We have been looking and researching into saint bernards as we are hoping to buy one, we have been to see various breeders and have spoken in depths with them all and have bought the books and scoured the net but I would like to here from anyone who has or had a saint bernard/s about any health problems, the breeders we have spoken to have all come up with things like hip dysplasia elbow dysplasia etc and although we have gathered numerous insurance quotes what are the vets bills like for keeping a saint bernard? are there many illnesses that can be wrong I have only found things like the dysplasia and occasionally if not well looked after a skin condition can be picked up or even develop through no fault of owner or dog but please give me an insight into life with a saint bernard and a vet apart from drool hanging from ceilings and walls etc and needing more exercise than imaginable, I am only asking as speaking to breeders I don’t know what is going through their minds and they could be hiding things and just trying to make a sale no matter how irresponsible this is of a breeder even the best breeder in the world could think it not that all breeders are like that I dont mean to imply that but not knowing anyone who has had a saint bernard before I am a bit in the dark of the most responsible breeders that there are out there so for all the ones we have seen look reputable and completely have paper work etc to back up their reputation I do not know anyone who has bought from them. please do shed some light if you can or even if there are any sites you have seen that can shed some light on health problems in a saint as I am stabbing around in the dark looking for one.
By the way he/she would be a family pet not for breeding or anything else – i dont know if this makes a differenc to any health problems that he/she may get or not.
thank you
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One of the biggest problems with any large, deep-chested dogs like St. Bernards is bloat. Speak with the breeder and the vet about possibly doing a preventive “stomach fix” when the dog is neutered, and read up on the symptoms and treatment of bloat.
As far as hip and elbow dysplasia, only buy from a breeder who can show you OFA results for both parents and as many gebnerations back as possible, Double-check the ratings on the OFA website; http://www.offa.org
Other certifications you should ask for are a recent CERF eye check on the parents and an OFA or University of Mich. thyroid test. Also ask about incidence of cancer in the pedigree.
The Saint Bernard Club of America has some great health info on its site- http://www.saintbernardclub.org/2008Rede…
visit the following url
I have had my Saint Bernard for ten years and of those ten she has been in excellent health for eight. She’s getting up there in years, thus she is having hip problems and she chews her paws raw. Her ears are messed up (she was a few dog fights because she has territorial issues because she was an only dog for most of her life) but she can still hear. I had to put drops in them for a few months and now daily cleaning with a swab keeps them in better shape.
but she plays like a puppy. Always happy to jump, run, and get into trouble while remaining sweet and gentle with me and my siblings.
She’s getting older but the vet bills are average for any large dog, I’d say. We got her all the recommended vaccines and shots, she was hit by a car when she was five (no severe, permanent damage, ‘cept now she stays in the fence! ^^) the ear thing and monthly appointments. As I said before, she’s old (saint Bernard’s live to an average of
As long as you give these dogs the proper care (such as good, nutritional food and good exercise) then they should live long and healthy lives. Heredity plays a good part in the hip dysplasia and other serious health problems. I love my Saint Bernard and she was worth getting. By the looks of things, she’ll be around for much longer and with the right care and love then yours should, too.
I can tell you there is nothing like a saint Bernard. Having owned many over the years.
Yes hip problems can be an issue. Your good breeder has been careful to avoid breeding a dog with hip dyspalsia , but it is not a guarentee. Some breeders do have a warrenty for the first year. I have never had to deal with hip problems with my Saints.
This breed does have issue with a eye lid problem that may require surgery to correct. The eye lids turns in and is a constant irritant. Some say this is “very” common , but I have never known of any owner who had to have this corrected.
There is one health concern that I had never heard of until it effected my dog. I recently had my much loved female , diagnosed with bone cancer. I did much research and found out that giant breed dogs are more prone to this than other “regular” size breeds. There is not much known about how this occurs in dogs. I have her brother and so far , there are no symtoms. This is a horrible , horrible disease. It develops quickly, and often by the time symtoms manifest it has already spread to other organs , most often the lungs first.
Bloat can be an issue, but this is not isolated to Saints.
There are two types , long hair ( called ruff) and short hair ( called smooth), both do shed.
I gave the most common issues. All of that aside … I will continue to have Saints in my family. If you can deal with the fur, sometimes its like living in a fur lined house ( when they “blow coat” , twice a year). They need their people. They need to be physically close to the family or the human pack! They do love cool climate. Mine migrate to the cool basement floor when temps get above 75. None of my Saints ever ate me into the poor house. I have always fed a high quality food , and it has avearged about $1.00 to $1.25 per day, per dog. I found having two makes the excersize issue less of an impact , since they love to chase each other around.
I personally think females have a bit more personality , but love my big male Saint as much as my females.
Just one more note, most medicines /vaccines will cost more because the doseages are higher with big or giant dogs. The heart guard medicine can get quite pricey.