Golden retrievers are extremely popular family dogs in the United States. They are smart, friendly and excellent with children. Their popularity, however, has resulted in less-than-scrupulous breeding habits. In an effort to make money off of puppies, inexperienced breeders often neglect to perform the recommended health exams prior to breeding dogs, increasing the likelihood that genetic health disorders will be more prevalent in puppies from those litters. Responsible breeding practices and the testing of breeding dogs ensures that your new canine friend will live a long and happy life, free from some of the most common illnesses.
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Hip Dysplasia
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Hip dysplasia---and the resulting osteoarthritis--is an extremely common genetic disease in golden retrievers. Dogs of any age are subject to the disease, but it's more common in middle-aged and older dogs. Hip dysplasia causes abnormal wear to and erosion of the hip joint due to an abnormal hip joint structure and a laxity---or looseness---of the muscles surrounding the joint. As the muscles get looser, the articular joints---those that make contact---eventually lose contact with each other. Dysplasia may affect one or both hips. It causes dogs to run or walk with an altered gait, and affected dogs may resist painful movements altogether due to stiffness and pain, especially any movement that demands full extension of the hind legs. Drug treatment is available that can relieve stiffness and pain and help return a dog's normal, comfortable gait. Without treatment, dogs lose muscle tone to the point where they may need help getting up. According to PetEducation.com, activities that strengthen the legs and gluteal muscles---such as running and swimming--are recommended, but activities that stress the joints, such as jumping or Frisbee-catching should be avoided. Make sure that a puppy's parents have been certified for good hips by the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA).
Hyperthyroidism
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Hormones from the thyroid gland affect a dog's metabolism and his body temperature, among other functions. Hyperthyroidism is a disease of the endocrine system and is much more common in golden retrievers that other breeds, according to the Golden Retriever Club of America. Symptoms of the disease are often subtle: Dogs may experience weight gain, and their coat may lose its luster and become limp and brittle. In golden retrievers, especially, the "tail feathers" thin, causing it to look more like a rat's tail. The skin accumulates fluid, which thickens it, and dogs become less active, sometimes less social, and often show high blood cholesterol concentrations in blood tests. The disease is easily treated as long as secondary conditions do not develop.
Cancer
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Cancer is the leading cause of death among golden retrievers, and according to the Golden Retriever Club of America, 60 percent of golden retrievers will die from the disease. The average lifespan of dogs that die of cancer, however, is still 10.3 years. The most common tumors among golden retrievers are hermangiosarcoma (HSA), which is cancer of the cells that line the blood vessels. Because blood vessels occur throughout the body, so does this cancer, although tumors of the spleen are the most common. Otherwise, they occur in the lungs, heart, brain and skin. Skin tumors are called cutaneous HSA, and tumors of the deep tissues and organs are called visceral HSA. Blood clotting is often discovered at the time of diagnosis. A dark or purple area that looks like a rash may occur on the abdomen, or a dark red mass appears under the skin. There are no life-saving treatments for cancer, and even with chemotherapy life expectancy is only about five months.
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