Before you buy a Mastiff, be sure that the breeder provides you with independently certified genetic health screenings for the dog’s parents.
Check to see that both are free from hereditary diseases and disorders, like hip dysplasia, cardiomyopathy, or retinal atrophy, that could be passed on to your pet.
The breeder should also offer a health guarantee for your dog as part of the sales contract.Responsible breeders will have the parents of their litters registered in the Canine Health Information Center database.
The records should be searchable and include evaluations of each Mastiff’s eyes, hips, elbows, heart, thyroid, and urine to ensure that their sire and dam do not carry any common genetic diseases that threaten the health of the breed. -
Step 2: Take your Mastiff in for regular check-ups.
Register your dog immediately with a nearby veterinary clinic.
Having a steady vet who is familiar with the medical records of your pet will help catch any health issues that may arise and ensure that you keep up with your pooch’s vaccination cycles and parasite control treatments., Bloat or “Gastric Torsion” is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition wherein a dog’s digestive processes lead to the overproduction of gas, which fills, twists, and then blocks their stomach.
Since English Mastiffs are prone to it, it’s important to know the symptoms and get your pet to a vet immediately if they show any of them.The symptoms include dry retching (without being able to vomit), excessive thirst, severe salivation, and abdominal swelling.
Your dog will also likely show other signs of discomfort, such as pacing, restlessness, and hanging their head low.
The exact causes of bloat are unknown, but, there are some practices that can help minimize your Mastiff’s risk.
For instance, they’ll be less susceptible if you feed them two well-spaced meals a day and plan their exercise so that it does not immediately precede or follow a meal. , This genetic kidney disease causes bladder stones and potentially life-threatening urinary blockages.
The condition is rare, but Mastiffs are at higher risk, so consider getting a urine test.
If your dog is having difficulty urinating, take them to the vet immediately for screening.Since the causes of this disease are genetic, it’s impossible to prevent and difficult to control with prescriptions or dietary therapies.
If your Mastiff develops this condition, it will very likely require surgery. , Due to their massive size, structural issues are not uncommon for English Mastiffs, young or old.
They can start very early in life since Mastiff puppies have a much longer development period than most dogs (from 2-3 years).
If your pup is having trouble getting up and down or moving about in a natural way on all four legs, take them to the vet for an examination.Hip and elbow dysplasia as well as cruciate ligament injuries in their knees are the most common joint ailments Mastiffs face.
You can actively take steps to prevent future joint issues by ensuring that you keep young Mastiffs lean to avoid putting extra pressure on their bones and ligaments.
You should do this by keeping them from overeating rather than through strenuous exercise, since playing too hard can also cause significant structural problems down the line. , English Mastiffs are genetically susceptible to heart disease, including cardiomyopathy, pulmonic stenosis, mitral dysplasia, and subaortic stenosis.
Be sure that your vet gives your pooch a heart check-up each time you go in for an appointment, to catch these conditions early when they’re still treatable. -
Step 3: Watch out for bloat.
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Step 4: Test your dog for canine cystinuria.
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Step 5: Look out for joint problems.
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Step 6: Get regular heart exams.
Detailed Guide
Before you buy a Mastiff, be sure that the breeder provides you with independently certified genetic health screenings for the dog’s parents.
Check to see that both are free from hereditary diseases and disorders, like hip dysplasia, cardiomyopathy, or retinal atrophy, that could be passed on to your pet.
The breeder should also offer a health guarantee for your dog as part of the sales contract.Responsible breeders will have the parents of their litters registered in the Canine Health Information Center database.
The records should be searchable and include evaluations of each Mastiff’s eyes, hips, elbows, heart, thyroid, and urine to ensure that their sire and dam do not carry any common genetic diseases that threaten the health of the breed.
Register your dog immediately with a nearby veterinary clinic.
Having a steady vet who is familiar with the medical records of your pet will help catch any health issues that may arise and ensure that you keep up with your pooch’s vaccination cycles and parasite control treatments., Bloat or “Gastric Torsion” is a severe and potentially life-threatening condition wherein a dog’s digestive processes lead to the overproduction of gas, which fills, twists, and then blocks their stomach.
Since English Mastiffs are prone to it, it’s important to know the symptoms and get your pet to a vet immediately if they show any of them.The symptoms include dry retching (without being able to vomit), excessive thirst, severe salivation, and abdominal swelling.
Your dog will also likely show other signs of discomfort, such as pacing, restlessness, and hanging their head low.
The exact causes of bloat are unknown, but, there are some practices that can help minimize your Mastiff’s risk.
For instance, they’ll be less susceptible if you feed them two well-spaced meals a day and plan their exercise so that it does not immediately precede or follow a meal. , This genetic kidney disease causes bladder stones and potentially life-threatening urinary blockages.
The condition is rare, but Mastiffs are at higher risk, so consider getting a urine test.
If your dog is having difficulty urinating, take them to the vet immediately for screening.Since the causes of this disease are genetic, it’s impossible to prevent and difficult to control with prescriptions or dietary therapies.
If your Mastiff develops this condition, it will very likely require surgery. , Due to their massive size, structural issues are not uncommon for English Mastiffs, young or old.
They can start very early in life since Mastiff puppies have a much longer development period than most dogs (from 2-3 years).
If your pup is having trouble getting up and down or moving about in a natural way on all four legs, take them to the vet for an examination.Hip and elbow dysplasia as well as cruciate ligament injuries in their knees are the most common joint ailments Mastiffs face.
You can actively take steps to prevent future joint issues by ensuring that you keep young Mastiffs lean to avoid putting extra pressure on their bones and ligaments.
You should do this by keeping them from overeating rather than through strenuous exercise, since playing too hard can also cause significant structural problems down the line. , English Mastiffs are genetically susceptible to heart disease, including cardiomyopathy, pulmonic stenosis, mitral dysplasia, and subaortic stenosis.
Be sure that your vet gives your pooch a heart check-up each time you go in for an appointment, to catch these conditions early when they’re still treatable.
About the Author
Richard Wright
Committed to making cooking accessible and understandable for everyone.
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