A hereditary, genetic or congenital condition is an illness, defect, disorder or disease that is present from birth, inherited by your Weimaraner, or to which your Weimaraner is predisposed through hereditary or genetic factors. This list includes conditions we may consider hereditary, genetic or congenital in Weimaraners.
If you are doing research before getting a Weimaraner puppy, please speak with your prospective breeders about which of these conditions, if any, the breeders have had experience with. Even if they haven’t personally dealt with hip dysplasia, per se, they should still be knowledgeable about what it is, how it affects the Weimaraner, and what tests there are to minimize occurrences in their own breeding programs, as much as possible.
Muscular/Skeletal Problems
- Cervical Spondylomyelopathy (CSM), or Wobbler’s Syndrome
- Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia
- Elbow dysplasia
- Hip Dysplasia
- Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy (HOD)
- Hypomyelination (Shaky Puppy)
- Mandibular distoclusion (Class 2 Malocclusion)
- Mandibular mesioclusion (Class 3 Malocclusion)
- Spinal Dysraphism (SD)
Disorders Affecting the Eyes
- Distichiasis/Trichiasis/ Ectopic Cilia
- Entropian
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy
Cardiovascular Disorders
- Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)
Neurological Disorders
- Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)
- Immune-Mediated Encephalitis
- Meningitis
Other Medical Disorders
- Autoimmune Thyroiditis
- Canine Cryptorchidism
- Follicular Dysplasia
- Hypothyroidism
- Canine Hyperuricosuria (HUU)
- Umbilical Hernia
Conditions noted in italics are not considered serious and/or generally is NOT expected to interfere with a dog’s long-term quality of life.
Learn more about some of these conditions, here.
Last updated: July 2021