The short answer
Keep a German Shepherd lean to protect hips and elbows. Learn the signs of bloat and of internal bleeding, because both are emergencies. Watch an older dog for scuffing back paws (degenerative myelopathy) and a young one for weight loss despite a big appetite (EPI). Ask your vet about an MDR1 drug-sensitivity test, and price pet insurance in your first week.
Hips and elbows
VCA Animal Hospitals names the German Shepherd among the breeds most affected by hip dysplasia, a loose hip joint that wears into arthritis. Elbow dysplasia is also common. Signs include stiffness after rest, a bunny-hopping gait and reluctance to jump into the car.
Weight is the lever you control: lean growth in puppies, a large-breed growth diet, weight loss for a heavy dog and steady, low-impact exercise. Your vet can assess the joints with X-rays and discuss pain relief and rehabilitation.
Degenerative myelopathy
VCA lists the German Shepherd first among the breeds at risk of degenerative myelopathy, a progressive, incurable disease of the spinal cord. It usually appears between 4 and 14 years and is not painful: the back paws scuff or knuckle, the hind end sways, and weakness climbs slowly over months.
A DNA test for the SOD1 mutation shows whether a dog is at risk, but it is not a diagnosis. Hip arthritis and disc disease look similar and are treatable, so any older Shepherd with hind-end weakness deserves a full workup. Rehabilitation, harnesses and carts keep affected dogs mobile for a long time.
Browse adoptable German Shepherds
Foster notes often mention hips, weight or digestion, which is exactly what to raise at your first vet visit.
See Available German Shepherds →Bloat and internal bleeding: two emergencies
Gastric dilatation-volvulus, where the stomach fills with gas and twists, is a risk in large, deep-chested dogs. Signs are unproductive retching, a swollen belly, drooling and restlessness. VCA is clear it needs emergency care within minutes to hours, and a preventive gastropexy is worth discussing with your vet, often at the time of a spay or neuter.
Cornell’s veterinary college names the German Shepherd among the breeds predisposed to hemangiosarcoma, a cancer of blood-vessel cells that most often grows in the spleen or heart. It is often silent until it bleeds. Sudden collapse or severe weakness with pale gums in an older Shepherd is an emergency.
EPI: weight loss despite a big appetite
Exocrine pancreatic insufficiency means the pancreas stops producing digestive enzymes. VCA lists the German Shepherd first among affected breeds. The classic picture is a young dog that loses weight while eating ravenously and passes large volumes of pale, fatty stool.
A blood test confirms it. Treatment is enzyme replacement mixed into food, usually with a diet change, for the rest of the dog’s life, and most dogs regain weight well once it is managed.
MDR1 drug sensitivity
The MDR1 mutation makes some dogs dangerously sensitive to certain common medications. Washington State University lists the German Shepherd at about 10%, well below Collies and Australian Shepherds but common enough to matter. A cheek-swab test gives a clear answer; make sure the result is in your dog’s file so every vet sees it.
The first vet visit after adoption
Ask for a gait and joint assessment, a body condition score with a written target weight, a conversation about MDR1 testing and gastropexy, and baseline bloodwork. For a senior Shepherd, add an abdominal check and ask about hind-end strength. Bring the rescue’s records.
Price pet insurance the same week. Every Canadian provider excludes conditions documented before enrolment, and orthopaedic surgery, bloat surgery and cancer care are exactly the large costs insurance is for.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common German Shepherd health issues?
Hip and elbow dysplasia, degenerative myelopathy, bloat, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), hemangiosarcoma in older dogs, and MDR1 drug sensitivity in some dogs.
My German Shepherd’s back legs are getting weak. What could it be?
In an older Shepherd it could be degenerative myelopathy, hip arthritis or disc disease. They look alike but are managed differently, so ask your vet for a full workup rather than assuming.
Why is my German Shepherd losing weight but always hungry?
That is the classic sign of EPI, especially with large, pale, fatty stools. A blood test confirms it, and lifelong enzyme replacement usually restores normal weight.
How do I recognise bloat?
Unproductive retching, a swollen or tight belly, drooling, restlessness and laboured breathing. It is life-threatening: go straight to an emergency vet.
Should my German Shepherd be tested for MDR1?
It is worth asking your vet. Washington State University lists German Shepherds at about 10% for the mutation, which can make some common drugs dangerous.
Should I get pet insurance for a rescue German Shepherd?
It is worth pricing in your first week. Canadian pet insurance excludes conditions documented before enrolment, and joint, bloat and cancer care are common, costly problems in the breed.
Sources
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Hip Dysplasia in Dogs: German Shepherd named; lean growth, diet and exercise advice
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Degenerative Myelopathy in Dogs: German Shepherd named; onset 4 to 14 years; not painful; DNA test
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Gastric Dilatation and Volvulus: signs, urgency, preventive gastropexy
- Cornell University Riney Canine Health Center: Hemangiosarcoma: German Shepherd predisposed; spleen and heart; collapse and pale gums
- VCA Animal Hospitals: Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency: German Shepherd named; weight loss with big appetite; lifelong enzymes
- Washington State University: Breeds Affected by MDR1: German Shepherd about 10%
General information, not veterinary advice. Diagnosis and treatment decisions belong with your veterinarian.
Related guides
New dog? Start with these care guides
Everything a new adopter needs to set up a safe, happy home.