All Dog Breeds >>Health of Chinese Shar Pei
Because of its fame after being introduced to North America in the 1970s, the breed suffered much inexperienced or rushed breeding. This resulted not only in a dramatically different look for the Shar-Pei (as its most distinctive features, including its wrinkles and rounded snout, were greatly exaggerated), but also in a large number of health problems that are still slowly being worked out of the breed today. Allergy-induced skin infections can be a problem in this breed, caused by poorly selected breeding stock. This has become rarer over the years with responsible breeders and lines. Familial Shar Pei fever (FSF) is a serious congenital disease that causes short fevers lasting up to 24 hours, usually accompanied by accumulation of fluid around the ankles (called Swollen Hock Syndrome).
These fevers may or may not recur at more frequent intervals and become more intense. Amyloidosis, a long-term condition, is most likely related to FSF, caused by unprocessed amyloid proteins depositing in the organs, most often in the kidneys or liver, leading eventually to renal failure. There is no early test for FSF, but as it is congenital, the dog is either born with it or without it, and if one attack occurs (usually brought on by excessive emotional or physical stress), the dog will always be susceptible to another. With proper care, a Shar-Pei with FSF can live a completely normal and long life.
A common problem is a painful eye condition, entropion, in which the eyelashes curl inward, irritating the eye. Untreated, it can cause blindness. This condition can be fixed by surgery ("tacking" the eyelids up so they will not roll onto the eyeball for puppies or surgically removing extra skin in adolescent and older Shar Pei). Chinese Shar Pei can be notoriously allergic to food products that contain soy, corn, wheat, gluten or sugars (or can develop these allergies without proper care early on). It is recommended in the breed now to use a completely grain-free food to offset and try to prevent these allergies. Often, the consumption of these types of poor-quality foods result in allergic skin reactions.
Shar Pei whose food intake is restricted to better-quality foods free of corn, soy, wheat, and gluten will enjoy much healthier lives with little or no skin irritation, itching, or sores. Responsible breeders work with great success to reduce the frequency of these genetic problems, and so finding an experienced, well-established Shar-Pei breeder is important. Some problems (i.e., the need for eye tacking) can be virtually eliminated from experienced breeders' litters. The breeder will also give the best and most detailed diet information specific to their Shar-Pei.