New Guinea Singing Dog Health

As a whole, NGSDs are a very hardy breed. There are a few main health concerns for Singing Dogs that will be discussed on this page. Of course, just like any other domestic dog, they require regular veterinary care to thrive. If managed carefully and correctly Singers can live well into their teens, with some owners reporting Singers as old as twenty.

Pancreatitis:

The pancreas is responsible for releasing enzymes that aid in digestion. These enzymes are only supposed to become active upon reaching the small intestine. When a dog develops pancreatitis those enzymes become active immediately upon release and attempt to digest the pancreas and surrounding organs. This causes inflammation, damage to the organ and surrounding tissue, as well as extreme pain. Since Singers appear to have a genetic predisposition to pancreatitis, it is especially important to be careful when managing their diets. High-fat foods, certain medications, and allowing them to become obese heighten the risk. Diabetes also has a high co-morbidity with pancreatitis.

Anesthesia Sensitivity:

While this is not a well-researched phenomenon, sensitivity to anesthesia has been reported by many Singer owners. Anesthesia is a risk for any animal but Singers appear to be more sensitive than other dog breeds. Further study is needed to assess to extent of this but owner reports suggest that Singers have a significant risk of going into cardiac arrest while under anesthesia or not waking up from anesthesia. That does not mean your dog can never be put under anesthesia, there are certainly necessary veterinary procedures that require anesthesia. It is important to discuss the risks with your veterinarian and make sure they are aware of this sensitivity. For things such as nail trims, training should be prioritized over anesthesia whenever possible.

Previous recommendations of using a “greyhound protocol” are no longer applicable in the United States. It is essential that owners discuss anesthesia sensitivity with their vet and be sure they are comfortable with careful monitoring and easy reversal if something goes wrong.

Diabetes:

Diabetes is a recent concern within the New Guinea Singing Dog community, especially as a comorbidity with pancreatitis. Cases are still being investigated. We will update our community as more information becomes available.

For more information see the AVMA page on diabetes in pets.

Glaucoma:

Glaucoma is a recent concern within the New Guinea Singing Dog community and cases are still being investigated. We will update our community as more information becomes available. For more information see the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists page on glaucoma.