7 Lhasa Apso Health Problems

As one of the oldest dog breeds in the world, Lhasa Apso’s are also one of the most highly valued and coveted by genuine dog lovers. But they also come with health problems that are unique to the breed. Learn more about them to find out if a Lhasa Apso is the perfect dog for you.

What breed-specific health problems do Lhasa Apso’s have that you should be aware of? Lhasa Apso’s are primarily susceptible to eye problems: progressive retinal atrophy; cherry eye; and keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), also known as a dry eye; ear infections; sebaceous adenitis; hereditary renal dysplasia; patellar luxation; and allergies.

Lhasa Apso’s are generally healthy and can live between 12 and 18 years. But it’s important to know what health conditions and their related symptoms you should watch out for if you’re considering getting a Lhasa, or if you already have one.

Common Health Problems of Lhasa Apso’s

If you’re considering getting a Lhasa Apso pup, find a reputable breeder who can provide medical histories and health clearances for both of the puppy’s parents. A reputable and responsible breeder only uses sires and bitches that have no history of hereditary conditions.

If you are adopting from a shelter or rehoming from another owner, health clearances for the breed’s common health problems should also be made available. You can also have the Lhasa checked by a veterinarian if the dog’s complete medical history is unavailable.

Early diagnosis is key to ensuring your Lhasa’s continued good quality of life. While some hereditary diseases common to the breed have no cure and require lifetime medical care and treatment, they can still live relatively healthy lives as long as their condition is caught early enough, and an effective care and treatment plan is strictly followed.

7 Common Lhasa Apso’s health problems

Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)

This is a hereditary eye disease that causes gradual vision loss. As the name implies, the condition worsens over time. In the early stages, your Lhasa only experiences poor vision during the night; eventually, deteriorating eyesight also occurs during daytime as the disease progresses. Blindness may soon follow. Yearly eye tests would be required to monitor the progression of the condition, and so your dog’s vet can formulate an effective treatment plan. Your Lhasa may still adapt well to his condition as long as they remain in familiar surroundings.

Cherry Eye

The condition is characterized by the swelling of the dog’s third eyelid. A red mass that resembles a cherry forms at the corner of the eye. Surgery is the usual mode of treatment.

Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS)

Also known as dry eye and often mistaken for conjunctivitis, this condition occurs when your dog’s tear duct produces insufficient tears. A pus-like discharge, irritation, inflammation, pain, and corneal damage accompany the disease. Once your Lhasa develops KCS, he will need daily care and treatment for the rest of his life, which includes regular wiping and cleaning of his eyes, artificial tears, and medication.

Sebaceous Adenitis (SA)

This genetic skin condition is often mistaken for skin allergies. But it is a more serious cosmetic problem that develops when the immune system attacks the sebaceous glands. Your Lhasa’s skin becomes dry, scaly, itchy, and thickened, and may also develop hot spots and lesions; hair becomes dull and brittle; patches of hair loss occur on top of the head, around the neck, and on the back. A musty, unpleasant odor often follows, as well as secondary skin infections. A biopsy is often necessary to confirm a diagnosis. Usual treatments include medicated shampoos, mineral oils, and ointment; antibiotics may also be prescribed by your vet, but there is no guaranteed cure

Hereditary Renal Dysplasia

A congenital, genetic defect of the kidneys wherein the organs do not fully develop and are unable to filter toxins effectively. The condition typically manifests itself early in a Lhasa pup’s life – between a pup’s first days and before five years of age. Lhasa’s with this condition are abnormally small in size and excessively thirsty; although some are only mildly affected and show no symptoms. There is a high risk of renal failure in dogs that are severely affected. There is no cure for the disease. Lifetime management of the condition, which mostly involves regular check-ups, is necessary. A Lhasa with this condition should not be used for breeding.

Patellar Luxation

Patellar luxation literally means kneecap dislocation and is also known as slipped stifles. The condition is common in small dog breeds and is characterized by the slipping out of place of the knee joint, usually in one of the hind legs. The dislocation is often painful and can even be crippling, but your Lhasa can still live a normal life if the condition is managed correctly.

Ear infections

Like most long-haired dogs, Lhasa Apso’s are also susceptible to ear infections, especially when the ears are not properly dried after they are bathed or when excess hairs in the ears are not regularly trimmed.

Caring for a Lhasa Apso

A Lhasa Apso is the perfect dog for a family with older children, elderly people, and even other pets. They are devoted, gentle, affectionate, smart, and gentle dogs. They love being around their humans, so they should not be left alone for too long.

While Lhasa Apso’s enjoy being outside to walk and play, they are also the ideal size and breed for people who live in an apartment or condo. They are relatively easy to train and make excellent travel companions!

Lhasa Apso’s are also independent, dominant, and overly protective. Additionally, they also mature slowly. To avoid behavioral problems, you must still instill and reinforce good behavior in your Lhasa Apso. Caring for them will be easy-breezy as long as you put in the time and effort to train your pooch.

Grooming

A Lhasa Apso has a double coat (top coat and undercoat) of beautiful, long, heavy, and straight hair that requires a lot of work to maintain. Common coat colors include black, white, slate, honey, or parti-color.

You should get your Lhasa accustomed to being groomed while he’s still a pup. Get him used to have his paws touched. Make it a positive experience with praises and treats. If he’s always a cooperative sport when he’s being groomed because he’s been trained to behave, the task will be much easier for you, his vet, or his groomer.

