German Shepherd: inherited diseases and health
The inherited conditions below have been documented in this breed in published research. That does not mean your dog has them or will get them β but it helps to know the names when you talk to a breeder or a vet.
Conditions this breed is prone to
Veterinary charities list this breed as more likely than others to get these conditions. Read the signs and what to do:
Arthritis
LymphomaGerman Shepherd and chocolate: how much is dangerous?
Typical adult weight: 22β40 kg. Grams of chocolate at which signs can start (20 mg/kg) and at which severe signs are reported (40 mg/kg):
| Dog weight | Milk | Dark 70β85% | Baking / unsweetened |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 kg | 220 g signs 440 g severe | 55 g signs 110 g severe | 31 g signs 63 g severe |
| 40 kg | 400 g signs 800 g severe | 100 g signs 200 g severe | 57 g signs 114 g severe |
Based on published doses: signs from about 20 mg/kg, severe signs from 40 mg/kg (US FDA, Cortinovis & Caloni 2016, Swedish Poison Information Centre). An estimate, not a diagnosis.
Inherited conditions documented in the breed
Conditions documented: 51
A gene variant is known for 22 of the conditions below, so a DNA test may exist. Ask your vet or the breed club.
| Condition | Body system | Inheritance | Gene variant known |
|---|---|---|---|
| Achromatopsia-2, CNGA3-related[1] | Vision / eye | β | Yes |
| Anal furunculosis[1] | Digestive / alimentary | β | β |
| Anal Furunculosis[2] | β | β | β |
| Calcinosis circumscripta[1] | Homeostasis / metabolism | β | β |
| classical Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (cEDS), COL5A1-related[1] | Integument (skin) | Autosomal dominant | Yes |
| Coat colour, dilution, MLPH-related[1] | Pigmentation | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Degenerative Lumbosacral Stenosis[2] | β | β | β |
| Degenerative myelopathy[1] | Nervous system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Degenerative Myelopathy[2] | β | β | β |
| Dermatitis, atopic[1] | Integument (skin) | Multifactorial | No |
| Elbow Dysplasia (Humeral Condylar Osteochondrosis [HCO])[2] | β | β | β |
| Elbow Dysplasia (Ununited Anconeal Process)[2] | β | β | β |
| Epidermolysis bullosa simplex, KRT5-related[1] | Integument (skin) | Autosomal dominant | Yes |
| Epilepsy[1] | Nervous system | Multifactorial | No |
| Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency[2] | β | β | β |
| Focal metatarsal fistula[1] | Integument (skin) | β | β |
| Haemangiosarcoma[1] | Neoplasm | β | β |
| Haemophilia A[1] | Haematopoietic system | X-linked recessive | Yes |
| Haemophilia B[1] | Haematopoietic system | X-linked recessive | Yes |
| Hip Dysplasia (HD)[2] | β | β | β |
| Hyperparathyroidism[1] | Endocrine / exocrine gland (incl mammary gland) | β | Yes |
| Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia, X-linked, EDA-related[1] | Integument (skin) | X-linked recessive | Yes |
| Ichthyosis, ASPRV1-related[1] | Integument (skin) | Autosomal dominant | Yes |
| Idiopathic Epilepsy[2] | β | β | β |
| Immunoglobulin A deficiency[1] | Immune system | β | β |
| Inflammatory bowel disease[1] | Digestive / alimentary | β | β |
| Leukocyte adhesion deficiency, type III[1] | Immune system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Leukodystrophy, hypomyelinating[1] | Nervous system | Autosomal recessive | No |
| Malignant hyperthermia[1] | Homeostasis / metabolism | Autosomal dominant | Yes |
| Mannosidosis, beta[1] | Lysosomal storage disease | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Megaoesophagus, MCHR2-related[1] | Digestive / alimentary | β | Yes |
| Mucopolysaccharidosis VII[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Multidrug resistance 1, ABCB1-related[1] | Homeostasis / metabolism | Autosomal incomplete dominant | Yes |
| Myelopathy, fibrocartilaginous embolic[1] | Nervous system | β | β |
| Myopathy[1] | Muscle | β | β |
| Osteogenesis imperfecta, generic[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | Autosomal dominant | No |
| Osteosarcoma[1] | Neoplasm | β | No |
| Panosteitis[2] | β | β | β |
| Pelger-Huet anomaly[1] | Haematopoietic system | β | β |
| Persistent Mullerian duct syndrome, generic[1] | Reproductive system | β | β |
| Pituitary hormone deficiency, generic[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | β | β |
| Pituitary hormone deficiency, LHX3-related[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Pyoderma[1] | Integument (skin) | β | β |
| Renal cystadenocarcinoma and nodular dermatofibrosis[1] | Neoplasm | Autosomal dominant | Yes |
| Scott syndrome[1] | Haematopoietic system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Spinal dysraphism[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Transitional lumbosacral vertebrae[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | Multifactorial | No |
| Urolithiasis[1] | Renal / urinary system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death[1] | Cardiovascular system | β | β |
| Von Willebrand disease I[1] | Haematopoietic system | Autosomal | Yes |
| XX difference of sexual development, generic[1] | Reproductive system | Multifactorial | No |
What this list means
- βDocumented in the breedβ means at least one published case or study β it says nothing about how common the condition is.
- Many of these conditions are rare. A responsible breeder can tell you which health tests the parents have had.
- Where the gene variant is known, a DNA test may exist β ask your vet or the breed club.
- If your pet shows signs of illness, contact your vet. This page cannot tell you whether your pet is ill.
About the breed
- Origin
- Germany
- Height
- 55β60 cm
- Weight
- 22β40 kg
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Sources
How this page was made: the list is taken directly from the sources below; nothing on it was written by AI. Names of conditions may be machine-translated. It is information, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages