Do all of the pure breed german shepherd have alot of health problems like ear effections?

Answer 1

No they don't. It really depends on breeding and environment. Any dog with erect ears in a windy area has an increased chance of ear infections due to debris blowing in the ears. The same goes for a drop eared dog in a very moist environment because of the moisture being held under the ears instead of drying quickly. With GSD, your two biggest concerns are dysplasia (hip and elbow) and Endocrine Pancreatic Insuffiency (EPI). Just research the breeder and his/her lines before buying. If you're getting a rescue, it's a crap shoot. There is no truth to the 'hybrid vigor' myth (which is a misnomer anyway as they are not hybrids but 'mix breeds'. Instead of having set disorders, you are combining disorders from two or more breeds. For more information, you can see the link below (which has an article and provides more links) and you can also find more information by typing 'hybrid vigor myth' into any search engine.

Answer 2

German Shepherds are prone to more health problems than most breeds. This applies to all German Shepherds, pure bred or not. If they're pure bred from a good breeder, they're less likely to have health problems but you need to make sure you get a dog from a very good breeder.

German Shepherds are particularly prone to Hip Dysplasia and Elbow Dysplasia. If your dog gets either of those, the surgery to correct it could be up to $5,000.00. They're also very prone to VonWillebrands disease.

Answer 3

I have 2 German Shepard's and yes they both have ear infections. But they are also both pet store dogs. I think if you take the time to find a really good breeder, look at the parents and their health you could avoid them. But trust me ear infections are not easy to cure. One of mine has allergies that is what is causing them and it has cost me a small fortune to get them just under control!

Answer 4

Not that I know of , I had a purebred German Shepherd what I would warn about is hip displacia, my shepherd had that and it is terrible and sad. Ending up with euthanasia.
For that very reason I will never own a pure bred , it is "mutts" for me.

Answer 5

Like any breed, they are more prone to certain illnesses and diseases like joint disorders and neurologic disorders, bloat, abdominal tumors. But each different breed has something it commonly gets, this does not mean they all do. You need to do careful research of the breeder and the health of the lines before purchasing a puppy.