It is often difficult to evaluate the health of an extremely rare breed. Most veterinarians have never even seen an Azawakh, and there is little research being done into breed-specific problems. The Azawakh is overall considered to be a very hardy and healthy breed.
Like all sighthounds, Azawakh may be sensitive to anesthesia, and may have atypical blood work and other lab results. Reviewing the known ways in which the Greyhound differs from other dogs may assist your veterinarian in determining if your Azawakh has a health problem or simply an "abnormal normal."
Like all deep-chested breeds, the Azawakh is at increased risk of bloat, a condition in which the stomach twists on itself, cutting off blood flow. Bloat and torsion strikes very suddenly, and a dog who was fine one minute can be dead a few hours later. Watch for symptoms like restlessness and pacing, drooling, pale gums and lip licking, trying to throw up but without bringing anything up, and signs of pain. Bloat requires immediate veterinary surgery, and most dogs that have bloated once will bloat again. That means it’s wise to opt for the procedure known as "stomach tacking," which will keep the stomach from twisting in the future. This procedure can also be done as a preventive measure.
Some Azawakh suffer from some types of seizure disorders, for which there are no screening tests. They can also be affected by cervical vertebral instability (CVI), commonly called Wobbler's syndrome. It's caused by a malformation of the vertebrae within the neck that results in pressure on the spinal cord and leads to weakness and lack of coordination in the hindquarters and sometimes to complete paralysis. Symptoms can be managed to a certain extent in dogs that are not severely affected, and some dogs experience some relief from surgery, but the outcome is far from certain. While CVI is thought to be genetic, there is no screening test for the condition.
Although rare, Azawakhs are among the breeds in which cystinuria is known to occur. Cystinuria is a genetic kidney defect that leads to the formation of bladder stones that are very difficult to manage with diet or medication and often requires surgery both to remove the stones from the bladder and to repair urinary blockages. There may be no advance signs that the dog is forming cystine stones. Many veterinarians are unfamiliar with cystinuria and may mistake them for more common stones such as struvites. Urinary blockage is a life-threatening veterinary emergency.
Unfortunately, the current screening test for cystinuria is of limited use, as it frequently gives a false negative. It does not give false positives unless the dog is on a particular type of antibiotic at the time the urine sample is taken, however, so a dog that tests positive does, in fact, have the condition, even if he tested negative in the past or tests negative in the future. And there is no genetic screening test, so it's impossible to determine if a dog is a carrier or not.
Hip dysplasia is virtually unheard of in Azawakh, so if your dog is limping, painful, stiff or reluctant to get up or move around, look for another cause. There are a number of neck and spinal problems that can cause those symptoms, and the best place to get a diagnosis for any persistent muscolo-skeletal problem in an Azawakh is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon.
A good breeder will be able to discuss how prevalent all health problems, those with and those without genetic screening tests, are in her dogs' lines, and help puppy buyers make an informed decision about health risks to their dog.
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