Neurological Diseases in Newfoundland Dogs

The Newfoundland is a large breed of dog that tends to be gentle, calm, intelligent, and protective. These characteristics make the Newfoundland a good match for a household with children. Regarding health, the Newfoundland mostly suffers from physical disabilities resulting from their large size. Arthritis and hip dysplasia are not uncommon. Neurological diseases in Newfoundland dogs are not particularly common, but the breed can still fall victim to some of the more common neurological diseases found in dogs.

  1. Syncope

    • Syncope is a disease that causes sudden loss of consciousness or dizziness. The cause of this disease is a lack of blood to the brain. The inability of the body to adequately circulate blood to the brain can be rooted in several other health problems, but in Newfoundlands is most likely a result of heart disease caused by a congenital heart defect in which the aortic valve is malformed. If your Newfoundland suffers from Syncope and loses consciousness, the best thing to do is to lay the dog on its stomach and elevate the hind legs to improve blood flow to the brain. Also use a blanket to preserve the dog's body heat. A veterinarian should be contacted upon the first instance of unconsciousness.

    Myasthenia Gravis

    • Myasthenia gravis affects the way nerves transmit information to muscles in the body. The neuromuscular junctions, one of the main components of sending signals from the brain to the muscles, are attacked by the dog's own immune system. The disease affects the striated muscle group (e.g., the muscles used for voluntary movement by the body such as walking). The part of the body disabled by this condition will completely depend on what neuromuscular junctions are damaged. Typical signs of the disease include weakness in one side of the body, fatigue, and weakness in facial muscles.

    Degenerative Myelopathy

    • The cause of degenerative myelopathy is not known. What is known is that the disease affects the spinal cord of the dog and creates weakness in the hind legs. Complete paralysis eventually occurs. The first signs of this disease are difficulty getting up and walking on smooth surfaces. Eventually the dog will drag its hind legs while walking, causing the nails to wear. The disease takes a period of five months to one year to fully progress and is not usually seen in dogs under five years old. The disease can only be managed, since there is no cure.