White Staffy & health issues

Is it true white staffies are more subject to skin conditions & other health issues as opposed to other colors?

Unfortunately yes, they are more prone to skin conditions and also deafness.. Also in the Australian sun you need to "Slip" "Slop" "Slap" for them too As they can develop skin cancers.

All these things are usually adaptable though, even deafness, you might find this useful

http://staffy-bull-terrier.co.uk/livingwithadeafstafford.html

Very cute pup by the way

Why don't you pop over and introduce you and your puppy here
https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/f7-new-member-introductions

yep, my mum and dads staffy is white pied.

she cops a fair of rash and what not. Sunscreen is a good thing and if theres any pink on their nose make sure its well coated in sunscreen.

alex

Thanks for the reply guys, are we talking serious skin conditions or are they reasonably manageabe? I'm aware of the sunscreen, with 4 kids it wont be an issue to slap some on her while I'm doing the kids lol. I've been told they can be more prone to skin cancers ect but I'm assuming thats if the proper care isnt taken! So basically from what I've read, other than a few rashes & possible sunburn I'm not facing any major issues by getting a white dog? :-) Everyone is trying to talk me out of getting a white dog, mind you though, this advice is coming from at least 2 ppl that have been wanting a white staffy of their own for a long time, go figure! lol

Really the biggest issue with a white Staffy is deafness, I'm not saying they are all deaf you may get one with perfect hearing.. I'm not sure statistically how much more prone to hearing loss they are either sorry.. There are a lot of members here with a wealth of knowledge they could share with you about this, there should be a lot responses to this soon, when the UK wakes up for their Monday morning

Most skin conditions can be managed and like you said with 4 kids you are totally aware of a lot of them

lol now this is probably going to sound silly but can I use regular sunscreen on her or is there a special "doggy" one available?

Can I ask the source of the pup , is it from a registered breeder. Only reason for asking is yes you run more risks with a white pup , however good registered breeders health check their pups and it would be nice for you to know the possible normal illnesses have been ruled out to not compound anything you may experience from colour

Haha dave I meant my 3 yr old human child lol :-P, he is a nightmare with dogs, he hates them I was hoping Ruby would grow with him & she could teach him to love dogs. Although I was wrong in my introduction, My ex partner did have a staffy cross when I got with him so I guess I have had a dog before, I just prefer to forget that chapter of my life! I dont think they're registered breeders, Mum was rescued & have been in their family for 6 years now, not sure on Dads story as yet but they also own Dad.

Megz wrote:Haha dave I meant my 3 yr old human child lol :-P, he is a nightmare with dogs, he hates them I was hoping Ruby would grow with him & she could teach him to love dogs. Although I was wrong in my introduction, My ex partner did have a staffy cross when I got with him so I guess I have had a dog before, I just prefer to forget that chapter of my life! I dont think they're registered breeders, Mum was rescued & have been in their family for 6 years now, not sure on Dads story as yet but they also own Dad.

Again Megz , to coin am australian phrase I learnt this week , sorry but I'm a ditz

We have 2 white cats that have gone turncoat , 1 went to live with next door neighbour and the other has gone ferrule and just won't come in anymore just hangs around for food. In the early days when we could catch them both wee would just use children's sunscreen on them , highest quality , highest factor. If it's gentle enough for the kids it will be gentle enough for the dog. Sure you can buy doggie sunscreen but you will find it a lot more expensive than the human treatments as is the case in general .

Obviously you are going to have to be extremely careful with your boy. Personally I would keep him with the breeder as long as possible and try and make regular visits to the breeder with your boy as the pup will be more comfortable on his own ground

Dave wrote:

Megz wrote:Haha dave I meant my 3 yr old human child lol :-P, he is a nightmare with dogs, he hates them I was hoping Ruby would grow with him & she could teach him to love dogs. Although I was wrong in my introduction, My ex partner did have a staffy cross when I got with him so I guess I have had a dog before, I just prefer to forget that chapter of my life! I dont think they're registered breeders, Mum was rescued & have been in their family for 6 years now, not sure on Dads story as yet but they also own Dad.

Again Megz , to coin am australian phrase I learnt this week , sorry but I'm a ditz

We have 2 white cats that have gone turncoat , 1 went to live with next door neighbour and the other has gone ferrule and just won't come in anymore just hangs around for food. In the early days when we could catch them both wee would just use children's sunscreen on them , highest quality , highest factor. If it's gentle enough for the kids it will be gentle enough for the dog. Sure you can buy doggie sunscreen but you will find it a lot more expensive than the human treatments as is the case in general .

Obviously you are going to have to be extremely careful with your boy. Personally I would keep him with the breeder as long as possible and try and make regular visits to the breeder with your boy as the pup will be more comfortable on his own ground

DAve Haha Yay!! I taught you something We will have you talkin the lingo in no time

Megz, I'd use a SPF30+ but try and get one for sensitive skin, just in case your baby does suffer sensitive skin probs

If you take the steps to prevent skin conditions then you might get lucky. Lots of sun cream, do not bathe too much, use bio wash poder and try not to wash the beddign too much, beware of critters. if there is any scratching going on take her to the vets asap. a very high quality food is a must for a dog that might get skin problems. good luck, i always wanted a white staffy myself but won't live that dream if there are so many health problems

My males litter sister is pure white and no health issues, as the grand mother to them both is again pure white with no issues what so ever.

