Dog Diseases Database
Every hereditary and common canine condition — with tests, affected body regions, and the breeds where each shows up most.
Filters
- SevereHeartAutosomal recessive
Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency(PK)
Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency is an inherited metabolic disorder affecting red blood cells, which lack a vital enzyme needed to produce energy. Without this enzyme, the red blood cells break down prematurely, leading to a severe shortage of oxygen-carrying cells, a condition known as chronic anemia. Over time, this constant cell destruction can cause secondary damage to organs like the liver and bone marrow.
Affects 8 breedsView details - SevereHead / nervous systemAutosomal recessive
Spinocerebellar Ataxia(SCA)
Spinocerebellar ataxia is an inherited neurological disorder affecting the dog's nervous system, specifically the spinal cord and the cerebellum, which is the brain region responsible for coordinating movement. Over time, the nerve cells in these areas degenerate and fail to communicate properly. This results in a progressive loss of control over bodily movements.
Affects 8 breedsView details - MildGeneral / metabolicComplex
Tail abnormalities
Tail abnormalities (Rutenanomalien) are congenital malformations affecting the skeletal system, specifically the tail bones (caudal vertebrae). They occur during embryonic development in the womb when the individual vertebrae do not form properly, leading to fused, misshapen, or shortened bones. This is a structural issue of the spine's tail section and is typically inherited in a complex manner.
Affects 8 breedsView details - HighGeneral / metabolicUnknown
Bleeding disorder
A bleeding disorder is a malfunction of the circulatory system where the blood cannot clot properly due to missing or defective clotting factors or platelets, which are the cells responsible for plugging damaged blood vessels. This impairment prevents the body from effectively sealing wounds, leading to prolonged internal or external bleeding.
Affects 7 breedsTested via: DNA testView details - MildSkin & coatAutosomal recessive
D-Locus (d1)(D-Lokus)
The D-Locus (d1 variant) affects the MLPH gene, which controls how pigment is distributed within a dog's hair shafts. When a dog inherits two copies of this variant, their coat color is diluted, turning black to blue-grey or brown to lilac. In some dogs, this altered pigment distribution weakens the hair shafts, which can lead to a skin and coat condition called Color Dilution Alopecia.
Affects 7 breedsTested via: DNA testView details - HighSkin & coatComplex
Dermoid sinus(DS)
A dermoid sinus is a congenital skin defect where a tube-like channel fails to close properly during embryonic development, extending from the skin's surface down into deeper tissues or even the spinal cord. This condition primarily affects the skin and nervous system along the midline of the neck and back. While genetic risk tests exist to screen for the underlying ridge gene duplication, a physical examination by a veterinarian, known as clinical palpation, remains the gold standard for diagnosing an actual sinus.
Affects 7 breedsView details - SevereGeneral / metabolicX-linked
Duchenne muscular dystrophy(DMD)
This is a severe, inherited muscle disorder caused by a lack of dystrophin, which is a crucial protein that helps keep muscle cells intact. Without this protein, both the skeletal muscles used for movement and the cardiac muscle of the heart progressively weaken and break down.
Affects 7 breedsTested via: DNA testView details - HighGeneral / metabolicComplex
Ectopic ureter(EU)
An ectopic ureter is a birth defect affecting the urinary system where the tubes that carry urine from the kidneys to the bladder, known as ureters, bypass the bladder and connect to the wrong location. This abnormal connection, which often ends in the urethra or vagina, prevents the bladder from properly holding urine.
Affects 7 breedsTested via: Cardiac examView details - SevereGeneral / metabolicComplex
Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA)(IMHA)
Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is a severe condition where the dog's immune system mistakenly identifies its own red blood cells as foreign threats and destroys them. Because red blood cells are responsible for carrying oxygen, this destruction leads to a critical oxygen shortage throughout the body's organs. This disease primarily impacts the immune and circulatory systems.
Affects 7 breedsView details - SevereGeneral / metabolicAutosomal dominant
Malignant Hyperthermia(MH)
Malignant hyperthermia, also known as Narkoseüberempfindlichkeit, is an inherited skeletal muscle disorder caused by a genetic mutation in the RYR1 gene. This mutation disrupts how calcium is regulated within the muscle cells, causing them to contract uncontrollably when triggered. These intense spasms generate a rapid, life-threatening rise in body temperature, typically brought on by specific anesthetic gases or extreme physical stress.
Affects 7 breedsTested via: DNA testView details - SevereGeneral / metabolicComplex
Megaesophagus(ME)
Megaesophagus is a disorder of the digestive system where the esophagus, the muscular tube connecting the throat to the stomach, becomes abnormally stretched and loses its muscle tone. Because these muscles can no longer contract to push food and liquid downward, meals become trapped in the tube. This trapped material is typically regurgitated, meaning it is passively cast back up before ever reaching the stomach.
Affects 7 breedsTested via: RadiographView details - SevereHead / nervous systemAutosomal recessive
Acral Mutilation Syndrome(AMS)
Acral Mutilation Syndrome is an inherited neurological disorder that affects the sensory nerves responsible for transmitting pain signals from the limbs to the brain. Because of this genetic defect, affected dogs cannot feel pain in their paws and lower legs. This lack of sensation leads to a loss of protective reflexes in these areas.
