Medical Issues
The Bernese Mountain dog has a fairly short life expectancy with the average being 7 to 8 years, females can sometimes live longer then males. (In general do remember the larger the breed of dog, the shorter the life span). However, there are some who live 10 years or longer. Some of the health issues affecting this breed include hip and elbow dysplasia, cancer, bloat, autoimmune diseases, thyroid disorders, eye diseases, and skin and coat problems. Cancer is a big problem in Berneses and a common cause of early death. The most common types of cancer found for this breed are: Histicytosis, Mastocytoma, Lymphosarcoma, Fibrosarcoma, and Osteosarcoma.
Histiocytosis - is a cancer in which histiocytes reproduce rapidly and infect a wide variety of tissues. Histiocytes are a type of white blood cell called macrophages which ordinarily form part of the dog's immune system. There are two types of histiocytosis; malignant and systemic. It is unclear how closely related the two types are. Malignant histiocytosis is the more aggressive form and usually leads to death in a matter of weeks. Early symptoms of histiocytosis include depression, lethargy, loss of appetite and weight loss. It frequently involves the spleen, liver, and lymph nodes. It can also invade other tissues including the lungs and skin. Systemic histiocytosis can come and go and infect the skin and peripheral lymph nodes. With systemic histiocytosis skin abnormalities are common, particularly on the face and limbs. On average, one in every five Bernese Mountain dog deaths is from Malignant Histiocytosis and close to 80% of Malignant Histiocytosis cases are diagnosed in Bernese’s. At this time there are no successful treatments for histiocytosis in the Bernese Mountain dog.
Histiocytosis - is a cancer in which histiocytes reproduce rapidly and infect a wide variety of tissues. Histiocytes are a type of white blood cell called macrophages which ordinarily form part of the dog's immune system. There are two types of histiocytosis; malignant and systemic. It is unclear how closely related the two types are. Malignant histiocytosis is the more aggressive form and usually leads to death in a matter of weeks. Early symptoms of histiocytosis include depression, lethargy, loss of appetite and weight loss. It frequently involves the spleen, liver, and lymph nodes. It can also invade other tissues including the lungs and skin. Systemic histiocytosis can come and go and infect the skin and peripheral lymph nodes. With systemic histiocytosis skin abnormalities are common, particularly on the face and limbs. On average, one in every five Bernese Mountain dog deaths is from Malignant Histiocytosis and close to 80% of Malignant Histiocytosis cases are diagnosed in Bernese’s. At this time there are no successful treatments for histiocytosis in the Bernese Mountain dog.
