If you want to keep your Labrador healthy, you should pay attention to what you feed them. You should avoid giving them too many treats or eating too much of your own food, and you should be sure to weigh your Labrador’s food. Keep your Labrador lean and fit to prevent obesity, which can lead to hip dysplasia.
Obesity
Despite the fact that labradors are typically small dogs, they can grow to become incredibly obese. This type of obesity can lead to poor health and shorter lifespan. It can also lead to destructive behavior. In addition to being overweight, Labrador obesity can be caused by diseases such as hypothyroidism and Cushing’s disease, which cause the adrenal glands to produce excess cortisol, a stress hormone, in the body. In such cases, your lab may start to show signs of excessive thirst and hunger, hair loss, and heavy panting.
New research suggests that Labrador obesity may be linked to a specific gene. This gene has been linked to appetite, weight, and satisfaction after eating. If this gene contributes to Labrador obesity, this finding could lead to improved treatments for obesity in humans. The study also indicates that Labradors are more likely to be overweight than other breeds.
Overfeeding is one of the leading causes of Labrador obesity. Just a few extra pieces of kibble every day can add up to several pounds of body fat over a year. Some owners also feed their dogs with snacks, dog bones, and even tidbits of people’s food.
Diet
A balanced diet is essential to your Labrador’s overall well-being. The MSD Vet Manual lists the nutrients your dog needs and individual vitamins and minerals. Typically, a Labrador needs about 18% protein and 22 percent fat in its daily diet, depending on its size and age. However, keep in mind that a puppy’s protein requirement is double that of an adult dog’s, and an older dog’s protein needs are 20 percent lower than those of a middle-aged dog.
To keep your Lab healthy, you should give her last meal at least two hours before bedtime. This allows her to digest her food. Otherwise, she may poop in the middle of the night. In addition, you can encourage her positive behavior by feeding her regularly. Labs can quickly learn to follow a feeding schedule.
Overweight and obesity are serious health risks for Labradors. Overweight Labs are prone to diabetes, hypertension, and other diseases. Obesity also shortens the lifespan of your Lab.
Exercise
Labradors are high-energy dogs that need daily exercise to stay in good health. Without proper exercise, they can become overweight and susceptible to many diseases. Whether you’re a new owner or an experienced one, it’s important to include exercise in your Labrador’s daily routine.
Exercise is essential for your Labrador’s overall health and can help you bond with your pet. Exercise is fun and will make your Labrador feel loved. Labradors love to play and are always eager to please their owner. Therefore, instead of seeing exercise as something negative, make it a fun time for you both.
Exercise also helps Labradors release their energy. Exercise can include activities like fetching a ball, playing tug of war, or catching a Frisbee. These activities can be performed off-leash in your backyard or at the local dog park. These activities can last as long as you both want to.
You can also engage your Labrador in swimming activities. Most cities have canine hydrotherapy centers that offer exercise programs specifically for dogs. These swimming sessions are also great for socializing your Labrador and building a special bond.
Retinal Dysplasia
Labradors can be healthy with retinal dysplasia. The condition can occur in both eyes. During the imaging procedure, a fold is observed on the retina. This fold is often accompanied by intense autofluorescence. It is often recognizable by a small red arrow that points to the fold.
This disease affects the retina’s photoreceptor cells. It causes degeneration of these cells, which are divided into two types: rods and cones. The former are responsible for low-light vision while the latter are responsible for color and movement. Dogs with the disease eventually become blind.
Inherited retinal dysplasia can cause blindness and can result in hemorrhage of the retina. In some dogs, the disease can occur in a milder form that is detected during routine screening programs. In dogs that have mild dysplasia, however, the effects on vision are minimal. Labradors with this condition are often not a threat to health and are generally breedable.
Labradors can have a number of different types of retinal dysplasia. Some of the common types include geographic and field trial dysplasia. These diseases cause irregular shaped spots or folds on the retina. These lesions may be confluent or scattered and will cause the retina to become elevated.
Cancer
Keeping your Labrador healthy for cancer begins with regular checkups. Regular blood tests and ultrasounds can identify problems early and keep your pet from developing cancer. The breed is especially susceptible to tumors, and it is imperative to get them spayed or neutered if the dog is not spayed. You should also be sure to give them a complete blood count twice a year.
Clinical trials are an important source of new treatments for cancer in dogs. These trials are supported by the NCI, which uses information from canine cancer studies to better understand human cancer. While it can be scary to leave your beloved dog at the clinic, NCI-supported clinical trials can give your Lab an opportunity to benefit from cutting-edge therapies that might not be available to people.
Cancer is a serious problem that can strike dogs of all ages. It occurs when abnormal growth of cells in the body begins uncontrollably. These cells start in any body tissue and can spread to different organs. The good news is that half of all cancer cases in dogs can be cured if caught early.
Tricuspid valve dysplasia
The tricuspid valve malformation is one of the most common heart defects in Labrador Retrievers. It affects both male and female pups equally. The disease is genetic and can be inherited from either the sire or dam, or both. It can also be present in healthy pups. The cause of tricuspid valve dysplasia is unknown, but it has been linked to genetic variations in the heart valves of large breed dogs.
Dogs with mild to moderate tricuspid valve dysplasia often do not show any symptoms at all. But severe cases may result in distended abdomen, fainting, or labored breathing. Treatment is often focused on improving heart function and improving the dog’s quality of life. The disease does not require surgery. In mild cases, exercise restriction may be recommended. The prognosis is very good if there are no signs of heart failure.
The first step is to determine whether tricuspid valve dysplasia is present. Veterinarians can detect a murmur over the right side of the chest. Murmurs vary in intensity and can be faint or pronounced. A veterinarian will use a stethoscope to hear the murmur. The severity of the murmur is graded using a six-point scale; Grade 1 murmurs are the mildest, while Grade 6 murmurs are the loudest.
Epilepsy
If your Labrador has seizures, the first step is to find out why your dog has seizures. This condition can be caused by an infection, stress, or other causes. A typical seizure can last for several minutes. Some Labradors have episodes of two to five minutes. The affected dog may become restless, look confused, or tremble. It may also develop a head tremor, or show other neurological abnormalities.
The goal of treatment for epilepsy is to decrease the frequency of seizures and make them shorter and less severe. Ideally, the dog will be seizure-free for a year after starting treatment. If this is not possible, dosage reduction should be done gradually over several months, so as to avoid precipitating seizures.
In addition to finding an epilepsy-causing genetic mutation, breeders can use genetic testing to reduce the incidence of the disorder in their dogs. Genetic testing will allow breeders to determine whether a dog’s blood has a mutation that increases their dog’s risk of epilepsy.
