Hokkaido health

With a life expectancy around 11 to 13 years, the Hokkaido Ken can maintain good vitality for a long time if its weight remains stable, if its physical activity is sufficient and if its health prevention is well followed. The quality of the breeding, daily exercise and heat management play an important role in its aging.

The Hokkaïdo Ken shows good overall robustness and true physical endurance. Its double coat and northern origins make it particularly comfortable in cold weather, but this hardiness does not exempt from a serious selection of breeding stock nor from careful monitoring of the eyes, joints and heart.

Even if the breed is reputed to be robust, vigilance must focus above all on a few orthopedic, ocular, neurological and reproductive conditions reported in the breed. Careful observation of locomotion, vision, feeding behavior and general condition helps to detect a possible problem early.

• Collie Eye Anomaly : Genetic eye condition that can impair vision and warrants ophthalmologic screening in breeding dogs.

• Hip dysplasia : Joint malformation likely to cause pain, lameness, and osteoarthritis with age.

• Cryptorchidism : Failure of one or both testicles to descend in the male, a situation that must be monitored by the veterinarian.

• Epilepsy : Neurological disorder manifested by convulsive seizures of varying intensity and frequency.

• Patellar luxation : Displacement of the kneecap that can cause locomotor discomfort, hopping, or intermittent lameness.

• Pica : Tendency to ingest non-food substances, with a digestive or toxic risk depending on the case.

• Polydipsia : Abnormal increase in water consumption, sometimes indicative of an underlying disorder.

• Heart murmur : Auscultatory abnormality that warrants a veterinary check to clarify its origin and impact.

The Hokkaïdo Ken tolerates cold and cool climates very well thanks to its dense, protective undercoat. On the other hand, it tolerates heat less well, especially during the summer period or during intense exertion. In summer, outings should be preferred during the coolest hours, water should be left available at all times, and prolonged exertion in full sun should be avoided.

The breed is not among those most prone to weight gain, but a less active or overly pampered Hokkaïdo Ken can quickly lose physical condition. Maintaining a stable weight relies on measured portions, limited treats and real daily activity, especially in dogs living in an urban environment.

Before breeding and during the follow-up of a young adult, an orthopedic screening of the hips, an ophthalmological check-up and a complete clinical examination are particularly relevant. Depending on the lineage history, additional attention may be paid to the heart, to the patella and to the absence of unusual neurological or behavioral abnormalities.