Here you will find some info on illnesses or symptoms to be on the look out for, some are almost treatable by yourself. Others will require vet help. Please if in doubt, seek Vet Help!!

Skin Irritations: A common issue with Amstaffs, especially during the warm summer months. Looks like heat rash, under the belly, arm pits and under the neck area. These irritations can be very itchy for your amstaff and could cause scratching and then scabbing if not sort after quickly. Check for spots that look red with white dots in the middle.

Not all rashes are caused by change of diet. Rashes can appear, especially in that of heat, dust, fleas and dry grass. Cremes & antibiotics are available from your vet. If what your vet has not helped your Amstaff, go back. If still nothing seek a second opinion or in some cases, ask for a skin scrape. Some skin irritations are caused by different chemicals, such as dog shampoo or flea powders. Take note of what you use and or feed. When you first see the signs, watch and note down where your amstaff has been. Any change in food habits, maybe you used a different shampoo. Some amstaffs can get skin irritations from over vaccinating, worming meds and so on....Please see my special page on Skin Irritations in our breed. Photo's have also been provided thanks to an Amstaff owner.

Amstaffs, especially whites or those with white heads, pink ears, white bellies, will also be prone to sunburning. Use a SPF15 suntan lotion on your dogs white areas. Test to make sure pup or dog will not react to the lotion first.

Sunburn: Amstaffs love to sunbathe! White or pink are very prone to this. Ears, top of snout can be smeared with suntan lotion to help stop from being burnt. Don't forget under tummies, and for some males, their testicles! Remember skin cancer affects dogs too!

Hip Dyplasia: Loose fitting hip joints will cause stretching of the joint capsule and abnormal cartilage wear. Pain and inflammation will result from the cartilage distruction. Arthritis sets in which is very painful for your dog. Symptoms are usually stiffness after resting, reluctant to jump or climb onto objects. You may also hear noises while your dog is walking. Please seek vet help if you think your Amstaff may be suffering from this.

Ataxia: This usually affects a dog in their older years, but reports have stated as early as 6 months old. Ataxia is hereditry through carriers and affected parents. Some do not show signs until as late as 6-8yrs old. Some may show signs after being put under, vaccinations and so on. Signs are usually a 'drunkingly' walk, staggering, tilt of the head, loss of balance. There is currently no cure for Ataxia, but there is a test available now. Breeders in NZ are aware of this and most are getting their dogs tested. A dog can come back as the following:

Clear - No signs of Ataxia, therefore they are CLEAR of the gene.They will not produce any offspring with Ataxia

Carrier - They are a carrier of the gene and can be passed onto their offspring. A carrier can be bred to a clear, which will produce 50/50. Puppies born from this breeding will need to be tested IF they are considering breeding.

Affected - Are Ataxia affected. This will be passed onto their offspring if bred from. Offspring will be carriers.

Breeding Ataxia will give the following results:

Clear to clear will produce all Clear offspring and will not be affected by the Ataxia Gene - No testing is required

Clear to Carrier will produce 50% clears and 50% carriers - Any Breeding pups MUST BE TESTED

Clear to Affected will produce 100% carriers

Carrier to Carrier will produce 25% clear, 25% affected & 50% carriers

Carrier to Affected will produce 50% Carriers and 50% affected

Affected to Affected will produce 100% Affected

Please ask breeders if they have tested their dogs and to view the certificates. Testing is only available in France so please be patient with breeders in NZ. Most of us only found out late 2008

Parvovirus:
Young puppies especially, fall victim to parvo, but this viral disease can take the life of an unimmunized dog at any age! Parvo attacks the immune system, gastrointestinal tract, and heart along with the bone marrow.
Symptoms are:
A sudden onset of vomiting, blood and watery diarrhea, dehydration, lethargy, high temperature and on some occasions, sudden death.

NEVER let your pup out in public until it is fully vaccinated! Parvo can lurk anywhere, including an infected property, footpath, park and so on!

Leptospirosis:
This is a bacterial disease that primarily damages the infected dog's kidneys. It can severally injure both the liver and kidneys.

Symptoms are:
Fever, depression, loss of appetite, joint pain, nausea, vomiting, excessive drinking, jaundice, excess bleeding brought on by low platelet count.
Leptospirosis is commonly spread by drinking water contaminated by an animal with the disease.

Kennel Cough:
Is a bronchitis characterized by a harsh, hacking cough which is mostly described as a dog choking or something stuck in its throat. In general it resolves on its own, but is contagious to other dogs.

Hepatitis:
Infectious canine hepatitis is not the same illness that humans can contract. The canine version can affect any member of the Canis family and can range in severity from a deadly viral infection that can kill a dog within one day's time after it is diagnosed to a fairly mild disease.

Symptoms are:
Listlessness, abdominal pain, tonsillitis, increased light sensitivity, fever and bloody stools and or vomits.
Hepatitis is commonly spread by coming into contact with the urine or fecees of a dog.

