The Irish Wolfhound is one of the healthier giant breeds. In spite of its size, it remains totally unexaggerated in type and conformation, being bred with the ability to gallop as the priority, and has a temperament that is renowned for reliability.
We are a very proactive breed as far as health issues are concerned, and have a very open and caring culture. Should a problem arise, we are very good at sharing information and trying to find a solution.
Of the key diseases that can affect a wolfhound, most have some form of testing, risk analysis or research programme already in place. The three big concerns are bone cancer (osteosarcoma), heart disease (specifically dilated cardiomyopathy),and bloat/torsion (gastric dilatation/volvulus). We have global co-operation and involvement in various research programmes specific to the breed.
Wolfhounds are often seen as relatively short lived, but that is not always the case and we are actively seeking ways of trying to ensure longevity in our breeding programmes.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy is one of the breed’s success stories as the incidence is now virtually non-existent due to vigilance and sharing information within the breed.
The Irish Wolfhound is a specialist breed. We do not encourage indiscriminate breeding to avoid future welfare and rescue issues – and to safeguard the integrity and health of the breed.
You can access information on many health conditions via the Health menu – or access the
A – Z of Health Issues page.
