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Golden Retriever Health: Prevent & Manage 5 Common Conditions
Published on December 22nd, 2014
Updated on October 22nd, 2025
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Golden retrievers are known for their affectionate, obedient and fun-loving nature. It is no wonder that they are one of the most popular breed of dog to become part of our family. Here are some of the common conditions we observe in Golden retrievers:
1.Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism is an endocrine disorder that results from a lowered production and release of T4 and T3 hormones by the thyroid gland. Clinical signs frequently reported include weight gain, hair loss, cold intolerance and lethargy. Diagnosis of this condition is usually achieved through blood testing. Medical therapy is the most common treatment option utilizing a synthetic hormone to replace the body’s lack of adequate thyroid hormones.
2.Seizures
Golden retrievers are a breed of dog predisposed to suffering from seizures. There are several underlying causes for this condition including masses in the brain, electrolyte or metabolic disturbances in the body or exposure to certain toxins. If your veterinarian rules out other underlying reasons for seizures your dog may be diagnosed with idiopathic epilepsy, which means that the origin of the seizure activity is unknown. Anti-seizure medication is frequently used to control seizure activity in animals.
3.Elbow dysplasia
This condition is usually present from at birth and diagnosed early in life. It is caused by abnormal growth and development of the elbow joint that leads to lameness in the forelimbs, pain when flexing the elbow, possible joint effusion, and diminished range of motion. Treatment for elbow dysplasia depends on several factors, including the dog’s age and degree of dysplasia. Surgery and physical therapy are often recommended to facilitate and healing and alleviate the dog’s painfulness.
4.Arthritis
This is frequently observed in older Golden Retrievers due to their size and strain on their joints. It is important to keep your pet at a healthy weight through exercise and proper feeding in order to help delay the onset of arthritis. Your veterinarian can prescribe supplements, such as glucosamine and chondroitin and medications to alleviate the clinical signs related to arthritis. Your veterinarian can advise whether surgical or medical management should be pursued.
5.Cancer
According to the Veterinary cancer center cancer is the number one natural cause of death in older cats and dogs. It accounts for nearly 50 percent of pet deaths each year. This statistic is scary but advancements in the veterinary field have made new treatment and therapies possible for animals with cancer. Some of the most common cancers diagnosed in Golden retrievers include osteosarcoma (bone cancer), lymphoma and mast cell tumors. If your dog is experiencing any abnormal clinical signs such as weight loss, lack of appetite, vomiting and development of lumps on the body a veterinary consultation would be recommended.
32Pet Parents found this article helpful
New Pet
My female golden retriever bailey is a inbred puppy, I was wondering what are some health problems to look out for in a golden retriever?
Just because he is inbred, does not automatically make him prone to health problems. Inbreeding is often used to find congenital defects that may be recessive, but it is also done in order to bring out more of the good characteristics in animals. Your puppy is prone only to the usual health problems of Golden Retrievers, such as hip dysplasia, Skin Conditions, Cancer, Von Willebrand Disease, Luxating Patella, Cataracts and a Low Thyroid.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Hi I want a golden retriever but scared it might get cancer how likely is this? I golden retriever has long been my dream dog but I have a severe phobia of anything cancer related as both my parents died from it I want one so so so badly but dont thi
I’m so sorry you lost both parents - cancer sucks! Golden Retrievers do seem to be a little more likely to develop certain types of cancers than other dogs (particularly lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma), but keep in mind any dog can develop cancer at any time. If you love Golden Retrievers, get one! Otherwise I think a mixed breed might be your best bet to avoid hereditary cancers.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Are Golden Retrievers smart?
Golden Retrievers are very smart! They love pleasing their people, and they are intelligent, making them one of the most trainable breeds out there. To learn more about Golden Retrievers, I suggest you visit PetCoach's breed page: www.petcoach.co/breed/golden-retriever
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have a golden retriever that is a rescue, he is having breathing problems and eye discharge. What. Should I do for him?
