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One of our own - please read and help!    Click on photo        

GENETIC ISSUES IN BELGIAN TERVUREN:  As a breed, Belgian Tervuren tend to be healthy and fairly long-lived for this size breed.  There are some known health issues (although relatively few compared to many purebreds).  Tervs do have a limited gene pool so breeders need to be very careful when planning a breeding.  Even then, surprises can happen, but good planning helps produce mostly healthy dogs.  Most Belgians live 12-14 years although some make it to 16 or 17. 

A good source of health information regarding Belgians can be found at the American Belgian Tervuren Club website at http://www.abtc.org/health_ed/HealthEd.htm

The most common health issues are:

        EPILEPSY - wide spread through the gene pool and apparently polygenic - meaning more than one gene contributes to whether or not a dog develops       seizures.   A 2003 study showed an incidence of 17% although fortunately our own incidence has been considerably lower.

                                                    See http://www.abtc.org/health_ed/akcgrant.htm 

                  HYPOTHYROIDISM   (can also lower threshold making it more likely for seizures to occur)

                        ALLERGIES    I consider this one a major health issue as it is one of the hardest to live with. 

                            DYSPLASIA (Hips and elbows)   Hips - Tervuren have an incidence of about 3.6 % of dogs tested (4695)   Elbows  4.1%

                                OSTEOCHRONDRITIS  -  we have produced one dog with this condition.  He had surgery, still lives with us  and is healthy, sound 

                                                                                    - and neutered, even though it COULD have been caused by injury instead of genetics        

                                      CATARACTS

                                            PRA  Progressive Retinal Atrophy)  Can cause blindness, not common in Belgians

                                                 VON WILLEBRANDS DISEASE  - a bleeding disorder - also not common