Dog Diseases Database
Every hereditary and common canine condition — with tests, affected body regions, and the breeds where each shows up most.
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- SevereEyesAutosomal dominant
Retinal atrophy - Rod-cone dysplasia, CRX related(CRX-RCD)
This is an inherited eye disease in cats where the photoreceptor cells (rods and cones) in the retina degenerate prematurely. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, and this degeneration leads to a progressive and permanent loss of vision.
View details - SevereEyesAutosomal recessive
Retinal atrophy, cone-rod dystrophy, SPATA7-related(CRD)
This is an inherited eye disease in Standard Poodles caused by a genetic deletion in the SPATA7 gene, which leads to the progressive breakdown of the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye, and this condition specifically damages both the cone cells, which handle daylight and color vision, and the rod cells, which handle night vision. As these photoreceptor cells degenerate, the dog's ability to see is permanently lost.
View details - HighEyesAutosomal recessive
Retinal degeneration II(RD II)
Retinal degeneration II is an inherited eye disorder where the light-sensitive cells in the retina, which is the layer at the back of the eye that processes images, gradually break down and die. This progressive deterioration prevents the eye from properly transmitting visual information to the brain, eventually resulting in irreversible blindness. Because there are currently no commercial genetic tests for this condition in dogs, it must be diagnosed through clinical eye examinations.
View details - HighEyesComplex
Retinal detachment(RD)
Retinal detachment is a severe eye condition where the retina, the light-sensitive tissue layer at the back of the eye, separates from its underlying supportive tissue. This separation cuts off the retina's oxygen supply, which can quickly lead to permanent blindness in the affected eye. Specialized ECVO-DOK eye examinations can help identify predisposing lesions, such as retinal dysplasia, before detachment occurs.
View details - HighEyesAutosomal recessive
Retinal dysplasia and persistent primary vitreous(RD/PPV)
This is a congenital eye condition where the retina, which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye, does not develop properly. At the same time, embryonic blood vessels in the vitreous, the clear gel filling the eye, fail to disappear before birth as they normally should. This combination of developmental errors leads to permanent structural malformations inside the eye.
View details - HighEyesX-linked
Retinal dysplasia, NDP-related
This is an inherited eye disorder where the retina—the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye—fails to develop properly due to a genetic mutation in the NDP gene. This malformation can lead to early detachment of the retina from the underlying tissue, which severely disrupts how visual signals are sent to the brain. Because the condition is X-linked, it primarily affects male dogs.
View details - HighEyesX-linked
Retinoschisis(XLRS)
Retinoschisis is an inherited eye disease where the layers of the retina—the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye—split apart. This splitting disrupts how visual signals are sent to the brain, leading to vision loss. The condition is diagnosed by a veterinary ophthalmologist using specialized eye exams, such as fundoscopy, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and electroretinography (ERG).
View details - SevereGeneral / metabolicComplex
Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)
Rheumatoid arthritis is a severe, chronic disease where a dog's immune system mistakenly attacks the tissues within its own joints, leading to progressive joint destruction. This immune-mediated process causes painful inflammation and damage to the cartilage and bone of multiple joints throughout the skeletal system.
View details - HighEyesAutosomal recessive
Rod dysplasia(rd)
Rod dysplasia is an inherited eye disorder where the light-sensitive cells in the retina, specifically the rods responsible for low-light vision, fail to develop properly. This maldevelopment leads to a progressive degeneration of the tissue, eventually causing complete blindness. While historically found in Norwegian Elkhounds, the disease is now considered effectively eradicated, though clinical eye exams can still screen for it.
View details - SevereGeneral / metabolicComplex
Sacral agenesis
Sacral agenesis is a congenital skeletal defect where the sacrum, which is the bone connecting the spine to the pelvis, and nearby vertebrae fail to develop properly or are completely missing. This malformation destabilizes the pelvis and can compress or damage the nerves in the lower spinal cord. Consequently, the nervous and musculoskeletal systems in the lower body are severely impacted.
View details - SevereHead / nervous systemAutosomal recessive
SACS-related spastic ataxia(ARSACS)
This inherited neurological condition, also known as ARSACS, is caused by a genetic mutation that leads to progressive damage in the cerebellum and spinal cord. The cerebellum is the part of the brain responsible for coordinating movement, and its deterioration disrupts communication between the brain and the muscles. This results in a gradual loss of voluntary muscle control and coordination.
View details - HighHead / nervous systemUnknown
Schwannomatosis
Schwannomatosis is a rare nervous system disorder where multiple non-cancerous tumors, called schwannomas, grow on the protective sheaths surrounding the nerves. These growths put pressure on the nerve pathways, which disrupts normal communication between the brain and the body. This canine condition was formally described in a 2025 case report and resembles the hereditary syndrome found in humans.
