Bernese Mountain Dogs are a wonderful dog breed. Even so, this breed has health and temperament issues. Good breeders work at eliminating these issues as much as possible. Some health and temperament issues are more serious than others. Several health issues are fatal.

Perhaps the most common serious breed health issues are cancers (various forms), orthopedic issues (hips, elbows and shoulders), thyroid malfunction and immune system disorders. Some other common breed health issues are entropic eyes, cataracts, allergies and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBD). A few of the more rare health issues in our breed today are progressive retinal atrophy (PRA), subaortic stenosis (SAS) and Vom Willebrands (VWD).

Its important to note that several of the above issues commonly require expensive intervention, like surgery, therapy and/or medicines. While some interventions may cure the ailment or at least make it manageable, many interventions may only prolong the inevitable, fatal impact of the health issue. For instance, perhaps the most common cancer in Berners today is histiocytosis (histio), a very aggressive form of cancer that is (thus far) incurable.

Some of the common temperament issues, which can be health related, are excessive aggression, excessive shyness and excessive prey drive. These issues can incur great expense and effort to correct, and not all issues can be corrected.

All Bernese Mountain Dog owners or potential owners should become familiar with diseases and other breed specific afflictions. This education can make the difference in the quality of Berner that's brought into your family. More importantly, your education on these items could make a big impact on your Berner's illness diagnosis, as many Vets aren't always aware of specific issues common to our breed that may not be common in all breeds.

Therefore, we encourage you to do your part: Get Education On Berner Health Issues.

Listed below are some quality information sources to further your education.