The Bullmastiff is a generally healthy breed, however, here is a description of the most common health problems.
Panosteitis or "Pano" is a problem in all large and giant breeds. It is an inflamation of the growing ends of the long bones of the dogs legs. It is usually found in Bullmastiffs between about 5 months-old and 2 years-old, that is, during the period of most rapid growth.
"Pano" is painful, but usually not permanently debilitating. Often you first clue that your dog may have "Pano" is stiffness or limping upon first rising in the morning or after exercise.
"Pano" is exacerbated by:
1. Too much exercise. Most puppies get enough exercise just running around being puppies and in their obedience training. It is unwise to take puppies on long walks as their joints and feet are not up to it yet. Never take a Bullmastiff of any age jogging or biking. If you want to go jogging or biking with a dog, you should be getting a sighthound breed.
2. Jumping. Whether jumping up onto thing or off of things, jumping is generally bad for a Bullmastiff. Never encourage them to jump for treats. Do not teach them jumping tricks, such as the Tire Jump, until they are at least 18 months-old. I don't let my dogs jump off of the car seat. They learn to enter and exit the car by way of the car floor. Stairs should be avoided with young puppies. Also, consider what the dogs are landing on. Soft grass is a better landing area than gravel or concrete.
3. Over-nutrition. The temptation with a new puppy is to feed it the "very best". However, the very best for a Bullmastiff is not the food with the highest protein content. Bullmastiff puppies should be fed a dry dog food specially formulated for Large Breed Puppies. These formulae have protein and fat levels appropriate for Bullmastiffs and contain all the vitamins and trace minerals that puppies require. Higher levels of protein and fat encourage faster growth and faster growth makes "Pano" more likely and it's effects worse. At about 4-6 months of age, you should switch your puppy to a large-breed adult dog food.
If you suspect your puppy has "Pano", a trip to the vet is required. Palpation by an expert can determine if your puppy's symptoms are "Pano" or something else. Sometimes X-rays are necessary.
Usual treatment for "Pano" is to reduce protein and calorie intake, and to force a reduced level of activity by kenneling or crating the puppy. Sometimes anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Ascriptin, are used.
Gastric Torsion. also known as Bloat, is another condition usually reserved for the large and giant breeds. Large-chested breeds have a greater chance of developing Bloat than do slender breeds. Dogs most likely to Bloat are large-chested breed males over about 2 years-old, because they have the biggest chests.
What happens in Bloat is that the stomach twists such that the entrance and exit of the stomach are pinched closed. Then, as the contents of the stomach digest, the stomach swells, filling space needed for the inflation of the lungs. Soon there in not enough space for adequate respiration and the dog dies.
Symptoms of Bloat include labored breathing, pain upon movement or when the abdomen is touched, and pale gums (due to lack of oxygenated blood). If your dog displays any of these symptoms, you must go to the vet immediately. Bloat is a medical emergency. Your dog could be dead within the hour.
The possibility of Bloat is increased by:
1. Large meals. Always feed you Bullmastiff twice a day. Feed half his/her daily allotment in the morning and the other half in the evening. Smaller meals mean that there is less food in his/her stomach to swell up and cause a problem.
2. It used to be thought that dry meals followed by a large water intake would increase the chances for a dog to bloat. Current research shows that restricting a dogs water intake either before or after a meal actually raises the incidences of bloat.
3. Moistening your dogs kibble before feeding it to them. I used to recommend this too. However, current studies show that this actually raises the occurrences of bloat. Feed dry kibble. Also, adding a little canned dog food or wholesome human table scraps to your dogs meal is a good practice.
4. Exercise after meals. Don't take your Bullmastiff out for a romp right after his/her meal. Wait an hour or two.
5. Heredity. There is an inheritable component to Bloat. Dog with ancestors who have bloated are at greater risk of bloating than those dogs who have no Bloat in their pedigrees. To my knowledge, there is no Bloat in the pedigrees of any of my dogs.
You can read more about current research on bloat in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association vol. 17 #10.
Entropion is a condition in which one or more of the dogs eyelids turns in slightly causing the eyelashes to rub against the eye. This is uncomfortable and can cause a scratched cornea which is a serious problem. Also, even a slight entropion condition itches. This causes the dog to scratch at his/her eye. This in turn causes the eyelids and surrounding tissues to swell which causes the entropion to get worse and itch more. It's a vicious cycle.
Bullmastiffs are particularly subject to entropion because of the shape of their eye openings. The bends in both the top and bottom lids encourage the lashes to turn in against the eye.
Fortunately, entropion is easily correctable. Many Bullmastiffs exhibit symptoms of entropion in puppyhood but outgrow the condition by the time they are 18 months of age. If your Bullmastiff has entropion, your veterinarian will probably prescribe an ointment to make the dogs eye feel better and break the itch/scratch cycle. If your Bullmastiff does not out grow the entropion, surgery may be required. Don't worry. Entropion surgery is minor and almost universally successful. I absolutely recommend that you have a veterinary eye specialist do the surgery. If needed, ASK ME and I will put you in touch with a very good veterinary eye specialist.
Hypothyroidism, also known as low thyroid, is possible in Bullmastiffs and can cause a variety of symptoms. Often the first signs an owner notices are: sluggishness and weight gain. Sometimes these are accompanied by patchy hair loss and/or aggressiveness. Internal effects can be ocular changes, reduced fertility and heart abnormalities. Hypothyroidism is serious and important to treat.
The good news is that hypothyroidism can be detected through a blood test and is easily and inexpensively treatable. If your Bullmastiff has hypothyroidism, you vet will probably prescribe a thyroid supplement pill. With the proper doses of thyroid supplement, the hypothyroid Bullmastiff will be just fine.
Dysplasia is malformation of a joint. This malformation may cause weakness of the joint, over-laxity of the joint and pain. Some dogs with severe dysplasia may need a joint removed or replaced and some may have to be euthanized. However, some dogs with dysplasia do not have any symptoms. They can move well and don't exhibit any hint of pain. Also, just because a dog has wonderful, dysplasia-free hips and elbows, that doesn't mean that he/she moves well. Even dogs with excellent joints can move like a sack of bricks.
Dysplasia shows up in all breeds, sizes and mixes of dogs. There's no such thing as 'hybrid vigor' where dysplasia is concerned. When two dogs carrying a tendency to dysplasia mate, it doesn't matter what breeds they are. Mutts can be severely dysplastic. So can smallish dogs.
That being said, it is best to do all that you can to avoid dysplasia. Dysplastic dogs CAN be asymptomatic and move well, but that's not the way to bet. Many more dysplastic dogs have troubles than non-dysplastic dogs. Dysplastic dogs that were asymptomatic in their youths may exhibit joint troubles as they age.
Hip dysplasia and elbow dysplasia are poly-genic traits. The best approach is to acquire your Bullmastiff from a breeder who OFA or Penn-Hip certifies his/her breeding stock. However, environmental conditions can effect the expression of dysplasia. A dog who may have slight, asymptomatic dysplasia may be made much worse by being allowed to jump exuberantly on concrete. Jumping (up or down), forced exercise or corporal punishment can exacerbate latent hip or elbow dysplasia.
If you suspect dysplasia, contact your vet for x-rays to confirm that dysplasia is the problem. Your vet can give you direction in treating a dysplastic dog. If you suspect dysplasia, ASK ME, and I will assist you.