Distemper:
A dog not completely immunised against distemper may show symptoms as early as a week after being near an animal with the disease.
Symptoms:
It will firstly look like a flu/cold with a runny nose, accompanied by a slight fever. Dogs will often stop eating and exhibit fatigue, list-lessness and diarrhea.

More Symptoms

Diarrhea:
This can be brought on by a number of things. If no worms are present, it could just generally mean you have changed your pups/dogs diet suddenly. Slower introduction to foods  will minimise this.
Any worms present in the diarrhea, must be treated with worming tables. A vet check also and a sample would help with the correct worming tablet required.
Blood spotted diarrhea can be serious, it could not only be parvo, but also another virus that attacks the intestines and stomach lining. This can be treated if spotted early!
If puppy has diarrhea from sudden diet changing or from maybe eating something, you may not have seen, give puppy boiled chicken meat with plain boiled rice. Should fix them up no probs. If diarrhea is still present after 24 hours, please seek vet help.

Vomiting:
Just like with diarrhea, some vomiting is to be expected. Excitement in pups after eating may bring it on.
A change in diet or added stress may cause it also.
Vomiting and diarrhea can lead to dehydration, which could be very dangerous for a puppy. Any vomiting that continues for longer than 12 hours should seek vet help immediately.

Bloat:
Bloat or gastric torsion is very serious and can cause death in any puppy or dog. It involves a swelling and torsion/twisting of the dogs stomach from water or gas or both.
Some bloat is caused by:
A large meal or overfeeding in  one given meal, particularly of dry food, followed by a large intake of water, then followed by exercise.

Stress Symptoms:
Obvious abdominal pain and noticable abdominal swelling.
Excessive salivation and rapid breathing. Pale and cool to the touch skin in the mouth.
A dazed and shocky look. Multiple attempts to vomit, especially when nothing comes up. Immediate vet help is needed.

Worms:
Every puppy/dog goes through worms and will get them one time or another.
Worms are also easily treated if caught early enough.
Worming tablets are bought over the counter or from your local supermarket now.
If you see worms present, which are always found the pups/dogs stools, worm immediately.
Preferrably use the ALL wormer or ring your vet for Drontal.
Symptoms are:
Worms present in stools, some cases anemic becomes present, some cases in their vomit, Flea infestation. Butt Cleaning or seeing your dog continuously rubbing butt on the ground. Seems irritated.

Whip Worms:
How do our dogs get Whipworms?
"Dogs have to eat the eggs to get Whipworms". Whips are not passed from mother to offspring; they make no migrations through the skin; they never get in the mothers milk - Plain and simple, "The only way to get a Whipworm is to eat the egg". These eggs are a hard thick brown shell. This shell is so tough that the eggs can live in the soil for years. Although they resist freezing the eggs are succeptible to drying and sunlight. This is another reason for concrete surfaced kennels.
As a dog walks over the eggs and licks its' paws or egg infested soil gets on toys or food or water dishes the eggs are swallowed. Within 1 to 3 months after the egg is swallowed it hatches in the intestine; attaches to the intestine wall and begins sucking blood and laying eggs

What are the signs of Whipworm infestation?
Signs may include any or all of the following:  Inapparent infestations; nonspecific diarrhea; blood-streaked diarrhea; unthriftiness; weight loss.  Most infestations are inapparent.  The problem is that Whipworms can precipitate "recurring" diarrhea and colitis.   Since the adult Whipworms may not lay eggs everyday, if your veterinarian performs a fecal flatation and looks for Whipworm eggs they might not be found.  But the diarrhea keeps coming and going. Like the Hookworm, Whipworms also suck blood, but not nearly as much.  What happens is that when the Whipworm buries it's head in the intestine wall it causes a tremendous inflammatory reaction. The inflammed intestinal wall gets red, erroded and prone to invasion by bacteria.  This is the underlying cause of the intermittent diarrhea.   We treat the diarrhea with antibiotics and it goes away, only to come back later. We kill the bacteria, but if we miss the Whipworms. The damage to the intestine wall continues allowing recurrant bacterial infection to invade the intestine and cause the large bowl diarrhea.

If you think you dog may have whip worm take immediate vet attention. Dogs can be safe with regular worming of the FULL WORMER - ask your vet.

Mange:
There are two kinds of mange. Both are caused by a mite.
Demodectic, or red mange especially affects puppies and old dogs. Both of these ages are especially susceptible to the ragged and patchy appearance, especially around the head and face, that is commonly called mange. Red mange usually causes patchy hair loss around the eyes and face. Occasionally, it can cause severe hair loss and severe itching.
Sarcoptic mange is also caused by a mite. This on burrows into your dogs skin. It usually causes significant hair loss and intense scratching that can make unsightly raw wounds on a dogs skin. Sarcoptic mange mites can also live temporarily on humans, causing an itchy rash.
Treatable by your vet.

Remember if in any doubts and you are concerned, always seek vet help.