• Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease: Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease is a disease that affects the hip joint and results in a deformity of the hip joint ball. It starts with a decrease in the blood supply to the head of the femur bone until the bone eventually dies off and collapses and becomes deformed. The result of this deformation is arthritis or inflammation of the hip joint. It is unclear what causes Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease but it is believed the cause is either inherent or injury related. The symptoms of Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease are chewing at the hip, stiffness in the affected limb, atrophy of muscles in the limb, pain when moving, progressive lameness, and irritability. Treatment is usually strict crate rest, physical therapy and surgically removing the deformed femoral head and neck. Prognosis is generally very good after the surgery and many dogs only suffer minor lameness particularly during weather changes.
• Autoimmune Thyroiditis: This is the most common cause of primary hypothyroidism in dogs. The disease tends to become evident at 2 to 5 years of age. Dogs may be clinically normal for years, only to become hypothyroid at a later date. Hypothyroidism is an abnormally low level of the hormone produced by the thyroid gland. A mild sign of the disease may be infertility. More obvious signs include obesity, mental dullness, drooping of the eyelids, low energy levels, and irregular heat cycles. The dog's fur becomes coarse and brittle and begins to fall out, while the skin becomes tough and dark. Hypothyroidism can be treated with daily medication, which must continue throughout the dog's life. A dog receiving daily thyroid treatment can live a full and happy life.
• Epilepsy: This is a disorder that causes seizures. Epilepsy can be managed with medication, but it cannot be cured. A dog can live a full and healthy life with the proper management of this disorder, which can be hereditary or of unknown cause.
• Patellar Luxation: Also known as "slipped stifles," this is a common problem in small dogs. It is caused when the patella, which has three parts--the femur (thigh bone), patella (knee cap), and tibia (calf)--is not properly lined up. This causes lameness in the leg or an abnormal gait, sort of like a skip or a hop. It is a condition that is present at birth although the actual misalignment or luxation does not always occur until much later. The rubbing caused by patellar luxation can lead to arthritis, a degenerative joint disease. There are four grades of patellar luxation, ranging from grade I, an occasional luxation causing temporary lameness in the joint, to grade IV, in which the turning of the tibia is severe and the patella cannot be realigned manually. This gives the dog a bowlegged appearance. Severe grades of patellar luxation may require surgical repair.
• Mucopolysaccharidosis Type IIIB (MPSIIIB): Also known as Sanfilippo syndrome type IIIB, MPS IIIB is a disease that is caused by a mutation in a gene. When that gene is mutated, the enzyme N-acetyl-a-D-glucoseaminidase (NAGLU) is missing. This leads to the body not being able to disassemble the molecule, heparan sulfate, which leads to a build up of the molecule. The signs of MPS IIIB usually occur between the ages of 2 and 4 years. They include tremors, difficulty walking or navigating obstacles, and difficulty balancing. There is no treatment for this disease but there is a DNA test. If a Schipperke is identified as carrying this gene, he should not be bred. Before purchasing a Schipperke puppy, make sure that the parents have the proper DNA clearances.

If you're buying a puppy, find a good breeder who will show you health clearances for both your puppy's parents. Health clearances prove that a dog's been tested for and cleared of a particular condition.

In Schipperkes, you should expect to see health clearances from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals for patellas (knees) and thyroid, certification from the Canine Eye Registry Foundation (CERF) that the eyes are normal, and DNA clearance for MPS IIIB.

Because some health problems don't appear until a dog reaches full maturity, health clearances aren't issued to dogs younger than two years old. Look for a breeder who doesn't breed her dogs until they're two or three years old.

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