Irish wolfhound: 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 – 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:
OsteosarcomaIrish wolfhound and chocolate: how much is dangerous?
Typical adult weight: 40.5–54.5 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 70–85% | Baking / unsweetened |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40.5 kg | 405 g signs 810 g severe | 101 g signs 202 g severe | 58 g signs 116 g severe |
| 54.5 kg | 545 g signs 1090 g severe | 136 g signs 272 g severe | 78 g signs 156 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: 11
A gene variant is known for 2 of the conditions below, so a DNA test may exist. Ask your vet or the breed club.
| Condition | Body system | Inheritance | Gene variant known |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiomyopathy, dilated[1] | Cardiovascular system | Multifactorial | No |
| Degenerative myelopathy[1] | Nervous system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Delayed postoperative hemorrhage[1] | Haematopoietic system | Autosomal dominant with incomplete penetrance | No |
| Dilated Cardiomyopathy[2] | – | – | – |
| Elbow Dysplasia (ununited anconeal process)[2] | – | – | – |
| Fanconi syndrome[1] | Renal / urinary system | – | – |
| Hyperekplexia (Startle disease), SLC6A5-related[1] | Nervous system | Autosomal recessive | Yes |
| Myelopathy, fibrocartilaginous embolic[1] | Nervous system | – | – |
| Osteochondritis dissecans[1] | Skeleton (incl. short stature & teeth) | Multifactorial | No |
| Osteosarcoma[1] | Neoplasm | – | No |
| Portosystemic Shunt[2] | – | – | – |
What this list means
- “Documented in the breed” means at least one published case or study – 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 – 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
- Ireland
- Height
- 71–79 cm
- Weight
- 40.5–54.5 kg
- FCI number
- 160
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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