My German Shepherd has pannus. Is it okay for him to breed puppies?

It is believed that there could be a genetic component to keratitis, but there has been no proven genetic basis to date. Breeding is not recommended for any dog who has keratitis associated with keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS). KCS is a condition known as dry eye. Because there hasn't been a proven genetic basis to keratitis, I can't say the possibility of Asa giving it to her puppies, but it's best not to breed a dog who has a condition that is suspected to be inherited. I hope this helps!

Pannus (chronic superficial keratitis) is an inflammatory disease of the cornea, which seems to be related to an autoimmune disease. Treatment is not expensive and it is usually medical, involving eye drops application, usually dexamethasone, prednisolone, or cyclosporine (or similar active molecule).

Hello, and thanks for your question. Pannus is typically a bilateral condition (although symptoms can be worse in one eye), and once diagnosed, treatment is for life to minimize the recurrence of further symptoms. I would recommend continuing treatment in both eyes indefinitely unless your vet is directing otherwise. Hope this helps!

Eyes are so hard to take pictures of. However, Pannus is a common eye problem in the German Shepherd. It causes a significant change to the cornea. Usually is starts on the outside corner and works it’s way in. Sometimes it is dark brown pigment and sometimes it is more like blood vessels or white. I am suspicious that this may be what is causing the problem with Krystal. I would highly encourage you to seek a second opinion or go see a veterinary ophthalmologist. Pannus can be very aggressive, and usually needs lifelong medications to keep it in control. Of course this is just my suspicion and there are many other problems than can cause cloudiness and redness in the eyes. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Hello. I am not sure why you want to breed more mixed breed puppies when there are so many available in shelters. The only reason to breed a dog is to improve the breed, not add to the overpopulation problem. Please think about this before allowing your mixed breed dog to become pregnant. This is a serious problem in the United States, & the very best you can do is to have your female spayed before she gets pregnant. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would advise against breeding any dog who has a liver shunt or is a carrier. Miniature poodles can be affected by liver shunts as well so it is probably not worth the risk that these traits are passed on.

If the allergic condition is improving, you should continue with the same protocol as prescribed by your veterinarian. You may also want to consider a food elimation trial because if Bonnie is allergic to environmental factors she may also have food allergies. If the condition recurs or worsens, medications such as steroids, Atopica or Cytopoint may be considered. As for breeding, allergic individuals are more likely to give birth to puppies who have the same ailment.