Chows are prone to several health problems and genetic diseases.

1. Hip dysplasia: This is caused by a malformed hip joint that results in the head of the femur bone not fitting perfectly into the hip socket in which the femoral head lies. Often, it leads to pain, lameness and arthritis. However, the good news is that this condition, though congenital, can be treated by surgery.

Since this condition is congenital, dogs with hip dysplasia should not be bred. To ensure you’re taking home a healthy pup, ask if the sire and the dam have been OFA certified, which means that the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals has x-rayed their hips to verify that they do not carry hip dysplasia. You may want to ask to see a copy of the certification, as well.

2. Entropion: Another medical condition Chow Chows suffer from is entropion. Check to see if the puppies or their parents have runny eyes. If so, they may well suffer from entropion, which is a condition caused by eyelid abnormality in which the dog’s eyelids are turned inwards rather than outwards. This irritates the eye and can even lead to your pet turning blind. If detected in time, entropion can be corrected with surgery. If, after you buy your puppy, you do see inflamed or runny eyes or crusty eyelids, you should take him to the veterinarian immediately.

3. Luxating patella: This hereditary condition occurs when the small, flat and mobile bone in the front of your Chow Chow’s knee is dislocated. This problem is more common in overweight Chows, so be sure you keep your dog in shape. This condition can be corrected surgically.

4. Intolerance to anesthesia: Chow owners are often worried about their pets being intolerant to anesthesia, resulting in complications or even death during surgery. This happens because this breed is said to have small hearts in comparison to their body weight. Since anesthesia is given according to body weight, the dog receives a much larger dose than his heart can handle. Always check to be sure your veterinarian knows about this condition before he uses anesthesia on your Chow Chow.

5. Ruptured or torn ligaments: Your Chow Chow has such straight rear legs that there is sometimes too much strain on his ligaments. This results in torn or ruptured cruciate ligaments. Try to avoid having your Chow play or exercise too enthusiastically. If he does injure himself, seek veterinary treatment.

6. Diabetes: One of the most common disorders in dogs is diabetes, which is caused by the body ’s inability to produce sufficient amounts of insulin. The highest occurrence of diabetes is found in dogs aged five to seven years. Female dogs are affected by this disease more often than males. Keep your dog’s weight under control, since overweight dogs are more likely to have diabetes.

If your Chow Chow drinks more water than usual, urinates more frequently and may even do so within the house, or loses a lot of weight, ask your veterinarian to test him for diabetes. In addition, have your dog examined by the vet every year, and ask for urine and blood tests as part of the routine checkup. The earlier you detect diabetes, the higher the chances of controlling it.

7. Glaucoma: This is a painful and serious optic condition. As pressure within the eye increases, it can lead to blindness. Blindness can set in within 24 hours if the fluid pressure is very high or slowly over weeks and months if mild, but in all cases, it is extremely painful.

Glaucoma may either be inherited or caused by a variety of other eye disorders, such as luxation of the lens, tumors of the eye, and inflammation of the eye.

If you see your dog rubbing away at his red eyes, if his eyes look cloudy, or he is sensitive to light, seek veterinary care immediately. In order to save his sight, immediate surgery is necessary. Initially, your vet may render emergency medical therapy, but then will probably refer him to a large and more specialized veterinary center.

8. Skin, hormonal problems and allergies: Your Chow Chow can also suffer from skin and hormonal problems. Often congenital, these problems are hardly ever obvious to the naked eye in pups. Once again, you should ask the breeder about the parents of the pup to be sure that they do not carry these hereditary problems.

Skin and hormone problems include hot-spots and allergies. If your pet scratches himself a bit too much or has irritated skin that looks red and infected, take him to the vet immediately.

9. Heat prostration: If you leave your pet in a hot area with no ventilation, or out in the sun, he will be very uncomfortable and suffer from heat prostration. He reacts to extremely high humidity, particularly if the temperature rises above 80º.

To avoid heat prostration, keep your Chow cool in a shady area or room on hot days. If he is still uncomfortable, call in your vet. In the meantime, wet him with cold water or towels soaked with cold water.

10. Bloat: If he eats too much, your Chow may suffer from bloat or gastric torsion—a life-threatening and sudden illness caused due to the stomach filling with air and twisting.

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