Shiba Inu Health Issues – The Ultimate Guide

Photo by Petr Magera

Originally Posted On: https://shibabreed.com/shiba-inu-health-issues/

To those of us who are lucky enough to have a Shiba Inu as a member of our family, we know they are gentle, good-natured, and faithful. While running around your yard or running for miles they are quick movers while being extremely agile and we don’t think of them as having any health problems. There are, however, Shiba Inu health issues and I’m going to fill you in on some of them and explain causes, symptoms, and treatments and also the prevention of some.

Below I have listed several health problems. The first six are more prevalent in the Shiba Inu and the remaining diseases are not as common. Please don’t panic when reading this.

I would just like to make you aware of these issues so you will be informed if you should spot any of these symptoms in your cute little Shiba. This way you can have them checked out and perhaps “nip it in the bud,” so to speak.

The Shiba Inu has a unique triangular eye shape which makes them all the more lovable but this shape, rather than round, may make them more susceptible to eye issues than other dogs. Cataracts can occur in animals as well as humans.

They usually develop later in life although if they are diagnosed before the age of two it usually leads to blindness. During an examination, your dog’s veterinarian may observe that the lens of his or her eye appears opaque or cloudy. If not treated a cataract can lead to blindness.

Eye drops are usually used initially. New eye drops on the market today clear a dog’s vision in six weeks as they slowly dissolve the cataract. If drops are not an option, surgery can be performed that would involve the removal of the lens and then inserting an artificial lens. Prognosis is excellent.

Progressive retinol atrophy is a degenerative or progressive and irreversible disease of the eyes. It is usually genetic or hereditary and occurs when the photoreceptors, located in the back of the eye, fail.

Atrophy means wasting away and this is what happens, the retina slowly deteriorates. This does not cause any pain to the dog. For the dog, seeing in the darkness or low light becomes difficult and eventually leads to blindness.

At this time there is no cure for this disease but screening and testing can prepare you. Shiba Inus are at high risk for PRA due to their triangle-shaped eyes.

Another disease of the eye that also is found in humans is glaucoma. Glaucoma is believed to be hereditary. It comes about when excessive fluid occurs behind the eyeball and causes the build-up of pressure.

Normal eye pressure is a balance between eye fluid and drainage. Too much fluid and the inability for it to drain equals high pressure. This can cause the eyeball to become deformed and can also be very painful. Eye drops are used, as in humans to control the pressure.

Sometimes several different eye drops are necessary to keep the pressure stable. Individual types of surgeries are offered if that becomes necessary and are quite successful. Lasers are used more often today which makes surgery quicker with less downtime. If however, your dog’s glaucoma goes untreated it will lead to blindness.

Allergies can also be found in our Shiba Inus. These can be from the air your dog breathes to something his skin is exposed to or from the food she eats. They also can be allergic to certain medications.

Allergies to pollen tend to be more common to Shibas living in warmer climates. Symptoms can be swollen, runny eyes, sneezing, and mucus in the nasal airways, which can cause snoring. See. We people aren’t the only ones that snore!

Besides pollen, other skin problems can be attributed to cleaners (especially certain carpet cleaners), airborne pollutants, and food. Very common is flea allergy dermatitis. If your dog is allergic to the bite of fleas this will cause them to constantly scratch to relieve the itch.

This, in turn, can lead to bacterial infections of the skin known as pyoderma. It can be parasitic, fungal, or bacterial. The skin will become red with a loss of fur and sometimes pus-filled sores develop. To prevent this, flea and tick products should be used and baths with soothing shampoo are a good addition.

Contact your veterinarian if you suspect an infection. For a skin infection, your dog may need topical steroids, antibiotics, or antifungal.

My Shiba Inu, Jaxon, suffers from food allergies. He started with hot spots, which are inflamed red lesions on the skin. Hot spots are another name for acute moist dermatitis because the itching leads to scratching which then causes the skin to ooze and become moist.

Treatment for his hot spots was a topical steroid and sometimes he had to take oral steroids, which made me nervous. Sometimes the vet will recommend Benadryl or an over the counter allergy medication.

Luckily, by the process of elimination, we were able to narrow down what foods Jaxon was allergic to. He is allergic to wheat, beef, and chicken and possibly fillers and additives that are found in cheaper dog foods. He is now on a high-quality lamb and rice pet food with plenty of vitamins and minerals to sustain him.

It was well worth the extra price and I am also very careful about the treats he enjoys. He gets absolutely notable food whatsoever. I know we think we are giving them extra love with table food but one way or another it will come back to haunt you.

For any type of allergy that you may suspect, allergy testing is available especially if you have trouble determining what is causing symptoms.

Hypothyroidism or underactive thyroid, is another very common human disease and can also be found in Shiba Inus. Hypothyroidism is a disease that occurs when your dog’s thyroid cannot produce enough thyroid hormones to regulate the body.

Symptoms are enlarged thyroid, weight gain, loss of fur, weakness, sluggishness, intolerance to cold slow heart rate, and frequent urination. This affects your dog’s metabolism and replacing the thyroid hormone will remedy this.

