Common Beagle Health Problems

Beagle Facts

The Beagle is friendly, intelligent, outgoing, active, and curious. This breed makes a wonderful family companion who is generally very good with children.

He is a pack animal who requires companionship - if not from other dogs, he will require it from his human family. He tends to bond with the whole family, especially with children.

Orignally bred as a hunting dog, the Beagle has a highly developed sense of smell and an independent nature and, because of that, may tend to roam. Daily outdoor exercise is required.

The Beagle is a very popular breed in the U.S.A. - Ranked 5th most registered breed by the AKC for 2017.

Beagle Lifespan

How long can a Beagle live?

In general, the Beagle is a very healthy breed. Their average lifespan is between 12 and 15 years.

But like any other dog breeds, Beagles are prone to certain health problems, as listed below.

If you plan to get a beagle or already have one, pay particular attention to the following potential health threats to this dog breed and take necessary precautions.

Common Beagle Health Problems

Here are some common health issues that Beagles are susceptible to:

• Cherry Eye: Cherry eye is a common eye problem in Beagles.

  Dogs have a "third eyelid", with a gland that helps produce tears and is located in the corner of each eye. Normally, you cannot see this gland, but when it comes out of its normal position and becomes red and swollen, you can see something like a cherry at the corner of the affected eye.

  Cherry eye is not painful, but could lead to infections if not treated.

  Treatment usually is to surgically reposition the gland.

• Glaucoma: Glaucoma is another eye problem that is rather prevalent among the Beagle dogs. It is a condition that is caused by an increased pressure within the eye.

  Glaucoma is very painful and, if timely treatment is not received, can lead to blindness.

  Read our article on glaucoma in dogs to get yourself familiarized with the signs and symptoms of this eye problem.

• Ear Infections: Beagles are understandably susceptible to ear infections due to their long flappy ears!

  A telltale sign of a dog having an ear infection is constant head shaking, head tilting, and you will notice a bad odor coming from the dog's ears.

  As Beagles are prone to this ear problem, be sure to check and clean your Beagle's ears regularly.

• Hypothyroidism: Hypothyroidism is the result of a deficiency of the thyroid hormone, and the Beagles are prone to this disease.

  The signs and symptoms vary depending on the dog, but usually include such signs as weight gain, joint pain, intolerance of the cold, lethargy, and recurring ear and skin infections.

  Treatment is lifetime thyroid hormone therapy.

• Epilepsy: Beagles are predisposed to epilepsy, which is a chronic condition characterized by recurrent seizures.

  If your Beagle is prone to seizures, you may want to read this page on how to use various natural remedies to help manage and control the fits.

• Intervertebral Disk Disease: Because of their short legs and back body, Beagles are susceptible to this back problem, which is also known as disk herniation. In particular, many Beagles have disk extrusion, which causes back pain.

  Depending on the location and severity of the problem, treatment can range from simple crate rest, medication, to surgery.

• Heart Disease: Beagles are also prone to heart disease.

  Specifically, one common heart disease seen in the Beagle is pulmonic stenosis, which is a narrowing of the connection between the right ventricle and the pulmonary artery, most commonly due to a malformation of the pulmonic valve.

  When this happens, it becomes more difficult for the right ventricle to pump blood, resulting in an obstruction to blood flow from the right side of the heart. Since the right ventricle has to work harder, the right side of the heart becomes bigger.

  The obstruction to blood flow from the right side of the heart will cause varying degrees of heart damage, and the condition worsens with age.

  With moderate-to-severe pulmonic stenosis, your dog may have signs and symptoms associated with low cardiac output and/or right-sided heart failure, such as abnormal cardiac rhythms, breathing difficulties, fainting, tiring with exercise, or sudden death.

  Moderate-to-severe pulmonic stenosis may be treated by surgery.

• Cancer: Many Beagle parents ask, "Are Beagles prone to cancer?"

  The answer is unfortunately "Yes".

  Beagles can definitely be affected by cancer. Common types of cancer that affect the Beagles include bone cancer, lymphoma, and bladder cancer.

Health Supplements for Beagles

References
K.C. Thornton, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Beagles (Alpha Books, 2002)
Canada's Guide to Dogs - Beagles
College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University - Intervertebral Disk Disease