Affects 6 breedsTested via: DNA testView details - SevereHeartAutosomal recessive
Canine cyclic hematopoiesis(GCS)
This is an inherited bone marrow disorder where the body's production of blood cells, particularly infection-fighting white blood cells, drops drastically at regular intervals. This cyclic drop temporarily leaves the dog's immune system highly vulnerable to infections. The condition is caused by a genetic mutation affecting how stem cells in the bone marrow mature.
Affects 6 breedsTested via: DNA testView details - HighGeneral / metabolicComplex
Complex vertebral malformation(CVM)
Complex vertebral malformation is a congenital condition where the bones of the spine, known as vertebrae, do not develop properly during fetal growth, sometimes resulting in abnormally shaped bones like "butterfly vertebrae." This structural defect affects the skeletal system and can put pressure on the spinal cord, which is the main nerve pathway running down the back.
Affects 6 breedsTested via: RadiographView details - HighGeneral / metabolicComplex
Congenital malformations
Congenital malformations are structural defects in a dog's body or internal organs that develop before birth during embryonic development. These abnormalities can affect various organ systems, including the skeleton, nervous system, or heart, due to complex genetic and environmental factors. Because this is a broad category of developmental errors, the exact impact depends on which specific body parts failed to form correctly.
Affects 6 breedsView details - ModerateSkin & coatComplex
Dermoids
A dermoid is a benign, congenital growth where normal skin tissue, which can include hair follicles and glands, mistakenly develops in abnormal locations on the eye. This typically affects the cornea, which is the clear outer surface of the eye, or the conjunctiva, the pink membrane lining the eyelids. Because this misplaced skin tissue often grows hair, it causes constant irritation to the eye's surface.
Affects 6 breedsView details - ModerateGeneral / metabolicAutosomal recessive
Disorders of sexual development - sex reversal(DSD)
This is a congenital condition affecting the reproductive system where a dog's genetic sex (their chromosomes) does not match their physical gonads (internal reproductive organs like ovaries or testes) or external genitalia. This mismatch occurs during early development in the womb. Because it is inherited in an autosomal recessive pattern, a puppy must inherit the mutated gene from both parents to be affected.
Affects 6 breedsTested via: DNA testView details - MildSkin & coatUnknown
Histiocytoma
A histiocytoma is a non-cancerous (benign) skin growth that originates from Langerhans cells, which are part of the dog's immune system. These cells normally help protect the skin, but they can sometimes overgrow to form a small, harmless lump. In the vast majority of cases, these tumors are completely benign and will shrink and disappear on their own.
Affects 6 breedsView details - SevereGeneral / metabolicComplex
Laryngeal Paralysis(LP)
Laryngeal paralysis is a respiratory disorder where the nerves controlling the muscles of the larynx, or voice box, fail to function properly. This failure prevents the vocal folds from opening when the dog inhales, which severely restricts airflow into the windpipe and lungs. Over time, this lack of proper movement can lead to significant breathing difficulties.
Affects 6 breedsTested via: Radiograph, DNA testView details - SevereSpineAutosomal recessive
Leukoencephalomyelopathy (LEMP)(LEMP)
Leukoencephalomyelopathy (LEMP) is an inherited neurological disease that affects the brain and spinal cord. It causes the progressive breakdown of myelin, which is the protective coating around nerve fibers that helps transmit signals. Without this coating, the dog's central nervous system cannot properly send messages to the rest of the body.
Affects 6 breedsTested via: DNA testView details - HighSkin & coatComplex
Pemphigus(PF)
Pemphigus is a group of serious autoimmune skin diseases, including a severe deep form called pemphigus vulgaris, where the dog's immune system mistakenly attacks the proteins holding skin cells together. This attack disrupts the skin's outer layers, causing the cells to separate from one another. As a result, painful blisters, open sores, and crusts develop across the skin and mucous membranes.
Affects 6 breedsView details - ModerateHeartAutosomal recessive
Platelet dysfunction (thrombocytopathia, Basset hound thrombopathia)(BHT)
This is an inherited blood clotting disorder caused by a genetic mutation in the RASGRP2 gene, which affects how platelets (the blood cells responsible for stopping bleeding) function. Even though the dog has a normal number of platelets, these cells cannot clump together properly to form clots. This impairs the circulatory system's ability to heal wounds and control bleeding.
Affects 6 breedsView details - HighEyesAutosomal recessive
Progressive Retinal Atrophy, rod-cone dysplasia 4(PRA-rcd4)
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (rcd4) is an inherited eye disease that causes the gradual degeneration of the retina, which is the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye. Over time, the specialized photoreceptor cells responsible for detecting light and color slowly die off. This progressive loss of cells eventually leads to complete blindness in both eyes.
Affects 6 breedsView details - ModerateHead / nervous systemUnknown
Shaker dog syndrome(GTS)
Shaker dog syndrome is an inflammatory condition affecting the cerebellum, which is the part of the brain responsible for coordinating voluntary muscle movements. This inflammation, believed to be an immune-mediated response where the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own nervous tissue, leads to uncontrollable full-body tremors. The exact underlying cause of this brain inflammation remains unknown.
Affects 6 breedsView details - ModerateSkin & coatComplex
Zinc-responsive dermatosis(ZRD)
Zinc-responsive dermatosis is a skin disorder where a dog's body cannot properly absorb or use zinc from their food, even when eating a balanced diet. This nutritional deficiency weakens the skin's protective barrier, leading to irritation and abnormal skin cell development. Because there are no genetic tests for this condition, veterinarians diagnose it using breed history, skin biopsies, and how well the dog responds to zinc therapy.
Affects 6 breedsView details
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