# Malinois health issues



## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

What does one need to know about Malinois health?

Are the problems improving...getting worse.....staying the same?

Any good links that discuss health issues in Mals? Incidence rates?


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

You may find this helpful:

http://www.offa.org/search.html


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Thanks Maren that was helpful.

I am looking for info on the incedence of seizures, heart issues, immune problems, and so on.

One SAR handler I know lost his Mal to a brain tumor at 5 yrs old, another handler had to put one down because of seizures well before he was old, and an LE was recently telling me his Mal had to be retired as soon as he hit the street because he had some issue with heat?

Are these types of things random? Do they seem to run in lines? I know that there is some debate there and all breeds have some health issues, just want to know what is most common with the Mals and what people are talking about these days...even if it is in a quiet voice:-$  

You all seem to have some healthy Mals...correct?


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Malinois have every health problem any other breed has, they just seem to have them at lower rates. IE if you look you can find a Malinois with HD, ED, seizures, eye problems, allergies, cancer, intestinal problems, etc. But you will have to look through a lot more Malinois to find these problems then many other breeds.

Seizures is a common problem in the Tervuren and Groenendael, it doesn't seem to be as much of a problem in Malinois. I know some that have seized, but not in the numbers the Terv and Groen people talk about it. Allergies seems to be another issue I hear of. Sometimes it's very minor, the dog gets a little itchy once in awhile when a certain flower is in bloom, or it can't eat a certain food, but otherwise is fine. Sometimes it's much more severe, with the dog being allergic to many different things, and having to be medicated for relief. Heat stroke can be a problem in Malinois, but that IMO is more a case of them not stopping just because they are getting to hot, and the handler not recognizing they have to stop the dog, not just assume the dog will stop on his own. And once it's happened, the dog tends to be a lot more susceptible to it happening again. There was a vet a number of years ago though who was studying exertional myopathy in Malinois, she was the vet for a number of police and military K9s and they were having problems with their dogs and the heat. I probably have my notes somewhere, we conversed a lot about this at the time, but I haven't really heard of any issues with it in a long time. 

In my experience, most working Malinois end up "dying" (they are put down) from injuries/impact wear tear then anything else. I know some that have died from cancer or other issues, but most seem to end up with arthritis that effects their ability to walk, control their bowels, etc and that's when they are put down.


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## Gillian Schuler (Apr 12, 2008)

I agree Kadi.

Over here, there aren't many Tervuerens doing sport or work, Groenendaels seem to have disappeared from the picture altogether. One of the Swiss Rescue Team members has a Laekenois. 

This being so, along with the numerous GSDs, it's obvious there will be more mention of their illnesses, old age problems etc. The age rate of some breeds has sunk to as low as 3,5 years. 

I know of many healthy Mals in the army, police force, sport, entering biathlon competitions but it's apparently not as interesting to talk about healthy dogs - we just take it for granted:-D 

Gillian


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

I forgot to add, dealing with adult dogs, especially imports, there is also the "what happened in the past" factor. In the US if someone's dog heat strokes, or has allergies, etc people usually hear about it. Especially if the dog is now on the market. But if some dog in Holland heat stroked, no problem, just sell it to the US. Nobody will know. But the damage is done, and now that dog is susceptible to overheating. Sell the dog in the winter though, and the new owners won't realize it for 6 months, long enough for them to think it's just the dog, and not something in the dogs background. Same thing with seasonal allergies or other issues. 

I've seen this happen multiple times, dogs that are imported as adults from Europe who after they arrive it's realized have a history of heat stroke, allergies, at some point became sterile but were sold as a stud because of their production in Europe, seizures, etc. Not saying you can't get good dogs from Europe, but definitely buyer beware, because once they are here in the US, you generally have no recourse. If the seller is someone who is going to stand behind the dog, they probably wouldn't have sold it in the first place.


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Jennifer Coulter said:


> You all seem to have some healthy Mals...correct?


My female had fibrocartilagenous embolism (FCE) in her neck during her pregnancy at about 18-20ish months old. I am not precisely sure if there is a genetic predilection, though I do know it is not uncommon in Shelties.

My male has been very healthy so far, except a vaccine reaction at not quite 12 weeks of age. He's got a full titer on both distemper and parvo and in the future will only be vaccinated for rabies every three years. I'll likely get a "fresh" titer (just more for my information than anything) every 3 years or so. I don't think he has specific food allergies, but does have occasional diarrhea if he doesn't get a small amount of grain, grasses, and veggies.


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## Jennifer Coulter (Sep 18, 2007)

Thank you for the info, I appreciate it.


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## Greg Williams (Aug 5, 2007)

Hey mal gals, you ladies forgot one disorder that runs rampid in mals! That's the lack of self preservation! lol
Kadi put up a good post! I've had to send an dog or two back for HD. and I know of two mals that suffered from seizures, one pretty bad. I also knew of a Mal that had trouble dealing wit the heat. When worked, he got severly out of breath. To the point I thought he was going to die. Come to find out he had an elongated palette. A simple surgery and he was good as new! the dog is now used for fugitive recovery.


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