Due to health concerns, Norway recently prohibited the breeding of English Bulldogs and Cavalier King Charles spaniels.
The selective breeding of the dogs, according to the judgement of the Oslo District Court, breaches animal welfare legislation because animals from neither breed can be termed “healthy.”
English Bulldogs frequently have health issues as a result of their small snouts and the structure of their head, which predisposes them to severe respiratory difficulties. Eye problems and skin infections in the creases of their skin are also frequent in dogs.
As a result of selective breeding, Cavalier King Charles spaniels are prone to heart diseases, eye disorders such as cataracts and dry eye syndrome, and joint difficulties.
While the groundbreaking judgement only pertains to the two breeds, they are not the only canines prone to health issues, as many breeds have been linked to an increased probability of getting various ailments.
Labrador Retriever
According to Peta, Labrador Retrievers are also prone to a variety of health issues, including cataracts, hip and elbow dysplasia, and bloat. In addition, the breed is prone to obesity and a disease known as exercise-induced collapse, according to PetMD.
German Shepherd
According to the Mid-Atlantic German Shepherd Rescue (MAGSR), Degenerative myelopathy, an autoimmune-based, progressive neurological illness affecting the spinal cord, is common in German Shepherds. According to the source, “it emerges with relative frequency only in the German Shepherd dog; hence, a genetic factor is likely but not yet confirmed.”
Peta also mentions the pups’ proclivity for hip and elbow dysplasia, which are developmental diseases caused by joint formation as the dog matures. The condition, which is genetic and frequent in a variety of big dog breeds, can eventually lead to joint function loss, according to the American Kennel Club (AKC).
According to Peta, these dogs are also prone to dermatitis, blood abnormalities, epilepsy, dwarfism, life-threatening bloat, and digestive issues.
Golden Retriever
According to the Golden Retriever Society, Golden retrievers are prone to a variety of health problems, according to the source, including “cancer, hip and elbow dysplasia, luxating patella, chest and skin disorders, eye difficulties, ear infections, bloat, epilepsy, and hypothyroidism.”
The dogs are also at risk for Von Willebrand disease, a blood ailment in which the blood does not clot correctly.
Shar pei
Shar peis are another dog breed that can develop cataracts, hip dysplasia, thyroid disorders such as hypothyroidism, and eye problems like as conjunctivitis and corneal ulcers, according to AnimalWised.
Bernese Mountain Dog
According to Hepper, these enormous dogs have unusually short lifespans due to years of inbreeding, which has resulted in an elevated chance of contracting cancer.
According to AnimalWised, Meningitis, elbow dysplasia, hip dysplasia, histiocytosis, ataxia, shaking puppy syndrome, and progressive retinal degeneration are also common in the dogs.
Pug
Pugs, like bulldogs, can suffer from health problems caused by their flat snouts, which impede airflow and can lead to respiratory problems. Because of their protruding eyes, the dogs are also prone to ocular disorders such as eye infections.
Dachshund
Dachshunds are prone to a variety of health difficulties as a result of their body shape, including spinal and neurological abnormalities that may need surgery to correct. Obesity and vision issues are also possible in dogs, according to Canna Pet.
Boxer
According to Peta, boxers are on the list of unhealthy dog breeds because of their proclivity for developing health issues such as cardiomyopathy, a heart disease that causes irregular heartbeat, epilepsy, tumours, and subaortic stenosis, which is a narrowing of the outflow valve beneath the heart’s aortic valve that can lead to heart failure.
According to Peta, Yorkshire Terriers, Beagles, Poodles, and Shih Tzus are also on the list of the most “over-bred” dog breeds.