Maintaining your Lhasa’s lustrous coat can prove to be a tedious and time-consuming job. Bathing should be done once or twice a month, depending on how long your dog stays relatively clean. The coat should be thoroughly dried to avoid matting. Brushing/combing your pooch’s hair has to be done at least twice a week, or even daily, to keep it smooth and shiny and to prevent it from becoming a tangled mess. (Read my review and recommended products for Bathing and Taking Care Of Tear Stains, Teeth, Ears And Nails)

Some owners prefer to take their Lhasa Apso to a professional groomer, although this can become costly. A groomer, however, can provide a complete grooming package, which includes bathing, drying, and combing your Lhasa’s hair; trimming her nails, and cleaning her ears.

If having gorgeous hair is not a big deal to you, you may want to consider giving your Lhasa a puppy cut for easier maintenance. But bear in mind that regular brushing is still necessary.

The good news is that despite their long hair, Lhasa Apso’s do not shed, so you do not have to worry about dog hair all over the place; this also makes Lhasa’s ideal pets for those with asthma or allergies.

Regular nail-trimming is important so your Lhasa won’t give you, and himself scratches; this will also minimize scratch marks on your walls, floors, and furniture. You’d know that his nails are too long if you hear can them clicking on the floor.

Be careful when trimming dogs’ nails, though, as blood vessels run through them and cutting the nails too short would be painful and cause bleeding. If this happens, you’ll have a more difficult time clipping his nails each and every time after. Again, it might be a good idea to have your vet or a groomer to do this or have them teach you how to do it safely.

Because of their long hair, Lhasa’s are prone to ear infections, especially if their ears are not thoroughly dried after they are bathed. You will have to clean their outer ears with a cotton ball and a pH-balanced ear cleaner to prevent infections. Leave their inner ear alone. If you notice a bad odor or redness in the ear, your Lhasa might have an infection, and you should take him to the vet as soon as possible.

Grooming your Lhasa is an excellent opportunity for you to check rashes, sores, or signs of infection on the skin, feet, eyes, nose, and mouth. The sooner you catch a potential problem, the sooner you’ll be able to address it, and the better his health outcome will be.

Training and socialization

Having an independent, strong-willed, and dominant nature, combined with a relatively late maturity, a Lhasa Apso can be a real challenge to train. Patience, consistency, a positive attitude, and lots of positive reinforcement will help you raise a well-behaved dog. Lhasa Apso’s are among the smarter breeds, so teaching them tricks and the obey commands will not be a problem as long as you have the right strategy.

Crate training is the most effective way to housetrain a Lhasa. While you’re getting them used to their crate, remove the gate so they won’t feel trapped. As it is with all dogs, your Lhasa will not do his business where he sleeps so this will make it easier for you to teach him where he’s supposed to do it.

It’s also essential to establish a routine, i.e., taking him outside after he eats, before tucking in for the night, and during certain times of the day so he can do the deed; this way, your pooch will also learn to control his bodily functions.

Proper socialization is also important. As small as your Lhasa is, he will try to exert his dominant personality even when he’s around larger dogs. You can even say that your adorable pooch is a large dog trapped in a toy dog’s body. He has to be taught how to behave with other dogs, no matter their size. Knowing proper behavior when introduced to new people should also be part of his training.

When it comes to children, most Lhasa Apso’s have little tolerance for the natural rowdy behavior of young kids. You should teach your dog not to nip, not to be aggressive, and to be gentle and mindful especially with toddlers. Lhasa’s would be a more suitable pet for older children who can better understand how to handle a dog properly.

Exercising

Lhasa’s have moderate energy levels, which means they don’t need a lot of outdoor exercise. They do still need to engage in regular physical activities to stay fit and healthy. Playing fetch, chasing a ball, and running around indoors or in the yard a few times a day, and short walks once or twice a day will give them the workout they need.

Feeding

Choose a high-quality brand that uses proteins with a high biological value derived from whole meats. The first five ingredients listed on the package indicate the kind and quality of proteins that your precious pooch will absorb; the first two or three should be good-quality proteins. The higher the quality of protein (the higher the biological value) used in a dog food recipe, the more of it your dog’s body will absorb and utilize. (Check out my recommended dog bowls for Lhasa Apso dogs)

How much and how frequently you feed your Lhasa will depend on his age and activity level. Some dog food brands have specific formulas for specific age groups; others offer formulas for all stages. Puppies and elderly dogs have unique nutritional needs; so, do dogs with certain health conditions.

You might have to experiment with several different dog food recipes before you find one that your Lhasa will gladly gobble down. It’s usually the kinds of proteins used as the main ingredients that determine the flavor that your pooch will like. When switching to a different recipe, make sure to mix the old one with the new during the first few meals to get your pooch accustomed to the new taste.

The Lhasa Apso’s long coat and susceptibility to certain skin conditions mean that they need a formula with good protein and fat levels, as well as adequate amounts of vitamins A and E and Omega fatty acids to help maintain overall health.

Avoid leaving a large amount of food in your dog’s bowl for the whole day. It’s better for his training and his health to feed him a fixed amount – about ¾ to 1 cup of dry food – per day, usually divided into two meals, and on a fixed schedule.