This article originally appeared on Dr. Mahaney’s Pet-Lebrity News column on Pet360.com as Lauren Conrad’s Rescued German Shepherd Puppy and Potential Health Problems.
Congratulations to the MTV “dramality” star and fashion mogul Lauren Conrad for adopting a new puppy into her home.
For those of you not familiar with Conrad, she was one of the stars of MTV’s popular, young adult drama Laguna Beach and its spinoff, The Hills. Since then, Conrad has gone on to launch a eponymous women’s fashion line, LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl’s, and runs a lifestyle website atlaurenconrad.com.
As I was never a fan of the shows and don’t spend much time perusing women’s clothing, my main glimpses of Conrad came while watching the entertaining and often hilarious segments of The Hills featured on programs like E!’s The Soup.
Yet, anything pet related certainly blips on my radar, so I was intrigued to see the announcement of Conrad and her new puppy. Conrad reportedly rescued a new pooch that either is a pure bredGerman Shepherd Dog or a mixed breed showing characteristics of a German Shepherd Dog.
Conrad featured a cute photo on her Instagram page with the caption “Newest member of the Conrad clan stole me heart.” The dog has a long muzzle, deep brown eyes, erect ears, and black and brown colored fur.
Conrad speaks of having a clan of canines and her Instagram features other cuddly pooches including:
A blonde Chihuahua or Chihuahua mix) having pointy ears and there’s also a larger, blonde, mixed-breed dog appearing to have some Labrador Retriever and possibly German Shepherd and a red-blond pooch looking like Chihuahua terrier mix with floppy ears that is identified as Fritz in some photos.
Hopefully, the puppy has been healthy so far, but the German Shepherd dog is a breed well- known to have a variety of mild to severe ailments potentially arising during puppy hood or later in life.
Some of the more common health issues in this breed which I treated in my veterinary practice include:
Hip Dysplasia- Hip Dysplasia is one of the primary joint abnormalities affecting our canine companions and has roots in a dogs’ genetics, environment, lifestyle, and other factors. From an anatomic perspective, hip dysplasia occurs when the head of the femur doesn’t fit properly into the socket to form a healthy hip joint. Day-to-day wear and tear or trauma from activity or carrying excessive weight creates joint inflammation (arthritis). Over time joint surfaces become irregular and create a painful condition that limits range of motion and negatively affects quality of life called degenerative joint disease (DJD).
Gastric Dilatation Volvulus (GDV, “bloat”)- Often considered the “mother of all canine emergencies,” GDV occurs when the stomach flips on its axis to create an intake and outflow obstruction for food and liquids at the level of the stomach. This torsion (volvulus) also constricts the vessels allowing blood to flow from the head to tail and vice versa. Clinical signs have a rapid onset and include retching to vomit (and only producing white foam), restlessness, distention of the stomach beyond the boundaries of the rib cage (dilatation), panting, vocalizing, problems rising or lying down, and more. Any suspicion that a dog has GDV merits an emergency trip to the veterinary hospital for evaluation and treatment.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)- Inflammatory bowel disease occurs as an immune system-related response to protein, carbohydrates, other food ingredients, or gut bacteria that creates inflammation inside the digestive tract. Dogs suffering from IBD may exhibit decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, or other digestive ailments. Collectively, IBD affects a dog’s ability to absorb nutrients and leads to a thin body condition, poor skin and coat, and general unhealthy appearance.
Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)- Degenerative Myelopathy affects the spinal cord and inhibits normal nerve impulse conduction to the muscles. Muscles gradually atrophy (wither) and a dog is less able to hold himself up to stand, walk, and eliminate waste. The back and hind limbs are more commonly affected than the front body, so the affected dog relies upon the front limbs more while the hind limbs lose function and ultimately may be dragged behind.
Cancer- German Shepherd Dogs are prone to a variety of cancers, including those affecting the bone (osteosarcoma), cartilage (chondrosarcoma), blood vessels (hemangiosarcoma), white blood cells (lymphosarcoma), and others. There is no one single known reason why cancer occurs in any species, yet genetics and environmental factors commonly play roles.
Hopefully, by pursuing regular examinations with a veterinarian, having diagnostic testing (blood, urine, fecal, and other tests) performed, feeding a whole food-based diet, and following a conservative vaccination strategy, Conrad’s puppy will develop into a healthy adult leading a great quality of life.
Have you had a pet with similar health problems?
Copyright of this article (2014) is owned by Dr Patrick Mahaney, Veterinarian and Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist. Republishing any portion of this article must first be authorized by Dr Patrick Mahaney. Requests for republishing must be approved by Dr Patrick Mahaney and received in written format.
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