Hello. Oh, dear, having breathing issues can be very serious. We have to think about heart or lung issues, including heartworm disease, bronchitis, pneumonia, or even heart failure. You do not mention how old your pet is as this may rule out some conditions, but any breathing issues are serious. The eye discharge can also be a reflection of a pet feeling unwell. I would strongly recommend having your vet examine your golden. Some problems can be eliminated/diagnosed pretty quickly & hopefully, any required treatments can be started & your pet will be feeling better very soon. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I am planning to breed my golden retriever in 1 year or so and we would like to breed her with my aunts dog bear (Akc golden retriever) he is 6 months and weighs 65 pounds is this a good fit? I don't have a pic of the male but he is beautiful.
You should check both pedigrees to ensure there are no common ancestors or in-breeding in the previous 4 generations and also have both dogs hip and elbow scored to ensure they have no evidence of dysplasia, consider eye testing also. Retrievers females should be 15mths+ before breeding to ensure there bones are mature enough and will not be stunted or create any problems with future development or labor and delivery
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
I have a golden retriever who is only 3 years old. She has not been eating and has a shortness of breath. There was a lot of blood in her lungs. We took her in and the vets think she either has a twisted lung lobe or cancer. Do you know what the rate
I'm so sorry! Unfortunately Golden Retrievers are a breed that tend to have a genetic predisposition to cancer, and while it is certainly not common to develop cancer at a young age I would not say it is unheard of. In veterinary medicine we don't have the funding to research and collect quite as much information as for people and so I don't think there are numbers out there that would tell us how often 3 year old Golden Retrievers are diagnosed with cancer that affects the lungs vs. lung lobe torsion. Hopefully you'll have a diagnosis soon, and I'll hope for the best for Maya.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
My sons Golden retriever puppy has all of a sudden a problem with his nose, skin, ears see attached pics what could this be I am very worried.
I would recommend to take King to see the vet. Multiple lesions like this can signify autoimmune conditions. Typically allergies don't show up on the nose but I wouldn't say its impossible. The doctor will do a physical exam and may recommend a few diagnostics to try to determine the cause. I hope this helps to point you in the right direction.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
We recently got a golden doodle from a friend. This is our first time with a dog and don’t know what to do and how to tell if he is acting normal or if he is sick. Hes been sleeping a lot but I know that they are suppose to sleep a lot so I’m not sur
Congratulations on your first dog! I recommend to first have harry examined by the veterinarian and have any vaccines, antiparasitics...etc updated. Bring in his vaccine records if you have them. Then I recommend to start reading about dog behavior and training. Your local library is a wonderful resource for books. Read books about golden doodles, golden retrievers and poodles but keep in mind that all dogs are individuals. Also read about dog training. One trainer I like in particular is Victoria Stilwel. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Health & Wellbeing
Why do Golden Retrievers eat everything?
Dogs in general evolved to be scavengers, and Golden Retrievers are an exceptionally food-motivated breed. While this makes them very trainable, as they respond very favorably to food rewards, owners of Golden Retrievers should be diligent about keeping food and garbage secure, to limit the possibilities that their dog will eat excessively, or will eat something dangerous to him. To learn more about Golden Retrievers, I suggest you visit PetCoach's breed page: www.petcoach.co/breed/golden-retriever
Updated on September 24th, 2025
Food & Nutrition
Hello I have a golden retriever of one year and 7 months, I took him to the grooming and the next day, we found a flea by the ear, we have reviewed Toby completely but we have not found more. What can we do to avoid them? Another thing we were told i
Unfortunately fleas only hop on the body of your pet when they want to feed, then they hop off again and stay in your pet's environment. So it could be that he only picked up one flea at the groomer or several, even if you do not find any more on your dog. So you need to treat all pets in the household as well as the environment (which contains the fleas, their eggs and larvae). Here is a selection of effective flea preventatives: Spot-ons and/or chews Advantage, Advantix Advantage Multi (Advocate in the UK) Frontline (ticks as well) Bravecto spot on (ticks as well) - for cats, in tablet form for dogs Simparica, Nexgard Revolution (stronghold in the UK) Tablets: comfortis (will only kill fleas once) Collar: Seresto (ticks as well) As for being overweight: You should take your dog to the vet for an exam, as he may have a thyroid condition very common to Golden Retrievers. This can be ruled out by a blood test. Your vet can then also advise you on which food would be best for your
Updated on September 24th, 2025
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