All Dog Breeds >>Health of Standard American Eskimo
Mortality
The American Eskimo is a hardy breed with an average life span of 16 years. This breed tends to become overweight easily, so proper diet and exercise is needed to maintain an overall well being. Health testing should be performed by all responsible breeders and anyone purchasing a puppy should be aware of the genetic problems which have been found in some individuals of the breed, such as PRA (Progressive Retinal Atrophy), luxating patella, and hip dysplasia. None of these problems are common and the breed is generally very healthy.
In addition to the rarer problems mentioned, the breed can have a tendency towards allergies and most commonly, tear-staining.