You could run into problems with a white if their from 2 white parents. But if its a white from 2 coloured parents then the risk of any skin allergies is the same as any other colour except blues.

The only thing I'd add to Denise's post is that you could ask for the pup's hearing to be tested. The only sure way is with a BAER test, which will give you the level of hearing in both ears, but a vet will be able to test for profound deafness.

oh great, youve got me flapping now, sky is mostly white apart from the spots. she's deffo not got hearing problems. she can hear the word food from a 1000 yds easy lol.

I use factor 50 on Lola. Her fur is a lot thinner than Lily's and seems to rub off where her collar is> She looks pink in extreme heat or cold and marks easily when play fighting. Apart from this she is a little princess and so loving x

my Trouble has terrible time with his skin , i vowed i would never get another white dog as i feel so sorry for him when he is so itchy

Hi I own a white staffy and I have to admit she has a lot of health problems non major but very severe allergies ! Our girl has cost over £1500 in vet bills alone in last 2 years and still no further forward to find out all her problems even with lab tests and blood testing . She is completely worth every penny we had an unexpected wee turn through the weekend but she's fine now we've got piriton prescribed by the vet for her when her allergies arise . It's just being aware and extra safe with white staffys x

Yes good point about the cost Lizanne..

Megz, if all goes well and you go ahead and get Ruby, be sure to take out pet insurance, I use RSPCA pet cover they have 3 different plans to choose from, I got the high end plan which covers pretty much everything and it costs me about $40 per month, and that is for 85% rebate.. They will cover puppy from 8weeks old and at least then if any problems arise vet bills won't be so hard to handle

Cheers guys I've done a lot of reading online to see what I may be up against regarding health ect, I'm fairly confident we shouldnt have any dramas & if we do, we'll deal with them along the way as you do with any of your other children :-) from what I'm seeing I just need to be vigilant with sun care & watch her hearing mainly, correct? You guys would know more than I lol, even though I havent actually got her home yet I'm so glad I joined here, I've already found it so useful & can see I'll be pretty regular once Ruby is home with us! Looking forward to getting to know you guys & your fur babies & sharing Miss Ruby's journey with us with everyone here

P.s- Rubys parents aren't both white, dad is white with black patches on his head & Mum is brindle, from what I read thats a plus as far as hearing is concerned but not a guarentee everything will be as it should... yes?

There is never any guarantees just like kids But it is definitely a plus that she isn't from 2 whites..

I don't know of any other health problems that are prevalent in white Staffs, just all the other health issues that can affect any color dog.

Maybe someone else knows of some that may be able to fill you in.. I'm far from any expert This forum has been my Staffy Bible I would have been lost without their support..

I can see this place will become my bible too lol, it already has! Ive spoken to other owners of whites also & none have any major issues to report, I think everythings pretty much been covered?! Big thanks to everyone that has responded with advise ect! Oh, I fully plan on getting pet insurance, vet bills can be a killer! While I hope with all my heart we never have to use it, I'll feel much better knowing its there to use if needed :-)

I can see this place will become my bible too lol, it already has! Ive spoken to other owners of whites also & none have any major issues to report, I think everythings pretty much been covered?! Big thanks to everyone that has responded with advise ect! Oh, I fully plan on getting pet insurance, vet bills can be a killer! While I hope with all my heart we never have to use it, I'll feel much better knowing its there to use if needed :-)

You will always need Pet Insurance even if your dog is perfectly healthy and it really takes a lot of the worry away.. You don't have to put off vet visits if you are worried Good Luck with introductions etc.. And be sure to update us Can't wait to see more pics when you get her home.. You realise pics are an essential part of this free forum And the people around here can't get enough of puppy pics

My Bacon is an 8 month old all white Staffy. I was unaware of the concerns of a white dog when I first got him as well. So far, my vet tells me that I have to be extra vigilant against skin cancer - meaning that I apply dog sunscreen on him when he goes out in the sun. Here is the link for the sunscreen I buy for him.

http://www.amazon.com/Epi-Pet-Sun-Protector-Sunscreen-Spray/dp/B002AI39QW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1352165778&sr=8-1&keywords=pet+sunscreen

Also, I just got done treating a skin allergy he picked up all of a sudden. I don't a whole lifetime to go by, but doing it all over again, I wouldn't choose not to get a white dog just because of his white color.

The picture of your little white guy looks identical to Bacon at that age!!! What a gorgeous girl!

I use the same Epi product. Frosty seems to be developing some skin allergies as well. So far nothing bad with pigglette but we have to be careful in the sun.

Thanks guys! I cant wait to share more pics too but its a little confusing... seems a lot of effort just to add pics lol either that or i'm easily confused So many ppl are trying to talk me out of a white puppy but my ears are closed... I'm in love! If we have issues, we'll deal with it as they come :-) I'm soooo excited to bring my baby home & I cant wait to share the good times, the bad times & the trying times with you all! x

Have you read this
https://staffy-bull-terrier.niceboard.com/t12017-how-to-post-a-photos-onto-the-forum

It really isn't as hard as it looks, once you have your photobucket account set up, it is quite simple

My staffy is white she isnt deaf, they arent all deaf but white dogs are more likely to be born death than any other colour, she gets a rash when running through grass but so does my brindle staff, staffs in general get skin allergies not just white ones, ive had no problems with her