The Mastiff 

By Dr. Gautam Unny

All giant breed dogs tend to suffer from joint disorders. In fact these are exacerbated in cities where people keep these huge dogs in flats. Modern day houses have smooth marble floors that are polished till one can see ones own face. This results in a very slippery floor that will further strain the joints of the young pup. Nuclear families have limited manpower with most families having both parents working. Therefore there is little time to adequately exercise the dogs. In Delhi ,where I live, morning walkers frown if such large dogs are allowed to run free in the park. Adding to their problems is the fact that breeders, in order to meet the demand, use poor breeding techniques including breeding close relatives. This leads to in-breeding and further exposes hidden genetic weaknesses.

We’ll talk about the joints first. The most common problem I get to see is of Hip Dysplasia. As mentioned earlier, this is a genetic disease that can be aggravated by environmental factors that leads to an improper alignment of the bones in the ball and socket joints. This leads to the development of progressive arthritis. Slowly the pup begins to feel pain as it rises or sits down and finally in some cases, paralysis sets in. The Mastiff being a 60 kg plus dog puts a large amount of strain on the joints. Proper nutrition, slow weight gain and proper pup selection from reputed breeders will go a long way in ensuring that this disease is not there in your pup.

The Mastiff as a breed also tends to suffer from bloat. Bloat is a condition that all owners of large breed dogs need to look out for. The stomach of this animal is large and pendulous. If they are fed a very large meal and forced or allowed to exercise after the meal, the stomach, due to the weight of the food, may twist along its longitudinal axis. The food then is trapped within a closed sac. It can neither move upwards or downwards. To add to the complications, the food starts to get digested and gases begin to form. In as short as an hour the stomach swells up with fermented gases and the animal can die of shock. Any Mastiff that has a swollen abdomen, pain in the abdomen or streches continuously after a heavy meal, and has a history of exercising after the meal, needs to be rushed to the vet. There is no time to wait and watch in this problem. Cure is only surgical. Avoidance is simple, and all large breed dogs must be fed two or three small meals instead of one large meal, and no forced exercise should be carried out after the meal. This will ensure that this perilous condition does not occur.

Some Mastiff breeds also have hereditary eye ailments like short sightedness. Another common condition is Cherry Eye or prolapse of the third eyelid. Here the owner can see a small mass protruding at the inner corner of the eye. The treatment is surgical and must be done at the earliest. Other common problems like fungal infections in the skin folds of breeds like the Neapolitan Mastiff also exist. Hot spots or acute moist dermatitis is also seen. Ear infections and auricular heamatomas (accumulation of blood in the ear flaps) are also seen.

All in all, if the joints are taken care of well and the pup selection is good, this breed is likely to be quite hardy and healthy. It needs good exercise, balanced feeding and most of all – space. It’s a crime to keep such a large dog in a small apartment. Look after these few simple needs and the Mastiff is a good choice as a pet.