The synthetic thyroid hormone levothyroxine is usually the drug of choice. Blood testing is necessary on a regular basis because hormones may fluctuate causing an adjustment in doses of medication from time to time.

Patellar luxation is another issue that can plague your Shiba Inu. This problem happens when the kneecap moves in and out of place due to a weak ligament and causes dislocation.

This can be genetic/hereditary or congenital which means it was present from birth and it can later lead to arthritis. Symptoms are pain with walking, although I know dogs can’t tell you when they are in pain, they may seem hesitant to walk, run, or jump.

An x-ray can diagnose this and a patellar luxation is usually graded from one to four. Four is usually the most severe and three and four usually require surgery. Prognosis is usually good. For grades one and three medication to control inflammation and pain are administered, usually being non-steroidal anti-inflammatories.

Other treatments are exercise, vitamins, and supplements. You will be shown certain exercises for your dog to do to help them recover. Vitamins that might be suggested are vitamin E, ascorbic acid, which is a form of vitamin C and B1, and B6.

Some supplements offered may be Omega-3, which are also anti-inflammatories, calcium, zinc, and iron. These can all help your pup to recover and prevent the development of arthritis.

Hip dysplasia is a health issue that usually develops in larger, bigger boned dog breeds. However, it still can occur in Shiba Inus in fact 6% of Shiba Inus develop hip dysplasia.

When a dog grows too quickly, joints may form abnormally while the puppy is still growing and this may lead to hip dysplasia. It occurs between the thigh bone and hip joint when it is displaced.

When the bones become separated they will rub against one another causing pain. The hip joint becomes unstable and leads to the breakdown of the hip. The bones grow faster than the muscle.

Most oftentimes both hips are affected, although sometimes it occurs on only one side. Symptoms are pain and many times a reluctance to climb stairs or jump, and stiffness upon rising. Non-surgical therapy is advised in cases not too severe.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories can be used and are available in both liquid and tablets. Sometimes these may cause gastrointestinal side effects. Always administer with food to prevent stomach upset.

The supplements glucosamine/chondroitin are also an excellent anti-inflammatory. Certain exercises will also be recommended. In other cases the most effective way to treat hip dysplasia is with surgery.

Usually a total hip replacement is necessary and the joint will be replaced with either a plastic or metal implant. Hip function will return and discomfort will be eliminated.

Any dog with hip dysplasia should never be bred. This problem would be passed along to the next generation if breeding takes place.

In dogs, elbow dysplasia usually develops between five and eighteen months. The development in a portion of the bone in the upper foreleg is not normal and fails to connect with the rest of the bone.

The elbow becomes very unstable and becomes malformed, worsening as the dog grows. Exercise is difficult and arthritis can develop in later years. It presents with stiffness after resting or lameness after exercise.

It is quite painful. Fluid may build up in the joint as the disease progresses. Visiting an orthopedic veterinarian can help. Pain management is an option using non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and glucosamine/chondroitin supplements.

Certain exercises can be helpful. Physiotherapy is an excellent help, combining physical therapy, exercises, and massage. If your dog is overweight, losing a few pounds could help. Rest is another option although it’s pretty hard to keep a Shiba Inu still for long!

The last resort would be surgery using a fiberoptic scope. One high note for hip and elbow dysplasia is that by age two if your dog has not been diagnosed with any joint problems, they can be considered free of them. Their skeleton is fully developed by the age of two.

Pyometra only occurs in female dogs and is a uterine infection that can be life-threatening. The word pyometra in Latin means pus-uterus. Its onset is sudden and happens after a female dog is in heat.

After a heat cycle if bacteria crosses through the cervix and enters the uterus an infection will occur. Symptoms are fever and vaginal discharge. An ultrasound is used to diagnose this.

Surgery is the preferred treatment and involves removing the uterus and ovaries. Having your dog spayed is the best way to avoid this. If you have no intention of breeding your Shiba Inu this is the smartest thing you can do.

Sometimes known as idiopathic chylothorax, it is not a very common disease and does not often occur in dogs, being a rare disorder. The symptoms are weakness, wheezing and coughing, difficulty breathing, fatigue and the loss of appetite.

It is caused by an abnormality in the thoracic duct, which causes a build-up of fluid in the chest. Diagnosis can be made with a radiograph. The fluid is called chyle and is a milky color that is removed by inserting a tube into the thorax so it can drain.

This will help your dog to breathe better. Sometimes surgery is needed if the problem can be corrected. The abnormality is usually caused by some sort of obstruction, heart disease, cancer, or a blood clot.

Diabetes is rampant in the human population and it seems to be more common than ever in dogs now also. It may have been there all along or it may be that more pet owners take their faithful friends for check-ups more often than years ago.

Diabetes may also have been caused by the processed foods we and our dogs have eaten.

The pancreas produces insulin to regulate blood sugar in the body and when the pancreas stops producing insulin, diabetes develops. Symptoms of diabetes are thirst, hunger, frequent urination weight gain, or sometimes weight loss.

If you think your Shiba has diabetes, blood testing can be done to determine if this is the case. Usually, during veterinarian visits routine blood testing is performed and blood sugar is most often checked.

