Prostate Disorders in the GSD - Page 1

Due to the recent line of psts on behavioral changes in good dogs going bad in the bitework, I thought it would be helpful to present one common cause.  Prostatitis is a common and often undiagnosed disorder in adult male GSDs.  It can be difficult to diagnose (Xrays unless contrast agent is used are not usually diagnostic).  Ultrasound is the gold standard for diagnosis.  The effects of the various prostate disorders in GSD males can be indirect, serious and hard to pick up.  Behavioral symptoms, impaired gait and other serious symptoms can occur.  In any male GSD that has done good bitework and then stops performing adequately, prostate disorder should be ruled out.  A first obvious sign of prostatitis or any prostate disorder can be an occasional drop(s) of blood appearing on the floor coming from the dogs penis. 

The incidence of prostate disorders appears to be higher in those males which are very masculine in appearance.  GSDs with a high level of testerosterone may be linked to higher rates of disease as the GSD ages.  Prostatitis in male GSDs is probably much higher incidence than commonly recognized.  Some experienced vets can come up with a rule-out diagnosis by a rectal exam of the dog and can feel the swelling and tenderness of the dog's prostrate.  Prostatits can occur from any breeding where bacteria is transmitted by the bitch and can occur as a developmental disorder in some males due to the genetically determined construction of the prostrate and the effects of the testerosterone.  Certain lines probably carry a higher incidence of certain types of prostate disorders.  All owners and breeders of GSDs who have a male GSD should be sure to read up and be aware of prostate disorders if they aren't already up to speed.

http://www.geocities.com/dachshealth/medical_treatment_of_canine_pros.htm

http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2002&PID=2689

For prostatitis (bacterial infection of the prostate), a choice of one of several antibiodics are typically used:  cirpoflaxacin, Zeniquin, & Batril.  Some vets think Batril penetrates the prostate better than the other two, while other vets think it each response depends on the specific bacteria and all penetrate equally well.  The question has not been settled by research yet.

Thank you for the information, Preston! I had to have my male neutered due to a severe case of prostatitis. Even after neutering, he leaked urine in his sleep for nearly a year. Neutering, in this case, wasn't a difficult choice, as he's a rescue, from unknown lines. I have heard of prostatitis putting the end to a few male dogs' breeding careers, though!

Sunsilver, sounds like you had a good outcome with your boy.  That's good to hear.This is a sinister and difficult disorder to diagnose, especially when it presents incrementally over a long period of time.  I suspect that a number of high rated show dogs bought in Germany have suffered from this without their new owners knowing and probably without their first owners knowing either (maybe at least one of the reasons they were sold, sometimes the only reason and often not even known as the cause of a GSDs problem).  It wouldn't surprise me if quite a few SV show dogs have been sold because of the symptoms due to prostate disorders in GSDs without their owners ever having any idea what was wrong and without obtaining state of the art treatment.  In many cases the best bet is to seek a consultation and ultrasound of the prostate by a reproductive specialist Vet.  Their fees can often be less than a regular Vet for treatment and diagnoses for a number of interesting reasons in many cases (experience, they have all the right equipment, do a lot of ultrasounds, etc.).  

The far most difficult cases for owners to suspect are those which are due to a low grade subclinical inflammation which advances slowly over time, or waxes and wanes, caused by infection of the prostate which can actually cause limping in the rear looking like HD, a slight hunching up or roll-up in the rump moving and a cranky, lazy appearing GSD that doesn't want to do his normal level of bitework or any work.  If I hadn't seen this in a GSD occur and be quickly cleared up with proper medication, I would have never believed it.  I know that any GSD male who is 4-5 years old or older, prostate problems can occur and probably affect on the average 50% of male GSDs, which in my view is a very high figure. 

A good Vet who likes GSDs,  knows how to examine them and diagnose them thoroughly and effectively while charging reasonably is worth their weight in Gold.  I have been very blessed to have had some very excellent Vets like this during my many years having GSDs.  Males GSds probably should be examined by a vet with a prostate exam once a year when they are older if possible or have their vet teach them how to do this.

Folks need to realize that any male GSD that seems to have trouble defecating, starts a limp or hitch in the rear with no previous history, or starts rolling up in the rump, has occasional blood dropping on the floor, could easily have a prostate disorder.   The sooner it is treated the less difficult it is to treat.  I have been told that untreated or improperly treated prostate disorders can easily lead to sterility in the stud dog.

Ranger showed the following symptoms: reluctance to stand up when I needed to get through the doorway he was lying in; suddenly sitting up, glancing at his rear area, then maybe giving his privates a few licks before turning around, and lying down again, then, finally, dripping bloody urine from his penis. At first I thought it was a UTI, but the vet was knowledgeable enough to do a digital exam, and an x-ray, and found the prostate swollen. They did an U/S and said that his prostate was so full of scar tissue, it looked like that of a 10 year old dog, although he was only three at the time! He was neutered, then treated with antibiotics. I had the U/S repeated 8 months later, as he was still dribbling urine, and the prostate still looked to be enlarged on an x-ray. (It was very hard to feel using a digital exam, possibly due to scar tissue causing it to not move forward, so it could be palpated.)  The second U/S came back completely normal, and, needless to say, I was overjoyed! The vet put him on Propalin for awhile for the incontinence, and it worked like a charm. No more dribbling! He's been off it now for two months, and I haven't noticed the dribbling return.