View details - SevereHead / nervous systemAutosomal recessive
SCN8A-related spinocerebellar ataxia(SCA)
This is an inherited neurological disorder affecting the brain and nervous system, caused by a genetic mutation that disrupts electrical signaling. This disruption leads to progressive damage in the cerebellum, which is the part of the brain responsible for coordinating voluntary movements. Without proper cerebellar function, a dog cannot control its balance or limb placement.
Tested via: DNA testView details - HighGeneral / metabolicComplex
Scoliosis
Scoliosis is an abnormal sideways curvature of the spine, which is part of the dog's skeletal system. It is usually caused by congenital malformations, meaning the individual bones of the spine, called vertebrae, fail to develop normally before birth. This structural misalignment can put pressure on the spinal cord, leading to nerve issues.
View details - ModerateGeneral / metabolicAutosomal recessive
Screw tail
Rutenkrümmung, commonly known as screw tail, is a congenital malformation of the tail bones, or caudal vertebrae, which causes them to develop in a twisted or spiral shape. This skeletal abnormality primarily affects short-nosed dog breeds and results in deep, poorly ventilated skin folds at the base of the tail. These tight folds easily trap moisture and debris, leading to localized skin inflammation.
View details - HighGeneral / metabolicComplex
Scrotal hernia
A scrotal hernia occurs due to an anatomical weakness in the groin area of male dogs. This defect allows abdominal organs, such as loops of the intestine, to slip through the inguinal canal, which is the natural passage connecting the abdomen to the scrotum. It is a structural issue that affects both the digestive and reproductive systems.
View details - MildHeartUnknown
Segmental aplasia of the Wolffian duct
This is a congenital birth defect of the male reproductive system where parts of the epididymis or vas deferens—the tubes that store and transport sperm—fail to develop. These structures normally form from an embryonic tissue called the Wolffian duct, and their partial absence prevents sperm from traveling normally. This structural gap typically leads to fertility issues in affected male dogs.
View details - HighHead / nervous systemComplex
Sensory Ataxic Neuropathy(SAN)
This is an inherited nervous system disorder caused by a defect in the mitochondria, which are the energy-producing parts of cells. This defect leads to progressive damage of the sensory nerves, meaning the dog's brain cannot properly process where its limbs are positioned in space.
Tested via: DNA testView details - SevereHead / nervous systemAutosomal recessive
SETX-related ataxia
This is an inherited neurological disorder affecting the nervous system, caused by a genetic mutation in the SETX gene. This defect leads to the progressive breakdown of nerve cells that are responsible for controlling and coordinating voluntary movements. As these cells degenerate, the brain loses its ability to properly communicate with the muscles.
View details - SevereGeneral / metabolicAutosomal recessive
Severe combined immunodeficiency disease, autosomal, T cell-negative, B cell-negative, NK cell-positive(SCID)
This is a severe, inherited disorder of the immune system where the body fails to produce functional T and B white blood cells, which are crucial for fighting infections. While natural killer (NK) cells—another type of immune cell—are still present, they are not enough to protect the body. This leaves affected puppies completely vulnerable to even minor viruses, bacteria, and fungi.
View details - HighSpineUnknown
Short spine syndrome
Short spine syndrome is a severe, congenital malformation of the skeletal system where the bones of the spine, called vertebrae, are severely shortened and fused together. This fusion prevents the spine from growing to its normal length, while the limbs develop normally. The condition permanently affects the structural alignment of the dog's back and neck.
View details - HighGeneral / metabolicComplex
Shoulder luxation
Shoulder luxation is a skeletal condition where the upper arm bone, called the humerus, slips out of its normal position in the shoulder joint socket. This displacement can be congenital, meaning the dog is born with a malformed joint, or it can occur due to physical injury. Veterinarians typically use shoulder X-rays to confirm the dislocation and determine which direction the bone has shifted.
View details - HighEyesAutosomal recessive
SIX6-related eye malformation
This is a congenital eye malformation caused by a genetic mutation in the SIX6 gene, which is crucial for normal eye development. The defect disrupts how the eye structures form in the womb, often resulting in microphthalmia, which means the eyeballs are abnormally small, or eyes that are incompletely developed. It is inherited in an autosomal-dominant manner, meaning a dog only needs to inherit one copy of the mutated gene to be affected.
View details - ModerateGeneral / metabolicComplex
Sjogren syndrome
Sjögren's syndrome is a rare autoimmune disorder where the dog's immune system mistakenly attacks its own moisture-producing glands, specifically the tear and salivary glands. This targeted attack causes chronic inflammation and destruction of the glandular tissue, leading to a severe lack of tears and saliva. Veterinarians often use a diagnostic tool called the Schirmer Tear Test (STT) to measure this tear deficiency and confirm the diagnosis.
View details - ModerateGeneral / metabolicAutosomal recessive
Skeletal dysplasia 3, PCYT1A-related(SD3)
Skeletal dysplasia 3 (SD3) is an inherited genetic disorder of the skeletal system caused by a mutation in the PCYT1A gene. This mutation impairs the normal longitudinal growth of the limb bones, resulting in disproportionate dwarfism, a condition where the legs are abnormally short compared to the rest of the body.
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