If your dog is diagnosed with diabetes they will begin using insulin, with insulin injections twice a day. Insulin should be refrigerated until ready to use. The insulin will be injected into your dog’s neck or back.

Your vet or vet tech will give you proper instructions on how to go about giving your dog an injection. No need to panic. It will probably hurt you more than your dog as they have pretty tough skin!

Diet and exercise are also a wonderful help in regulating blood sugar. Left untreated diabetes can cause a dog to go into a coma and eventually death.

With just the word cancer everyone gets a chill up their spine. Thinking that your dog may have cancer is a horrible thought. With cancer, no breed is exempt.

Again, it seems that more dogs develop cancer than years ago either from all of the toxins we are exposed to every day or because we happen to be finding more cancer with better testing for our animals. The good news for Shiba Inu owners is that it is not widespread for our dog’s breed.

Cancer occurs when a cell mutates, becomes malignant, which means invades normal tissue and begins to grow. Symptoms can be bloating, bleeding, sores that do not heal, difficulty breathing, a lump that does not go away, or swollen lymph nodes.

The most common cancers in dogs are bone cancer, hemangiosarcoma, mast cell tumors, lymphoma, and melanoma. Bone cancer or osteosarcoma is a tumor found in the bone and usually more common in large breed dogs.

Hemangiosarcoma is an extremely malignant type of cancer that quickly spreads as tumors that can be found anywhere in the body. Often, they are found in the dog’s spleen or heart.

Mast cell tumors are a type of skin cancer being closer to the skin surface, sometimes found by the mouth or nose but also can be in the spleen and liver, living in the nerves.

Lymphoma is a cancer of the blood cells. It can be found in the gastrointestinal tract, bone marrow, or lymph nodes. The most common cancer found in dogs is melanoma, and most of the time it is found on a dog’s mouth.

If not treated or caught early, melanoma can be deadly. Some good news though is that most skin tumors in dogs are found to be benign or non-cancerous. Please remember that just as in humans the word cancer is not a death sentence.

Treatments for dogs are similar to humans. Surgery can be performed when necessary. Chemotherapy and radiation are other options and depends on the type of cancer.

There have been many new advances over the years for our pets. They are family and should be treated as such.

Addison’s disease is an adrenal gland disorder that can affect your Shiba Inu. When your adrenal glands are not producing the proper amount of adrenal hormones you have Addison’s disease.

Affected dogs have a low-stress tolerance and appear to be in shock. Extensive laboratory tests are needed to diagnose this disease. It is often caused by an infection of the adrenal glands and sometimes cancer.

Fluid therapy and medication, especially to replace the adrenal hormone are effective treatments.

I know what you are thinking. Dental disease? Yes, it is a among one of your shiba inu health issues. By age two this affects 80% of dogs. This begins with a build-up of tartar on your dog’s teeth, can advance to gum infection, and go straight to the roots.

If we don’t prevent this from happening, damage to the joints, heart, kidneys, and liver can eventually take place. Brushing your dog’s teeth is a good way to start because tartar can build up in as little as 48 hours.

Use a child’s soft-bristled toothbrush with toothpaste made specifically for dogs. It will probably have a meat or poultry taste so don’t mix it up with yours! Try to make it fun.

Use circular motions and always be gentle with no scrubbing. Your Shiba may not be too receptive to this at first but hang in there. The more you do it the easier it will get.

Brush every few days until they are more willing to cooperate. There are also wipes you can get for your Shiba’s teeth. They are premoistened and are an alternative to days you don’t have as much time to brush.

Dental treats are another great option for helping to keep your dog’s teeth clean. The plaque on their teeth can be reduced by 70% using dental treats. The chewing action of these treats scrapes away the plaque.

Your dog is left with pearly whites, no plaque, and an enjoyable dog treat. It’s a win, win situation!

The Shiba Inu health issues that are listed above were not meant to alarm you, but to inform you Hopefully, your dog will never have one health issue on that list.

There are a few ways to be assured that your Shiba stays healthy. They are a high energy dog and require a lot of exercises. Make sure they get their exercise every day by walking, hiking, and playing and it will benefit you and your health as well.

To keep your dog healthy right from a pup, feed them a protein-rich diet of high-quality dog food loaded with vitamins and nutrients. If you aren’t sure what type of food, do a little research or ask your veterinarian what they recommend.

Also, make sure they see their veterinarian for check-ups. This way if something crops up you will be way ahead of the game. You can avoid many issues by keeping your Shiba Inu physically fit and mentally strong.

My last piece of advice would be for anyone who is thinking of welcoming a lovable Shiba Inu or a second Shiba into their home. Please seek out a reputable breeder.

Ask a friend or your veterinarian for some references. Check to make sure your breeder has all breeding dogs screened for hip dysplasia with x-rays being recommended at 24 months.

Ask the breeder if they have been checked for patellar luxation and also make sure their eyes have been examined for any eye conditions mentioned above.

Being certain that your breeder is a reputable one is the best way to avoid problems down the road especially when it comes to your shiba inu health issues.

Hopefully, these tips will keep your Shiba Inu safe, sound, and in their forever home with you by their side for a long time to come.