The Staffordshire Bull Terrier sadly can be given a bad reputation, as they are often associated with violence. However, they are gentle, fun-loving, and incredibly loyal family dogs and make great companions.
Like, many other pure breeds, they are at risk of certain health conditions, we have summarised the most common ones below.
This is a painful condition where the hip “ball and socket” do not fit together properly, causing the hips to be unstable. They can become painful, stiff and eventually arthritic.
Dogs will often show signs of HD whilst growing (approximately 5-6 months old), but typical symptoms include a “bunny hopping” gait, hindlimb lameness, difficulty getting up, a wobbly swaying walk or skinny hips.
Treatment is often influenced depending on the severity of the disease. Mild forms can be managed by maintaining a lean body weight, physical therapy, joint supplements and prescriptions for pain relief. More advanced forms may require surgical correction of the affected hip joint.
We at Vetsy are able to offer you pain management, as well as long term prescriptions for those cases that progress to arthritis much later in life.
Patellar Luxation occurs when the knee cap dislocates from the knee joint, causing lameness, typically an intermittent skip or hobble, pain or reluctance to exercise. The luxation can be grade 1-4.
Grade 1 and 2 are considered mild forms, where the kneecap pops back into place by itself. They can be managed medically, with physical therapies and exercise. If diagnosed with a grade 3 or 4, the kneecap is permanently dislocated and is more likely to require surgical stabilisation.
Dogs that suffer from patellar luxation are prone to arthritis and therefore may require long term pain management, which can be provided by us.
The cruciate ligaments are found inside the knee joint and can hold it stable. Cruciate ligament disease occurs when the ligament slowly frays, getting weaker and worse over time. They may eventually tear or can be acutely broken by jumping, skidding, twisting, or turning awkwardly.
Clinical signs of injury vary from a slight limp to being unable to weight bear on the affected leg. Symptoms include:
Diagnosis is often made on clinical exams and x-rays of the knee.
Treatment options can either be surgical repair or conservative (without surgery).
The conservative approach, usually reserved for mild cases or smaller breeds, involves strict rest, plenty of pain relief and weight management. After a few weeks, we can then gradually introduce some exercise and would recommend a referral for physiotherapy.
If the conservative approach is not successful, you may need to consider surgery. There are a few surgical approaches available. The best option will depend on your dogs weight, size and whether referral to a special orthopaedic surgery is possible.
We at Vetsy can discuss all potential treatment options available and arrange referrals if required.
Staffies can suffer from allergies, that may lead to dermatitis (skin inflammation).
Common symptoms of allergies include;
Allergies can be caused by many different triggers, including environmental (such as pollen or dust mites), food sources (such as wheat, chicken, and beef), contact allergens (Eg. washing powders), or bites from parasites such as fleas.
It takes a dedicated skin consult to determine potential underlying causes and consider diet trials and ways to avoid unwanted environmental allergens. Here at Vetsy we can provide just that. We will help clear up any secondary infections, whilst stopping the allergic reaction. Often these treatment options are lifelong, so once we have gained control of the symptoms we can provide you with ongoing prescriptions to avoid future flare ups.
As with other dogs, Staffies can develop masses in the layer of fat, skin and muscle covering their bodies. These could be simple warts, cysts or lipomas (soft, benign fatty lumps), but also could be potential tumours, such as Mast Cell Tumours or Histiocytomas.
If your dog develops a lump it is best to have it checked out, either via an examination or potentially with a needle aspirate sample to determine the cause and whether surgery is warranted. Generally, treatment depends on the size, location and exact nature of the lump, but almost always involves surgical removal.
If you have any questions or concerns about your Staffie book an appointment with Vetsy.