Using Propalin for males is sort of an 'off label' use. It's only supposed to work for bitches!

Thanks for posting these links Preston.

My dog would do his blinds and sometimes come up limping when he turned around them.  His reaction was so profound and showed so much confusion, willingness to continue (which he and I did - there are 6 blinds).  We checked the blinds for possible injury.  The short story is that he had an infection in his prostate that has been in the meantime been treated.  Someone in the club thought he was going narrow in the rear. . . I am unfamiliar with these problems.  The vet had prescribed zenequin and proscar.  But be ready with the cost of the treatment.  Mr. Galaxy's last collection was a bill of exceptional good health.  Catching this early on improves the prognosis. 

With thanks for posting.  Hopefully this is helpful to others. 

Maren

Sunshine, glad your dog is right back on track with excellent treatment. When I experienced this with my GSD I was astounded at the presentation of the symptms and the speed of the reversal and recovery with proper treatment.  It caused me to wonder how many good male dogs are out their who stopped doing good bitework and/or started limping which were not getting diagnosed and treated, but just retired and put aside.  I believe it is quite a few, especvially those with low grade prostatis which is not life threatening like a prostatic abscess, but which can seriously affect the dog's behavior.  Some very nice looking dogs that have a history of doing great bitework and then start doing mediocre or poor bitework probably suffer with this disorder the rest of their whole lives without being diagnosed.  Instead they get criticized and dissed by ringside folks who have seen their poor performances and who don't know they are sick with prostatitis.  The current price of Zeniquin is about $6 a pill (used once per day) or $180 for a months care which is required, some vets say 2 months is needed.  One can have an RX for Ciproflaxacin from their vet filled at Costco for about $20 for a months care.

I also know of cases where a middle aged GSD with a history of good bitework goes mediocre and the cause was the dog developing low grade subclinical hypothyroidism.  The t3 can be within normal range (on the low side) and this can in some GSDs produce nervousness, skittishness and unwillingness to work and a poor courage test.  I would have expected low thyroid to cause a GSD to be overweight and sluggish.  Instead when I have seen it in GSDs it presents with nervousness, skittishness and lack of courage.  I have also seen this quickly reversed with treatment of small doses of T3 by a vet.  The question is why would low normal thyroid develop in a GSD that has shown with an early previous test to be at the middle of the norm and not low normal?  Some vets believe that this develops because of a genetic issue.  Some believe it is caused by whatever is in the dog's diet.  I know that some researchers have suspected that consumption of fluoride in the dog's food and water can suppress the output of the thyroid gland.  Mild subclinical hypothyroidism is quite common in GSDs and can drastically affect their behavior and overall health.  It's always good to have a baseline thyroid test done on one's dogs followed up by periodic thyroid tests every several years or whenever the dog's behavior departs from what was normal before. Before you go in to have any thyroid test taken by your vet ask the vet when you make the appointment what time to bring the dog in and if he needs to be fasting (not fed).  Some vets want the test done first thing in the AM fasting since midnight.

Interesting.  One month on Zenquin costs me $369/month.  You figure.  Have to go on a public site to ask more questions.  The proscar we get through Sam's club at $39/month.  He has been 2 months on treatment and we are for safety sake going into a third month.  Small fortune.

Check out: http://www.1800petmeds.com/Zeniquin-prod10590.html#top

On that link Louise, the max is 100 mg.  He is on 200 mg which would double the dosage of the 100 mg tabs.  Total is $479 for 60 tabs buying on line.  So, the online purchase is of no value.  Fortunately the dignosis and treatment result in a cure.  Catching this as early as possible is very important for the health and well being of the male dog.  A good vet is worth his/her weight in gold.

Thanks for the info.

My 3 yr old intact male who comes from Stormfronts Brawnson lines and not so great on the other side Has been having small issues mostly sometimes for a couple of days he'll pee for 5 min literally. and frequent last for 4 or 5 days go away then come back this is the 3rd time it happened and this time my bitch is in heat and so I took him to my parents and he peed on the floor 4 times!! He has never had an accident in the house so I knew something was wrong took urine sample to vet they said uritary tract invection wchich is what we thought treated him with clavomox I think (Expensive)  then rechecked and they said no more blood but still a lot of crystals and prostate enlarged did a rectal exam said could give differ anitbiotic but was probably because of being around female so I could wait and should just go away. Well I know it's something more because the first time happened before I had the female! After reading this I wonder if this is what's going on and I was already considering neutering him because in exray said he had some hip displasia :(