Just on a new thread about this......

What is the ratio for health problems between the breeds? Specifically in the HD area?

Cheers

John

There are considerably fewer health problems with the Malinois, but I'm not saying they're non-existent.

Hip Displasia, PRA, epilepsy are not unheard of in Malinois. I would expect (at a minimum) parents to have their hips x-rayed to consider a pup. JMO.

Also what the statistics also sometimes fail to mention sometimes is the number of dogs x rayed to compare things apples to apples.

I know this was the case sometime ago when it was said how GSDs were more like to have HD over some other mentioned breeds. What the study failed to reveal was in their study there was more GSDs x rayed than some of these other breeds.

As with any breed, it's good to do your research not only in the specific breed but the parents in any known health issues they may have carried.

HD certainly isn't the only issue one should worry about with a GSD vs. Mal

There are only common known genetic and health issues that both breeds tend to have (i.e. nerve issues, pancreatis, etc)

But then again you still need to purchase the dog based on which one would be more suitable for your personality and lifestyle

Hummm,
I think that a better statement would be the health problems in GSD's fall along more predictable lines.
I have had mals w/ enlarged hearts, spleen problems, dysplasia (few), back problems, elbow problems, seizures, skin and coat ptoblems, shoulder problems, eye problems, etc.
One very telling statistic I have is that the GSD's I have placed on the street are on the road longer than the malinois on average. I have put about equal numbers of each on the road. What I have seen is that the malinois continually surprises me in regards to the type of maladies that remove them from the street.
In the last 18 months just in my dept. we retired two mals and Tuerv (Tuerv was the son of Elgos from a short coated mother...so basically a mal). One mal has a progreively worsening debilitation in a rear leg w/ a couple possible diagnoses available but since neither would be treatable we didn't spend the big $$ just to know for sure which it was., one has just been euthanized after a diagnosis of initially a pharyngeal paralysis but ultimatly suspicions of a tumor, and the Tuerv is out due to bad shoulders. All of these dogs are from 5-6 years of age.
We have retired a coupld of GSD's due to arthritis/spondylosis at nearly 8, we had one w/ poor hips retire at over 8, my dog just recently retired in good health at 10+ (he actually still goes out and does some dope work and often is abig pest now that he's bored and still in good health), we've retired a coupld early just because the handler was promoted, retiring, etc and although the dog could have easily done a year or more it would be a burden to ask a new handler to take on the dog then retire it to take on another so soon after.
I have heard the mantra..the malinois is healthier and will stay on the road longer yet haven't seen it accross the board. I just see a much more variable set of reasons mals end up with shortened careers vs. the GSD's.
I do wish that every one of our dogs could have the longevity of my last dog...on the road at 20 months and not gone until well into his 10th year (GSD).

 Quote:

There are considerably fewer health problems with the Malinois, but I'm not saying they're non-existent.

Hip Displasia, PRA, epilepsy are not unheard of in Malinois. I would expect (at a minimum) parents to have their hips x-rayed to consider a pup. JMO.

Thanks Guys!

This is the kind of stuff I was looking for.

Cheers

John