Kuvasz Puppies Blog

Kuvasz is a robust breed of dogs that originated from Hungary. Despite their large structure built for guarding livestock, they still possess health issues that should not be overlooked. Here are some common health problems that Kuvasz may encounter:

Hip Dysplasia

• Description: This bone structure deformity is caused by heredity and environment. It occurs when the head of the thigh bone fits poorly to the hip socket and produces improper rotation. The problem begins during the puppy stage when the hip joint forms abnormally. Environmental factors would be lack of exercise and unmanaged weight.
• Symptoms: Kuvasz will encounter hind leg limping and laming. Noticeable changes would be hopping like a rabbit, difficulty in walking or hesitation to climb stairs. This is because of great pain caused by the grinding of the bones in the hind quarters and progressively causes arthritis.

Osteochondritis Dissecans

• Description: This disorder is a common deformity encountered by Kuvasz because of their rapid growth. It starts as an abnormality in the transformation of the cartilage to a bone and then breaks off into the joining space.
• Symptoms: The broken pieces of bone cause pain, lameness, and swelling in the areas affected by this condition (ie. shoulder, elbow, knee, and ankle). In time, this could lead to arthritis.

Gastric Dilation/Torsion

• Description: Sometimes referred to as bloat, is a condition where the stomach enlarges due to accumulation of gas and is common to deep-chested dogs. After enlarging, the stomach may twist and rotate causing torsion that prevents the release of gas through belching. Bloat is considered as an emergency and is fatal to a Kuvasz.
• Symptoms: Noticeable effects of this would be excessive drooling, attempt to vomit, heavy breathing and gagging. It could also be observed that the stomach area is inflated although it is not recommended to touch it. Extreme cases would result to shock or collapse.